By June Peers

The SAT, an acronym that stands for “Scholastic Aptitude Test,” is an American test that measures high school students’ academic skills in math, writing, and reading comprehension. The test dates back to 1926, making the SAT the standard for academic achievement and college admittance for the past century.

Moreover, until recently, taking the SAT was a rite of passage for all high school students interested in pursuing a college education. As a result, millions of students nationwide equally recognized the significance of this test.

However in April 2020, due to Covid-19, that significance declined tremendously among many American universities; most notably, the UCs, as they became test-optional. A year later, in May 2021, the UCs made the decision to go completely test-blind.

Test-optional schools allow students to decide whether they wish to submit their SAT scores or not. However, these scores are a minor factor that is considered during college admissions. On the other hand, test-blind schools do not allow students to submit their scores, and as a result, these scores are not considered at all.

With more than 1,900 test-optional and test-blind colleges as of 2023, however, people have begun to question whether these recent policies will prove to be detrimental to college admissions officers’ ability to still select qualified applicants. According to the National Library of Medicine, considering SAT scores during the college admission process increased the predictive power of first-year college success, in terms of GPA, by 15 percent.

These statistics should not be surprising as consistently working toward fixing one’s mistakes and recognizing patterns within the test can prove to be beneficial in college. This is because college students are often given more high-stakes assessments and projects.

A common misconception surrounding the SAT is that test performance is directly linked with intelligence level. Though intelligence may be a factor in how well a student performs, studying is proven to be the most important contributor to increasing your SAT score. According to the College Board, only 6-8 hours of studying can increase your SAT score by 90 points.

Although many pay hundreds of dollars for SAT tutors, studying for the SAT does not necessarily require outside help. However, tutoring does present an advantage, which results in wealthier students having more resources than their less-affluent counterparts. According to the International Journal of Social Welfare, students who are enrolled in preparatory SAT classes score on average 56 points higher on their exams than those who are not enrolled in SAT-prep tutoring.

In spite of the privileges wealthy students are provided with, there are many free options, such as the College Board, which offers eight free official practice tests, and sites like R.test which provide unlimited shortened tests that can predict your SAT score using AI.

Though some may argue that removing the SAT requirement equals the playing field, there are many logical factors that are often overlooked.

The factor that college admissions focus on most is grades. However, grades are an arbitrary measure of academic accomplishment that is somewhat dependent upon the leniency of your teachers and the rigor of your education. In other words, though grades can demonstrate a student’s commitment to their academics, the difference between an A and a B among different graders can often be left to subjectivity.

Another argument that has been presented which is thought to promote fairness among college applicants is focusing on extracurriculars. However, extracurriculars require support, free time, and money from parents. Financial struggles often limit the activities a child can participate in, and the time a parent is willing to sacrifice for their child. As a result, due to having no opportunity to follow their aspirations, many students are unable to showcase their passions in their application. These two factors alone put some students at a disadvantage.

At least when standardized tests were factored into the equation for all, students’ worth was not mainly defined by school, regarding GPA. Students could prove their academic proficiency through a less subjective and arbitrary system, independent from their teachers, and the biases that may arise when being graded by such teachers.

Overall, the decision for colleges to transition to test-optional and test-blind has many implications that can either serve as an advantage or disadvantage to each individual student.

However, whether you decide to take the SAT or not, either choice will ultimately lead you to the right college, one that celebrates your talents. At the end of the day, all students can really hope for is an acceptance letter to the college best suited for them.