I hate test optional!

[Anonymous]

Daughter who's a junior pulled a 1490 on her first SAT attempt in March, cold, I mean zero preparation. Now she has a tutor and is signed up to take it again in June. Her tutor told me that based on what she's observed in their sessions so far she expects her to get a 1550+ on the second try.

I want to be excited for her, but after reading this board along with so many newspaper articles on how test optional is changing the admission landscape, I can't help but think she came along a couple years too late to be a high-achiever but an otherwise normal kid, by which I mean she's ranked near the top of her class, plays sports, is involved in clubs, but isn't a "URM" or a "first-generation student" and has no interest in being some nationally known social justice activist or social media influencer.

She's just a really smart kid who'll likely become a doctor, pharmacist, PT, or something in that mold, and her test scores were going to be what set her apart from all the other kids who've been handed high grades during Zoom school and can make up a bunch of extracurriculars and "leadership roles" for their applications.

I worry that some kid like that who probably couldn't pull a 1300-1400 with a year of prep will end up taking a spot that should have gone to my daughter. That might sound bad, but what parent likes seeing their kid lose out on opportunities to someone who they know is less talented and less capable?

I hate test optional!

Test optional can SMD!

[Anonymous]

Take a deep breath, or it's going to be a very long year for you. No particular spot was destined for your daughter, and it sounds like she'll be able to find success wherever she ends up.

--Class of '21 parent

[Anonymous]

I get it OP. My kids are younger, but there will be winners and losers from this for sure. I was a "normal" high-achiever like you describe, and got into HYP partly because of great scores across the board. They helped me stand out. Others can criticize these tests all they want, but I am grateful they were around at the time!

[Anonymous]

Yikes

[Anonymous]

Sorry, op. That stinks.

But - test optional provides more opportunities to families who cannot afford tutors.

Check your entitlement at the door. The field is being leveled.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if schools will ever release stats of accepted students and if they submitted test scores. Be happy for your daughter’s highs scores. They will not hurt her.

[Anonymous]

I agree, OP and that's why after losing a few years of good students, responsible colleges will reinstate standardized tests. But first they will need to PR themselves out of the "equity" hole they dug themselves into, namely, that test-optional DOES NOT level the playing field for worthy URM or socio-economically disadvataged students - rather, it just further confuses an already confused system.

Your kid and mine will be collateral damage. Oh well. They'll find their way.

[Anonymous]

Why do you think your kid is more worthy than other kids just because she can test so high on the SAT, and then only after getting private tutoring?

There are going to be kids who can't afford such outside help who would have scored just as highly as your child if they could have.

There are kids who just don't test well but they might prove to be a better doctor, pharmacist, PT, whatever because they have other qualities that make them stand out.

And no on is "taking" your DD's spot anywhere. It isn't a scenario where officials pit one applicant against another. I notice you don't go after the athletes who are given preference - why don't you say they are "taking" your DD's spot?

--mother of a child whose main thing going for him in the application process is his super high test scores, which he received without any private tutoring or much studying at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, op. That stinks.

But - test optional provides more opportunities to families who cannot afford tutors.

Check your entitlement at the door. The field is being leveled.

My daughter got a 1490 without a tutor or even a prep book from Barnes & Noble.

I'm not talking about kids who "only" get a 1490 as opposed to the 1550+ my daughter's tutor expects her to get as a result of their prep sessions. I'm talking about the kids who'd be in the 1200-1300 range and have also benefitted from easy grading (in some cases A's being handed out like candy) because of coronavirus and the move to Zoom school.

I agree with you that the field is being leveled. By taking away avenues for true high-achievers to shine, they're basically turning college admissions into a lottery as opposed to a meritocracy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes

Whenever you hear the word "yikes" you know you're dealing with a woke bro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, op. That stinks.

But - test optional provides more opportunities to families who cannot afford tutors.

Check your entitlement at the door. The field is being leveled.

Not true at all. Don't drink the kool-aid.

[Anonymous]

The numbers are starting to come in and high scores still matter. The admission rate of test optional kids looks to be about half that (admittedly a small sample size as not all schools are revealing the data). But high test scores is still a huge advantage.

[Anonymous]

This is a troll post.

[Anonymous]

The field is NOT being leveled. Get that out of your heads. College admissions officers HATE test optional. They have an even harder time trying to separate the wheat from the chaff.
After this year is over, they're going to try to backpedal hard, but it will take a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The field is NOT being leveled. Get that out of your heads. College admissions officers HATE test optional. They have an even harder time trying to separate the wheat from the chaff.
After this year is over, they're going to try to backpedal hard, but it will take a while.

I think you're right. But as a PP stated, the smart kids from the classes of 2020, 2021 and likely 2022 will be collateral damage, and that's a shame.