A Note to Colleges: Going Test-Optional Isn’t Good Enough

When we look back on this period — when this pandemic is over, and life has returned to “normal,” and we have the opportunity to reflect — we’re going to have some questions about the choices our higher-ed institutions made. Or, in some cases, refused to make.

One such choice is whether to dispense with standardized test scores as a criterion for admission during a period when nearly all standardized test sessions have been canceled.

This seems like a simple enough decision to make. If a preponderance of students can’t even sit for an SAT or ACT exam, they won’t have any test scores to report. The obvious and equitable move is to remove the test score from the equation.