Does SAT score Matter 2023?

More than 1,700 colleges and universities are test-optional or test-blind for fall 2023—meaning applicants won’t be required to submit SAT and ACT scores to be considered for admission. With colleges increasingly going test-optional since the pandemic (which forced testing centers to shut down), it’s important for applicants to understand the intricacies of testing policies, and how colleges review applications.

Sarah Wood, a reporter at US News, recently spoke to experts who explained the various testing policies and what they mean for applicants.

KNOW THE POLICIES: TEST-OPTIONAL VS. TEST-BLIND

The two main distinctions in testing policies are test-optional and test-blind. Test-optional means applicants can choose whether they want to submit their SAT or ACT score.

“It certainly benefits students for whom standardized tests are not their strong suit,” Anna Ivey, founder of Ivey Consulting, tells US News. “We all know people who are very gifted academically and they are just not good standardized test-takers. That is a very real phenomenon. So, it’s a good thing that people now have the choice as far as whether they want to make that part of their profile or not.”

The second policy, test-blind, is less common. Test-blind means schools decline to review test scores, even if an applicant submits them. Experts say it’s important for applicants to make the distinction between test-optional vs. test-blind policies.

“These policies often come with caveats,” Wood says. “For instance, a college may claim to be test-optional, but still require scores for certain programming or out-of-state applicants. Some test-optional schools even consider test scores when determining merit scholarship recipients.”

ESSAYS, GRADES ARE MORE IMPORTANT IN ADMISSIONS

Test scores are only one component in the admissions criteria. And there are many ways that an applicant can stand out from the competition.

“Test scores tend to validate other parts of the application,” Dana Rolander, a certified educational planner and founder of Ohio-based Midwest College Consulting, tells US News. “But a high school transcript is always going to matter more than a test score.”

Likewise, a strong essay can likely make the difference between being accepted or rejected.

“It sheds light into your maturity, your reflectiveness and, importantly, your goals and aspirations,” Dan Kwon, senior vice president of admissions consulting at FLEX College Prep, tells US News. “Admissions officers genuinely try to look for the students who are going to best achieve those and fit into that particular environment. Because for better or worse, they can’t accept everybody.”

Sources: US News, Higher Ed Dive

In short, yes. Having strong scores that students can submit to a wide range of schools will help them in the college admission process. In this test-optional environment, we encourage students to view the tests with an ‘everything to gain, nothing to lose’ mindset. 

In 2020, a large number of colleges and universities adopted test-optional admission policies. Most did so in empathetic response to the difficulty high school students faced as they tried to take the SAT or ACT during the early months of the pandemic.

The testing landscape that we saw earlier in the pandemic has changed. Schools are now fully open and tests are being offered regularly, so students who choose to test can now do so. Many colleges, however, have opted to extend their test-optional policies for the Class of 2023. Some schools such as MIT and larger state universities, however, have returned to requiring standardized testing.

For the Class of 2024 it is difficult to predict exactly what the test-optional landscape will look like. We anticipate that a number of colleges that implemented test-optional policies during the pandemic will continue to extend them. However, we also anticipate that an increasing number of schools will return to requiring standardized test scores. 

In addition, for many of the selective colleges for the class of 2021 (the class year that was most impacted by COVID closures of test centers), well over 50% of their enrolled students had submitted test scores, indicating that standardized tests can still play a decisive role in the college admission process.

Everything to Gain, Nothing to Lose

What does this mean for our future college applicants? Since test-optional does not mean test-blind, we recommend that most, if not all, juniors should keep standardized tests on their radar and plan to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications.

With a test score in hand, students have everything to gain and nothing to lose. If some schools on your list require scores, you’ll be ready to submit those scores. If others are test-optional, you’ll then have the choice to submit if you feel those scores will represent you well. Dismissing standardized tests out of hand now could present students with a missed opportunity to showcase their academic abilities. Most of our students end up with strong scores that represent them well.

Additionally, an SAT or ACT score can provide data that reinforces a student’s GPA and academic ability, showing that the student can manage the academic rigors of the institution. Throughout this pandemic, student learning – through nobody’s fault – has been hampered. Grade inflation has been trending upward for years, and COVID has arguably accelerated that trend.

Class of 2024

We recommend that high school juniors take a practice SAT and ACT in the summer, prior to the start of the school year, or early in the fall. Use these practice test scores and your test-taking experience to decide between the SAT-ACT, then create a test plan with target test dates and a study schedule. As a free service to families, Summit provides a consultation following your practice tests to discuss score results and offer guidance on your test plan.

Both the SAT and ACT are curriculum-based tests and a student’s performance correlates with age, maturity, and time spent in school. Students generally reach their peak score in spring of junior year or early fall of senior year.

Test prep planning is a highly individualized process and no two plans are exactly alike. Read this article for some general guidelines for students who will want to consider testing sooner, rather than later in the school year.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to Test-Optional Admissions

What is the difference between a test-blind and a test-optional admission policy?

Test-blind means that test scores are NOT considered at all in the admissions process. Not many schools are test-blind.

Test-optional means you have the option to send scores or not to send scores. If you send scores, they will be seen and considered by admissions officers. Scores that are in the higher end of the published SAT and ACT ranges for that school will be seen favorably by the admissions team.

Historically, well over 50% of enrolled students in selective test-optional schools submitted test scores, with more selective schools having percentages of 60-80% or even higher. Even with the pandemic, these percentages seemed to have remained.

How do I know whether or not I should submit scores to a school with a test-optional admission policy?

Generally speaking, if your scores put you in the upper 50% of a school’s SAT or ACT range, you should send them. Consult with your counselor for guidance as to whether or not it makes sense to send scores.

Also, keep in mind that you can submit scores strategically. You might send scores to particular colleges or universities and not to others. You are in complete control of which test-optional schools see your scores and which ones do not.

I am a recruited athlete. How should I think about test scores?

Even though a school might be test-optional, coaches might still need an SAT or ACT score to prove to their admission teams that they are recruiting athletes who meet a certain academic threshold. We encourage you to check with the coaches/colleges that are recruiting you.

I’m hoping to get merit aid. Should I submit test scores?

Merit aid scholarships, which are generally non-need-based financial aid scholarships, often factor in grades and test scores in determining the amount of those awards. Students with strong test scores are in a better position to maximize merit aid than students with no scores or weaker scores. For context, schools use merit aid scholarships as a recruitment tool to entice strong students to apply and ultimately enroll in their institutions. By factoring in standardized tests, the colleges encourage students with strong test scores to enroll, thereby raising the academic profile and prestige of that institution through their published SAT and ACT scores. Always reach out directly to the institution to inquire whether or not test scores are factored into merit aid scholarships.

When it comes to standardized testing, Summit has always counseled families to take a sane and sensible approach and, perhaps that guidance is more important now than ever before. I encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about taking the SAT or ACT in a college admissions world that is mostly test-optional.