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Standardized Tests
SAT is moving online. Moreover, the SAT Subject Tests and the SAT optional Essay are getting discontinued. What does this mean for you?
By Adarsh Khandelwal10 min read
From the Journal
Standardized Tests
Previously, the SAT was a pen-and-paper examination designed to test the language and mathematical skills of applicants aspiring for undergraduate courses abroad. The verbal section was used to gauge students’ ability in decoding how evidence is used to support a claim or the importance of vocabular
Standardized Tests
A revision of the basic concepts students tend to forget.
Standardized Tests
Absolute values are expressions within parentheses, which have the superpower to turn every expression into a non-negative number.
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Last year saw most US universities/colleges going test-optional due to the Coronavirus pandemic, such as Cornell, Amherst College, Williams College, and the University of California. Several colleges have decided to continue with a test-optional policy in the forthcoming application cycle for the year 2022 as well- including colleges such as Stanford University.
Now there have been more changes- it’s official that the College Board is bringing about two major changes to the SAT. It is discontinuing the SAT Subject Tests and the SAT optional Essay. Most importantly, the SAT is moving online.
Students outside the U.S. can still take SAT Subject Tests in May and/or June 2021.
Justifying this decision, the College Board said, “We’re reducing demands on students. The expanded reach of AP and its widespread availability means the Subject Tests are no longer necessary for students to show what they know.”
A significant increase in difficulty from what they have studied so far. The AP curriculum is very different from the state level and other boards. Unlike the SAT subject tests, students will need a whole new level of preparation for doing well in AP. APs only happen once a year so it might be challenging and students will have to plan better.
Preparation for the SAT Subject tests involves focusing on some defined skills. However, an AP exam involves mastering college-level material specific to an AP course. It's too early to say whether this shift in focus to APs is a positive or negative development. Another thing to consider is that statistics related to AP from home this year showed that students did face problems in test-taking. However, it can be hoped that moving forward these testing issues will be sorted out.
Grade 12 students should focus on May and June SAT subject test attempts since the format is discontinued and present grade-12 should take it now if at all they wish to write this exam.
Students in grades X and XI should start familiarizing themselves with the AP Exam of their choice because their AP scores will be crucial for proving subject knowledge to universities.
This change is much less momentous. The optional essay score was anyway not influencing your SAT score but served as a metric for colleges to evaluate your writing skills.
We might see a more rigorous Writing and Language section to evaluate your grammar and proofreading skills. Your college essays might assume greater importance as an evaluation criterion for your communication skills.
While there is not much information available on this yet. The College Board is working on making the SAT an online exam soon.
To answer this question, let’s first understand the difference between the various testing policies.
After all, this test-optional situation does sound like a waiver of some sort at first. No more of getting worked up about getting each multiple-choice question right. No more toiling through history and science passages. No more proving yourself through a test score. As with most things in life however, the truth is more complicated and needs careful evaluation.
When a school announces that it is 'test-optional', this simply means that test scores are not required to complete the application. What you need to remember is that most of these schools still do factor in test scores should you choose to include them in your application.
Let’s understand this situation better through an analogy.
Say you have asked to recruit new members for the school choir or band out of a group of strangers whose applications you have on your desk. You don’t have much time since you have your own classes and other responsibilities to take care of. Neither do you have the time to ask each person to sing (the horror!). Now if including an audition video was optional, which means that some candidates include it with their applications while others don't, who would you select? Chances are you will select the candidates whose applications provide proof that they actually can sing so that at the least there is no disharmony.
Be assured that your application will also be looked into by individuals who don’t have much time on their hands. It’s really impossible for them to evaluate your unique skills. Since both SAT and ACT are standardized scores that allow for easy comparison, they are likely to view you favorably if you have a stellar score on your application. A test score allows for easier comparisons and diversity can be factored in using the other elements of your application.
Colleges were going test-optional even before Covid-19 hit the world. Other than trying to ease out the admissions process, this benefits the institution's rankings too. Let’s understand how:
Here is a list of some top Colleges/Universities with their updated testing policies:
Apart from being a means of uniform evaluation of diverse global applicants, the Standardized Tests also enable colleges to eliminate and categorize applications prior to reviewing them.
As a counsellor, I have worked with students from all over the world. Each year I have observed that the Standardised Tests are an important tool to assess reasoning skills and aptitude fairly. A privileged student who may have employed a full time tutor might still not perform well while a student with no additional test prep support may naturally ace the test. The standardized tests even out the playing field for all applicants, whether rich or poor, by giving students a fair chance to showcase their academic acumen.
Testing bodies are taking necessary steps to ensure fairness, such as administering the tests at a fixed time across different time zones or asking candidates to switch on their testing device’s video camera while writing the test. However, colleges will use their discretion too while evaluating the application. Colleges are explicitly stating that they will question the results of home testing if they are not in sync with the student’s overall academic caliber. In fact, students are being encouraged to submit the home-test scores only if they believe the score is an accurate reflection of their aptitude. In the present scenario, universities are conducting final semester evaluations, in a digital at-home format too. The US Admissions Process and the entire Education System is based on a very strong Honor Code; if students can’t uphold that code, maybe the US isn't the right destination for them anyway!
One thing is for certain. The test-optional scenario has opened up more choices for students. You need to examine your unique profile, aspirations and strengths before taking a decision. Some point to consider:
Let’s look at an example: The University Of Chicago
The University Of Chicago is one of the top-ranked universities in the US and in the world. The university decided to go test-optional in Spring 2018. So have scores ceased to matter for admissions to the university then?
According to information mentioned on the university’s website: “The SAT, ACT, and other standard measures can continue to be an important part of the University of Chicago’s holistic admission process for students electing to send scores. We encourage students to take standardized tests, like the SAT and ACT, and to share your scores with us if you think that they are reflective of your ability and potential.”
Of all the students admitted to the University of Chicago since the university decided to go test-optional, 53% of the students submitted the SAT/ACT scores. This shows that a standardized test score is not a thing of the past and that a stellar SAT or ACT score can still give you a competitive advantage.
Here’s a word of advice for those who fear standardized tests: the first step to addressing that fear is familiarizing yourself with these tests. Make the effort to take a diagnostic test for each test (ACT and SAT) and check not just what scores you are getting but whether you feel motivated to do better on these tests. You might surprise yourself by developing a taste for excellence. And if not, you will have gained perspective on what these tests are all about and how and why they are not for you.
Be objective about your decision to take or not take these standardized tests. Keep your options open and use the test-optional opportunity to reflect on and strengthen your application.
For those of you who are confident about your test-taking abilities, take the test and submit the scores as it is a definite value addition to the entire application.
Needless to say, we will keep you informed about all changes to the SAT. Using our portal and extensive analytics we show you how to get the most out of the time you spend on SAT preparation. Over 1000 students have successfully completed our SAT prep and rest assured it will remain in sync with the present changes and continue delivering superior results.
