Penn State Is Test-Optional!

(NOTE: here is where I must once again pause to remind you that my words are my words only. These thoughts do not necessarily represent those of my colleagues or my employer. But they are still awesome thoughts.)

Here we go!

Penn State’s application for summer/fall 2021 will be open for future undergraduate students starting August 1, 2020. Students will indicate via a question on the application whether they want test scores used in the evaluation of their application for admission. Test scores will still be required for admission to certain programs. Students should check the Undergraduate Admissions website for detailed information.

The Undergraduate Admissions Office (UAO) evaluates applications based primarily on high school performance as the best indicator of student success. Other factors provided through the application include student activity involvement and a personal statement. Test scores have historically been one of many factors in determining admissibility to Penn State.

Being test-optional for the coming year, provides students flexibility to make this choice. As Timbers states, “Throughout Penn State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have worked to provide students with flexibility so that they can still meet their goals of a Penn State education in a way that best serves their needs. We continue to work hard to minimize the impacts of situations that are out of students’ control.”

While this conversation has been in the works for some time, the present circumstances have forced the issue.

And I'm SUPER glad that they did. If only one good thing comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be that a whole host of institutions of higher education are eliminating the requirement of submitting SAT or ACT exam scores as part of the application process.

As I have previously said:

[T]here is a large body of evidence that shows a positive correlation between high school GPA and SAT scores. When used in conjunction with high school performance, standardized exam scores (such as the ACT or SAT) enhance the prognostic value to the method being used to predict academic success in college.

But many studies show that GPA alone is the best individual predictor of academic success (particularly in English and math coursework) of traditional-aged first-time college students.

And that just makes sense.

But, not to be overshadowed by the predictive value of high school performance, the other enormous reason to move to a test-optional admission process is because it will reduce the number of barriers that a student has to get through in order to get to higher education. Oh sure, it's not a tuition waiver, but students who don't have access to tutoring, to test-preparation, or to an actual test site won't be disadvantaged by those factors.

So, now I'm anxious/excited to see how the coming cycle works out for students applying to colleges since there are so many that are moving to test-optional. If my gut instinct is correct, more students will have access to a college education simply by removing the requirement of a standardized test at the metaphorical front door.

That's not to say that there won't be other challenges and barriers for students to overcome - surely there will be many (*cough* COVID-19 *cough*).

But for right now, we've got to get the word out. How will we communicate to the masses the change in policy and procedure? I've already hit up the NACAC Exchange, and on Friday we posted up some general information and FAQs about the change on the Undergraduate Admissions website. And that's only the beginning.

The real work now begins. And how to I feel about it?