Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the top schools, the tide is very obviously moving away from TO for multiple reasons - college readiness (professors have been vocal in their complaints) as well as further scrutiny from the new administration.

There’s no longer an excuse to not sit for tests, the data points to their value in the admissions process, and no one is being fooled by omitting scores.

Sure some top schools are still TO but it’s pretty much exclusively for hooked applicants and athletes.

This. With a few exceptions (Vandy, not sure who else), schools want scores from upper middle class white kids.

These schools are truly TO according to our private IEC. Esp for non-STEM and non-business majors.

However, to work, every other piece of the application must be perfect. No red flags.

UChicago
JHU
Columbia
Vanderbilt
Notre Dame
Michigan
UCLA
Cal
WashU
UVA

Sorry not JHU. That was an old list.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the top schools, the tide is very obviously moving away from TO for multiple reasons - college readiness (professors have been vocal in their complaints) as well as further scrutiny from the new administration.

There’s no longer an excuse to not sit for tests, the data points to their value in the admissions process, and no one is being fooled by omitting scores.

Sure some top schools are still TO but it’s pretty much exclusively for hooked applicants and athletes.

This. With a few exceptions (Vandy, not sure who else), schools want scores from upper middle class white kids.

These schools are truly TO according to our private IEC. Esp for non-STEM and non-business majors.

However, to work, every other piece of the application must be perfect. No red flags.

UChicago
JHU
Columbia
Vanderbilt
Notre Dame
Michigan
UCLA
Cal
WashU
UVA

Anonymous wrote:At the top schools, the tide is very obviously moving away from TO for multiple reasons - college readiness (professors have been vocal in their complaints) as well as further scrutiny from the new administration.

There’s no longer an excuse to not sit for tests, the data points to their value in the admissions process, and no one is being fooled by omitting scores.

Sure some top schools are still TO but it’s pretty much exclusively for hooked applicants and athletes.

This. With a few exceptions (Vandy, not sure who else), schools want scores from upper middle class white kids.

And here:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1169617.page

Here you go:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1247472.page

Agree things are different, but probably not for schools like Michigan, WashU and Vanderbilt.

All with HUGE TO enrolled freshmen.

At the top schools, the tide is very obviously moving away from TO for multiple reasons - college readiness (professors have been vocal in their complaints) as well as further scrutiny from the new administration.

There’s no longer an excuse to not sit for tests, the data points to their value in the admissions process, and no one is being fooled by omitting scores.

Sure some top schools are still TO but it’s pretty much exclusively for hooked applicants and athletes.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t matter, different environment this year.

why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t matter, different environment this year.

For TO…how so?

Conventional wisdom is most schools are moving to test required or at least preferred.

As for this year, you need to check in with the specific college and see what they have said. I personally don’t believe those who make a blanket statement that everyone wants tests bc of the Trump compact or Supreme Court decisions. That may happen in the future but this year the policy is what was released for this year. Your kid needs to look at the specific guidance from the schools to which they are applying.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t matter, different environment this year.

For TO…how so?

Several TO Chicago, private schools.

Also a private school girl to Vandy.

Knew of a Boston College boy from a DC private.

Doesn’t matter, different environment this year.

What top school(s) (let’s say top 50) did your student get into applying test optional? What were their other stats and ECs like? What do you think gave them the edge in the AC’s eyes?