Test Optional- Inside the Numbers
When it comes to applications, nothing that is offered as "optional" should be considered optional.
Statistics are coming in for this application cycle, no surprises. For most colleges, the number of applications are up while acceptance rates are down. Why?
The Common App and college's "test-optional" policy make it easy to submit more applications. I've heard way too many stories of students submitting 15-20 applications. Accordingly, top schools have been deluged with applicants applying "test-optional" in blind-hopes of parents that their child is suddenly a qualifier. When in reality, colleges easily see through this resulting often in a quick denial...one minute quick. Why would it be any other way?
At $75 per application fee times 60 denials per hour, they have a potential $4,500/ hour return...hmmm.
I am certain of one thing- acceptance rates for test-optional applicants are far lower than applicants who submit qualifying test scores. Think about that if your child is planning to submit applications without test scores. I have one firm belief when it comes to applications, nothing that is offered as "optional" should be considered optional.
Test-optional skews the numbers. It can increase the applicant pool by 50% while increasing fee-income by $750,000 - $1,500,000. It can lower the acceptance rate by 1/3. It's a big win for the colleges, but not so for the applicants.
When acceptance rates decline, creating this sense of being "highly selective", tuition costs increase and scholarship awards decline...just look at those numbers over the last three years.
It appears to me that the test-optional policy has gained major traction in colleges. It has become a massively effective Sales & Marketing policy. With the growing buy-in of parents who view test-optional favorably, it's likely to stick around for a while.
Lastly, please don't fall for the belief that colleges no longer value the SAT/ ACT. They definitely value standardized testing. Why? Because test-scores of incoming freshmen represent the fourth highest weighted factor of 15 factors that go into the college rankings. And one thing you can be 100% certain of...colleges greatly value their ranking!
Statistics are coming in for this application cycle, no surprises. For most colleges, the number of applications are up while acceptance rates are down. Why?
The Common App and college's "test-optional" policy make it easy to submit more applications. I've heard way too many stories of students submitting 15-20 applications. Accordingly, top schools have been deluged with applicants applying "test-optional" in blind-hopes of parents that their child is suddenly a qualifier. When in reality, colleges easily see through this resulting often in a quick denial...one minute quick. Why would it be any other way?
At $75 per application fee times 60 denials per hour, they have a potential $4,500/ hour return...hmmm.
I am certain of one thing- acceptance rates for test-optional applicants are far lower than applicants who submit qualifying test scores. Think about that if your child is planning to submit applications without test scores. I have one firm belief when it comes to applications, nothing that is offered as "optional" should be considered optional.
Test-optional skews the numbers. It can increase the applicant pool by 50% while increasing fee-income by $750,000 - $1,500,000. It can lower the acceptance rate by 1/3. It's a big win for the colleges, but not so for the applicants.
When acceptance rates decline, creating this sense of being "highly selective", tuition costs increase and scholarship awards decline...just look at those numbers over the last three years.
It appears to me that the test-optional policy has gained major traction in colleges. It has become a massively effective Sales & Marketing policy. With the growing buy-in of parents who view test-optional favorably, it's likely to stick around for a while.
Lastly, please don't fall for the belief that colleges no longer value the SAT/ ACT. They definitely value standardized testing. Why? Because test-scores of incoming freshmen represent the fourth highest weighted factor of 15 factors that go into the college rankings. And one thing you can be 100% certain of...colleges greatly value their ranking!