Did Test Optional change anything in your admissions process or results?

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

Please let us know?

So far, I have yet to hear anything significant from anyone!

2
  1. Helped

Daughter’s scores would have likely ended up at the low end of the range. Admitted ED with merit $$…

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3

I will give a full report after RD. D applied EA to some schools and RD to more. So far, I think she’s been accepted to three EAs but they weren’t surprises - Denver, SCU and LMU. Merit at two and waiting for merit info on the third that comes in Feb. I would say those were expected acceptances but also good to see they came through with merit even without scores.

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4

good to hear. were you in beta in the early 90’s?

5

Lol no.

6

Is this only for kids who chose to apply test optional? My daughter sent scores, but is still affected by test optional kids applying.

I think for admissions (at this point), I’d go with a 3, maybe a 2 (because she had a score to look at while others did not).

What I am waiting for are the final financial aid packages (merit awards). That will really tell me whether the schools valued her score as much, more, or less than in past years.

7

Not at all. The data point is extremely helpful.

8

Don’t think it made a difference. Kid was accepted EA to most competitive school, had a 36 ACT that he submitted. I think his acceptance was based upon very high achievement in music, think he probably would have been accepted without a test score, too, but it certainly didn’t hurt.

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9

I submitted ACT and I believe it has helped, at least so far. I also applied as a nursing major, and I think having a test score helped me since you have to pass the NCLEX to become a registered nurse, so proving that you can test well works in your favor.

I will be interested to see what happens with the remaining schools on my list, especially with two reachier schools I applied to.

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10

Thanks for sharing and good luck!

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11

Thank you! Good luck to your daughter as well!

12

Thanks!

13

For Nursing helped big time. Daughter was accepted into her favorite choice but only as pre-nursing. Once she submitted her test score she was bumped up into direct admit.

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14
  1. neither help nor hurt

had 1570 SAT + 36 ACT + 800 math II and 750+ on lit and world history

Rejected Penn ED, deferred MIT and UChicago. To be fair high stats don’t mean anything to these top schools, so I doubt having a test score helped or hurt

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15

Interesting, that’s what I have suspected has helped me gain nursing acceptances as well. Which school was that?

16

So far, test optional seems like it has made little difference.

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17

Possibly hurt her chances. Hard to know, but TO brought out so many more (often unqualified) applicants that qualified students had a harder time getting accepted. It didn’t impact her applications strategy whatsoever though.

In any case, she is very happy with her options right now and two more schools to hear from. But it could have just as easily gone badly with so much uncertainty inserted into an already random process.

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18

True, but did students with hidden low test scores edge your student out? You’ll never know but I have seen several people accepted at schools they would never ever get into if they had posted their test scores.

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19

Not sure yet but If I had known about all the admissions numbers I would have had my daughter apply to more matches and possibly ED somewhere.She applied with a 34 ACT so we will see. in 2018 her brother did fine in regular decision so we weren’t too worried. Now we have no idea what to think. Will find out in the coming weeks.

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20

Same exact situation for my D21. Created more competition and more uncertainty and angst, but ultimately she won the lottery with a top choice. Waiting on others. Much relieved. I do feel that TO is a more equitable approach to admissions across the board, and with D24 I may forgo the testing altogether if majority of schools are still truly TO.

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