For the next four years, Providence College will not require undergraduate applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores with their applications. The four-year pilot program will go into effect this fall for students applying for a spot in the class of 2011.
According to PC's new test-optional policy, prospective students who choose not to submit their scores will still receive "full consideration, without penalty, for admission," according to a July 26 press release.
Discussions regarding a switch to test-optional admissions began in the summer of 2005, said PC President Rev. Brian Shanley. PC has always placed much greater weight on applicants' grades and the strength of their high school curriculum than on standardized test scores, Shanley said.
"We're not saying that the SAT isn't good," Shanley said. "We just don't think that it's as relevant in the admissions process as an applicant's high school performance."
The new test-optional policy is meant to increase applications from those students whose high school performance indicates high academic potential but whose standardized test scores may have deterred them from applying to PC, according to the press release. PC also hopes to "increase and diversify" its applicant pool by allowing students without the money to pay for test preparation programs to apply without qualms.
Christopher Lydon, associate vice president for admission and enrollment planning at PC, said the new policy is in keeping with the college's founding mission to educate first-generation immigrants and multicultural students who might otherwise not have access to a liberal arts education.
Lydon also cited the results of a 20-year retrospective study conducted by Bates - one of the first colleges to stop requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores - which was released in October 2004. The Bates study showed the graduation rates of those who submitted standardized test scores were higher than non-submitters by only 0.1 percent, while submitters' average GPAs at Bates exceeded non-submitters by only 0.05 percent, according to the college's Web site.
Bates' findings also suggest the college's policy produced higher application rates from groups who commonly "worry" about standardized testing, including "women, U.S. citizens of color, international citizens, low-income or blue collar students, rural students, students with learning disabilities and students with rated talents in athletics, the arts or debate." Overall, Bates' applicant pool nearly doubled in size following implementation of the test-optional policy.
If studies at PC during the next four years of the pilot program find similar success, the school will "optimistically move to permanent implementation," Lydon said.
Junior Katie O'Neil, who transferred to PC, supports the new policy. She believes she was not admitted to PC as a freshman because her SATs were in the "lowest, lowest end of PC's score range." But she disagreed with the reasoning behind the administration's decision to make standardized test scores optional.
"The part about it being 'unfair' because of privileged students being able to prepare - I think that's a crappy answer for why we should get rid of it," O'Neil said
Dean of Admission Jim Miller '73, who was formerly dean of admission and financial aid at Bowdoin College, said there are pros and cons to instituting a test-optional policy like the one in place at Bowdoin.
"In the end, each institution has to do what's appropriate for themselves," Miller said. Miller added he is neither a fan nor critic of standardized testing but thinks test scores can be helpful when considering applicants who came out of extremely rigorous high schools or from difficult backgrounds. In these cases, it is difficult to judge applications solely on the basis of high school transcripts, Miller said.
"I think standardized testing does have some predictive value. It's not wonderful at predicting, but it does help in finding applicants who are a good fit for Brown." Miller added that with the new SAT, which was implemented in 2005 and includes a writing section, Brown's admissions office is "giving it time" to see how valuable of a predictor the test scores are. Even as the office monitors the new SAT for the next three to four years, Miller said he believes high school transcripts are the best indicator "by far."
As for whether Brown will also go test-optional sometime in the future, Miller said, "Certainly any policy or program is open to review, but currently we're happy with the program and testing requirements we have."
Two Brown students had different opinions on test-optional policies.
Marissa Geoffroy '07 admitted she did not know much about PC's new test-optional policy, but she added that the policy seemed "intriguing."
"I think the goal of standardized tests is to equalize the playing field, so if that's their goal and they can do it better without test scores, I think it's an interesting idea," Geoffroy said.
Bo Tao '08, however, said he thinks that while the test-optional policy has good intentions, standardized tests are still useful in admissions decisions.
"SATs and ACTs may be flawed, but they still give at least some idea as to how students perform on a national scale," Tao said.
He added he thinks admissions officers "should still look at standardized test scores but maybe put less emphasis on them."
