Tests are back, where’s the data?

[Anonymous]

Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

[Anonymous]

It mostly doesn’t exist because test scores aren’t really the issue: it’s a generation without standards. The SAT is a joke and so are most state exams these days.

The only thing giving me hope still is the popularization of the IB curriculum.

[Anonymous]

It’s been a pretty short time, but I would be interested in caltech’s data. They claimed that students were doing drastically poorer in intro course work, so it’d be nice to at least see a significant regression if that is true.

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t exist because the testing craze is bs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

Because those news articles are complaining about low student quality in colleges that remain test optional. Columbia in particular.

The test required colleges now do not complain low student quality anymore. Show me any article that complains low student quality in test required colleges since that reinstated test requirement? None. There is none!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s been a pretty short time, but I would be interested in caltech’s data. They claimed that students were doing drastically poorer in intro course work, so it’d be nice to at least see a significant regression if that is true.

Caltech went back to rest requires this year, those kids have yet to set foot on campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

Because those news articles are complaining about low student quality in colleges that remain test optional. Columbia in particular.

The test required colleges now do not complain low student quality anymore. Show me any article that complains low student quality in test required colleges since that reinstated test requirement? None. There is none!

MIT does not complain. Dartmouth does not complain. Georgia Tech does not complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

Because those news articles are complaining about low student quality in colleges that remain test optional. Columbia in particular.

The test required colleges now do not complain low student quality anymore. Show me any article that complains low student quality in test required colleges since that reinstated test requirement? None. There is none!

Huh? The crimson mentions habitually about the lower student quality. Did we all just forget the article on them needing REMEDIAL coursework.

[Anonymous]

No one’s complaining if you don’t pay attention.
Anyway
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2025/07/moyse-do-your-readings
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2025/06/weaver-bell-qualms-with-the-quarter-system.

And before someone tells me “these articles aren’t literally saying students are worse quality,” it’s time to read between the lines. If students can’t work at the level they used to, they’re worse students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

Because those news articles are complaining about low student quality in colleges that remain test optional. Columbia in particular.

The test required colleges now do not complain low student quality anymore. Show me any article that complains low student quality in test required colleges since that reinstated test requirement? None. There is none!

Huh? The crimson mentions habitually about the lower student quality. Did we all just forget the article on them needing REMEDIAL coursework.

Harvard's remedial math class began at a time when they reinstated test requirement only several months ago. The remedial math class is a remedy for the students from test optional era.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one’s complaining if you don’t pay attention.
Anyway
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2025/07/moyse-do-your-readings
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2025/06/weaver-bell-qualms-with-the-quarter-system.

And before someone tells me “these articles aren’t literally saying students are worse quality,” it’s time to read between the lines. If students can’t work at the level they used to, they’re worse students.

Same, these are complains against the previous admitted test optional students. Give it a year or two, it will quiet down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

Because those news articles are complaining about low student quality in colleges that remain test optional. Columbia in particular.

The test required colleges now do not complain low student quality anymore. Show me any article that complains low student quality in test required colleges since that reinstated test requirement? None. There is none!

Huh? The crimson mentions habitually about the lower student quality. Did we all just forget the article on them needing REMEDIAL coursework.

Harvard's remedial math class began at a time when they reinstated test requirement only several months ago. The remedial math class is a remedy for the students from test optional era.

They created a course for students who will be pass intro math courses? That makes absolutely no sense.

[Anonymous]

Data lags by at least two years usually. Most of these schools only just switched back for this cycle and the freshman class hasn’t even arrived on campus yet. Give it a minute, maybe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since these institutions have rushed back to test required and asserted that low sat scores are to blame for lower student quality, where’s the data? Furthermore, where are their peers who are still test optionals getting their students? Since changing back, all I’ve seen are news articles complaining about the low student quality and that the kids can’t even read these days!

Because those news articles are complaining about low student quality in colleges that remain test optional. Columbia in particular.

The test required colleges now do not complain low student quality anymore. Show me any article that complains low student quality in test required colleges since that reinstated test requirement? None. There is none!

Huh? The crimson mentions habitually about the lower student quality. Did we all just forget the article on them needing REMEDIAL coursework.

Harvard's remedial math class began at a time when they reinstated test requirement only several months ago. The remedial math class is a remedy for the students from test optional era.

They created a course for students who will be pass intro math courses? That makes absolutely no sense.

They were fed up with years of lower student quality from the test optional era. So they decided to have a remedial math class. Obviously the decision was not made overnight at the last moment, it was decided at least a few month ago. Simultaneously, they also decided to reinstate test. You see both occurring at the same time. The two decisions may be made independently, for example, one by math department another by admission office. Both happened thanks to test optional students. Why don't we wait for four years to purge out the present test optional students, and see what happens? Be patient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Data lags by at least two years usually. Most of these schools only just switched back for this cycle and the freshman class hasn’t even arrived on campus yet. Give it a minute, maybe.

MIT switched back in 2022. Still no data.