The counselor mentioned it in an 11th grader family-focused “applying to college” presentation this spring. And I also had a one-on-one meeting with her in the April time frame, in which I asked her specifically about D24…given D24’s GPA and current test scores and where she’s going to apply, would you (counselor) recommend she apply test optional or not? Counselor said definitely apply test optional. D24 is not applying to any T20/T25 schools.
I dont see the point of stressing over the SAT or ACT when test optional is a viable alternative.
It’s not even in the “important” category in most schools’ common data set.
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In all honesty that sounds like lazy advice because it is so broad. For a lot of kids a score, say, in the mid 1400s would be additive at many, many schools and it would be a big mistake not to share it.
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Fair point. I am wondering that since his school has a lot of high Stats and high scores kids would going TO put him at a disadvantage? Yes if its below a certain score. So the question is if it is worth putting in the effort vs not at this point.
I agree any generic advice like that is not the right one. a 1350 is in the range for many T50 to T100 and should be submitted depending on each school. As an example school like Purdue if you are applying has a 1330 or so avg sat (unless you are applying for engineering).
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Everyone else’s mileage may vary. I’m just reporting on what our school counselor advised our family.
I believe AOs review what is submitted and they dont infer anything if not. There’s just not enough time at these highly selective schools where you have 20k plus applications.
There may be an implicit bias if some kid took 15 APs and didnt submit a single score.
IMO, if the kid is stressed out about standardized tests, why bother. If they are pretty relaxed about everything, then go for it.
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I disagree with this advice except if applying to top 30ish ranked schools. My daughter is planning on submitting her 32 ACT (equivalent mid 1400s on SAT) to schools ranked in the 30-100 range. Probably not to the one school that’s ranked higher than that (if she even applies there, yet to be determined). We think her ACT may balance her lower 9th grade GPA and support her upward grade trend in 10th and 11th.
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I think every kid & every family should make this decision for themselves with their unique situation and circumstances. What works for one person, won’t work for someone else. That’s ok.
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Re: Test Optional. Honestly, one really knows how to advise. I’ve had advice all over the place.
HS Guidance Counselor: To the whole junior class: Not worth the time and effort to get higher scores. Unless you’re in top 5% of scorers, go TO. Spend time elsewhere.
Private College Counselor: No one knows how TO will affect unhooked kids. “My sense is that this will really just help URMs – if you are in affluent high-stats community, TO is a risk.”
Same Private Counselor: If you want a T10, and you are in v. competitive HS, retake a 1520. Goal is 1560. In general, unhooked kids should be at 75th% (not 50th%) of scores.
Everywhere online: Other than MIT, 1500 is more than fine. And you aren’t at a disadvantage applying TO.
I think the TO thing is just too new to really understand the finer points for a particular kid/school. But overall, it’s clear that TO will stay in the wake of the Sup.Ct. decision. It gives colleges more freedom to build the class they want. I think that’s the goal of TO – so that should be kept in mind.
Also, I would look at the percentages of kids who went TO for every school you’re considering. Vast majority of Princeton admits submitted scores. Only 23% submitted SAT at Boston University.
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Based on their website, 43.7 % submitted scores.
Did you mean 23% went TO in their ED rounds?
This ^ - results at our HS mostly reflect this.
Also true. That doesn’t mean you should not submit a 1520.
MIT is not TO anyway, and yes, almost everywhere a 1500 is great. At Princeton it may not help you but I very much doubt hurt you. Considering the vast majority of the non submitters scored bellow a 1400, I would certainly rather show a 1500. The trick with a 1500 (or a 50% score) is that if its significantly unbalanced the lower score may be sub 25% so something to consider.
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The article in your post cites the % of applicants submitting scores. Per the 2022-23 CDS, for the enrolled class of 2026, just 23% submitted SAT and 12% submitted ACT.
Right. And some small percentage of kids submit both. So max 35% submitted a score.
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Very interesting! Thanks for clarifying.
47.3% of applicants submitted, 35% (max) of enrolled students submitted. What we are missing, of course, is the % admitted who submitted scores. Without that, it’s hard to make judgments about BU, as their yield was 31%. Generally, nonsubmitters yield at higher rates than submitters.
Which makes one wonder (thinking out loud), whether submitting could hurt a student’s prospects numerically by bringing down the student’s “yield estimate” from the college’s yield algorithm - assuming that’s a thing.
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I remember reading an article saying that the group who is harmed the most by TO are the kids around the 50th% of a school. The kids with higher scores submit. The kids with lower scores don’t (and benefit from the policy). But what to do with a middle score that used to be JUST FINE – now, they are suddenly at the bottom of the pack.
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And all this leads to an ever-increasing middle 50% range. If kids are only submitting scores that are above the median, that median will continue to rise.
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I listen to Brooke (SupertutorTv on youtube ) sometimes and she recently had talk about this. She also has blog where she has the data you mention as to how many enrolled kids submitted Test scores at some of these unviersities.
We had someone tell us that our D should retake the SAT because her 1550 wasnt in the top competitive range.
We’re like, No. She’s done.
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