Test Optional : Game Changer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Strong correlation between test scores and general intelligence. It’s funny how the people who complain incessantly about standardized tests are inevitably low performers.

As long as prep is allowed, this is a dumb statement. According to you, my kid who got a 1500 without any prep at all was judged “as smart” as someone who spent $6,000 to bring a 1300 up to a 1500. My other kid got an 1180. They’ve both had multiple IQ tests and are in the same range. Dream on about the SAT being an IQ test. It is not.

[Anonymous]

When you have over 75,000 applying for 4,000 spots (Northeastern), something is amiss. There are many others in the same position, this is one I know about because of a friend's child being accepted under the condition that they spend the first semester abroad.

[Anonymous]

The 75,000+ at Northeastern was last year, just read the thread about this year - over 90,000 apications?

How can anyone not think there is something wrong with the system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you have over 75,000 applying for 4,000 spots (Northeastern), something is amiss. There are many others in the same position, this is one I know about because of a friend's child being accepted under the condition that they spend the first semester abroad.

That could be more of a function of the common app, but it would be interesting to see the percentage of those who submitted a test score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strong correlation between test scores and general intelligence. It’s funny how the people who complain incessantly about standardized tests are inevitably low performers.

As long as prep is allowed, this is a dumb statement. According to you, my kid who got a 1500 without any prep at all was judged “as smart” as someone who spent $6,000 to bring a 1300 up to a 1500. My other kid got an 1180. They’ve both had multiple IQ tests and are in the same range. Dream on about the SAT being an IQ test. It is not.

I have two children as well and my 1550 kid is more intelligent than my 1170 kid. Just a fact. They both prepped a little through KHan and took a few paid proctored practice tests. $30 each. I don’t believe standardized tests scores are not linked to intelligence.. not only factor for sure but one. But I sure as hell think it is a better indicator than teacher recommendations at 2,000 student public high school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional is a smokescreen to perpetuate admission discrimination and everyone knows it. Can’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule on these “holistic” policies. Low achievers love them but I hope everyone who supports test optional chooses a degree optional doctor for their next major surgery.

+1

Most people don't research where their doctor went to med school, their class rank...

Isn’t the joke “what do you call the doctor that graduated last in their class ..doctor”. I have no idea of the class rank of any of my doctors. I also don’t know if someone went to UMD Medical school and not Harvard because of finances or went to a state school undergrad because of finances. I don’t know if any of my doctors scored a 1200 on the SATs, worked their tail off in college and got into med school or if they had a 1550.

Usually I am looking for a doctor that keeps up with what is going on in their field, is board certified and has people skills and a good communicator. The tests aren’t screening for all the things I personally look for in a doctor. The tests are one way to narrow down the applicant pool, its’s part but not the whole picture of college and med school admissions, and while it speaks to some capacity to learn the material at the end of the day, it doesn’t guarantee that person will actually be a good doctor.

You are ignoring the fact that med school itself is an elite selection. None of your doctors got through if they weren’t good test takers. Nobody really cares what their class rank is because you know that someone who got into med school is no slouch. It’s heavily regulated, so it’s really not fair to compare it to regular less selective colleges. You can be concerned about your other desires because you know they didn’t make it through medical school and residency as a total idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strong correlation between test scores and general intelligence. It’s funny how the people who complain incessantly about standardized tests are inevitably low performers.

As long as prep is allowed, this is a dumb statement. According to you, my kid who got a 1500 without any prep at all was judged “as smart” as someone who spent $6,000 to bring a 1300 up to a 1500. My other kid got an 1180. They’ve both had multiple IQ tests and are in the same range. Dream on about the SAT being an IQ test. It is not.

I have two children as well and my 1550 kid is more intelligent than my 1170 kid. Just a fact. They both prepped a little through KHan and took a few paid proctored practice tests. $30 each. I don’t believe standardized tests scores are not linked to intelligence.. not only factor for sure but one. But I sure as hell think it is a better indicator than teacher recommendations at 2,000 student public high school!

+1
Or an essay that’s heavily edited.
SAT/ACT may not be a perfect indicator of intelligence but there is definitely a correlation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional is a smokescreen to perpetuate admission discrimination and everyone knows it. Can’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule on these “holistic” policies. Low achievers love them but I hope everyone who supports test optional chooses a degree optional doctor for their next major surgery.

+1

Most people don't research where their doctor went to med school, their class rank...

Are there MCAT optional med schools? Can you be a doctor without med school?
It is safe to assume every doctor took the MCAT and scores fairly well?
Yes, yes it is.

