Reply to is test optional really only for low income or diversity applicants?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Test blind is so much better than test optional. It's fair to everyone.[/quote]

Except the kids with high gpas and test scores.  The fewer data points, the more arbitrary the decision making, especially in the age of Covid inflated grades.[/quote]

It’s not arbitrary. People can claim grades are inflated but high schools can send a lot of information about their student population that provide additional context to GPAs. Schools can’t get that with test scores, and they know that. They don’t know if the high score is a result of a one time test or hours of practice with a private tutor and multiple rounds of testing. [/quote]

You do know that grades also reflect a family's resources and wealth, right?  Rich families hire private tutors to help their kids with school courses and walk them through projects and homework.  We'll educated parents can do this as well (even do the projects for their kids, in addition to take-home tests) whereas this is not a realistic option for a lot of working class families. [/quote]

I think you mean grades CAN also reflect a family's resources and wealth.  It's ridiculous to say that rich families all hire tutors for course work , projects, etc.   I think we would be considered wealthy, and we send our kids to public school - have never hired a tutor for anything. Our oldest is applying to college this year with a high GPA and high test scores.  He is lucky - he is a smart kid who loves school and does well on standardized tests.  But he was born that way - this wasn't bought for him via personal tutors, and his parents are not doing his work, as your post states.  I grew up poor and was a similar student.  Some of our kids' friends have math tutors.  Some don't.  My kids both tutor low income kids for free.  My brother had multiple free tutors growing up. I agree fully with the concept that talent and potentially are distributed equally but opportunity and access are not, and fully support the demand for equity in education.  But it's just wrong and doesn't advance anything when you declare across the board that all affluent families hire tutors for everything and even do their kids school work for them.  UMC and wealthy kids can be born smart and work hard, too.  
[/quote]

You're correct, not all rich families hire tutors.  Just like not all kids who do well on the SAT and/or ACT have had costly test prep.  Lots and lots of kids who score well, mine included, did nothing to prepare except some free Khan Academy videos that anyone can access.  So grades can reflect family wealth/resources just like standardized tests can. [/quote]

+2 Some DCUM haters don’t like to admit that many very wealthy parents are wealthy because they are very smart. Very smart parents tend to have very smart kids, regardless of income. [/quote]

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