By: Noah Landreth
The SAT and ACT may be losing their places as major contributors to college applications. Over 800 U.S. colleges and universities are no longer requiring them for admission.
Many experts including former Dean of Admissions at Bates University William Hiss. He has been studying the issue for over 30 years. Hiss claims that GPA is the answer to determining the academic fortitude of students.
Hiss believes that GPA represents a more accurate record of student capabilities than standardized tests ever will. He stated that the tests are potentially dangerous for schools to use. “You truncate your applicant pools of people who will succeed.”
Wake Forest University brings a unique philosophy to the list of test optional school. “Our admissions process has always been holistic, but the test-optional decision has empowered our admissions committee to be more individualized and deliberate about our decisions.” Wake Forest admissions page.
Huffington post quoted fair test public education director Bob Schaefer. “Colleges and universities recognize that neither ACT or SAT measure what students need to succeed in higher education.”
This trend has a bright future and many schools will likely move away from standardized testing as a determining factoring in admissions.