You think the SAT has the same importance to an undergraduate degree as the MCAT does for med school. OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional is a smokescreen to perpetuate admission discrimination and everyone knows it. Can’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule on these “holistic” policies. Low achievers love them but I hope everyone who supports test optional chooses a degree optional doctor for their next major surgery.

+1

Most people don't research where their doctor went to med school, their class rank...

Are there MCAT optional med schools? Can you be a doctor without med school?
It is safe to assume every doctor took the MCAT and scores fairly well?
Yes, yes it is.

You think the SAT has the same importance to an undergraduate degree as the MCAT does for med school. OK.

It's actually worse. They think the SAT has a greater importance to being a doctor than college, MCAT, med school, residency, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional is a smokescreen to perpetuate admission discrimination and everyone knows it. Can’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule on these “holistic” policies. Low achievers love them but I hope everyone who supports test optional chooses a degree optional doctor for their next major surgery.

+1

Most people don't research where their doctor went to med school, their class rank...

Are there MCAT optional med schools? Can you be a doctor without med school?
It is safe to assume every doctor took the MCAT and scores fairly well?
Yes, yes it is.

You think the SAT has the same importance to an undergraduate degree as the MCAT does for med school. OK.

It's actually worse. They think the SAT has a greater importance to being a doctor than college, MCAT, med school, residency, etc.

I’m “they” and I never said that at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional is a smokescreen to perpetuate admission discrimination and everyone knows it. Can’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule on these “holistic” policies. Low achievers love them but I hope everyone who supports test optional chooses a degree optional doctor for their next major surgery.

+1

Most people don't research where their doctor went to med school, their class rank...

Isn’t the joke “what do you call the doctor that graduated last in their class ..doctor”. I have no idea of the class rank of any of my doctors. I also don’t know if someone went to UMD Medical school and not Harvard because of finances or went to a state school undergrad because of finances. I don’t know if any of my doctors scored a 1200 on the SATs, worked their tail off in college and got into med school or if they had a 1550.

Usually I am looking for a doctor that keeps up with what is going on in their field, is board certified and has people skills and a good communicator. The tests aren’t screening for all the things I personally look for in a doctor. The tests are one way to narrow down the applicant pool, its’s part but not the whole picture of college and med school admissions, and while it speaks to some capacity to learn the material at the end of the day, it doesn’t guarantee that person will actually be a good doctor.

You are ignoring the fact that med school itself is an elite selection. None of your doctors got through if they weren’t good test takers. Nobody really cares what their class rank is because you know that someone who got into med school is no slouch. It’s heavily regulated, so it’s really not fair to compare it to regular less selective colleges. You can be concerned about your other desires because you know they didn’t make it through medical school and residency as a total idiot.

You don’t work in healthcare do you? People can be extremely book smart but lack critical thinking skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional is a smokescreen to perpetuate admission discrimination and everyone knows it. Can’t wait for the Supreme Court to rule on these “holistic” policies. Low achievers love them but I hope everyone who supports test optional chooses a degree optional doctor for their next major surgery.

So, what's your definition of a "low achiever" who gets into a top 20 school without submitting a test score? Obviously, they bring other sterling credentials outside of sitting for a 3 hour test.

This +100
Seriously people, calm down. Test optional or not, the kids who are getting into top schools are exceptional in so many different ways. The schools see this and take action with admittance.

Yup yup yup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Years ago an admissions officer told me that like braces, a high test score mostly just tells you that the family has money.

What a stupid statement. There is free pre in Khan Academy. You don’t need money to prepare for the test.

Exactly. Lots of people assume "test prep" is some magical place where kids go to learn how to cheat. People assume these are crooked organizations who have copies of the test. The reality is most people are paying for a tutor. I got tired of fighting with my kids about the Khan Academy stuff they weren't doing. I hired a tutor for a short number of visits who gave them assignments out of one of the test prep books you can buy everywhere.

[Anonymous]

We are all attacking one another when the issues reside with the universities. They are gaming the system with this test optional choice. They have driven this insanity.

[Anonymous]

I've seen a theme of comments like this on other threads and the tone is somehow that kids struggling with mental health issues are somehow 'weak.' Our focus, first and foremost, is to continue to support our child's mental health. She is continuing to progress well and will take a gap year to give herself some additional time to focus on that and the experiences she missed out on during the pandemic. In my experience, when people are supported and given the resources they need to get through a tough situation they can really thrive in all sorts of academic environments as long as it is a good fit for the individual.