How important is it to have SAT/ACT scores for students that are applying to colleges with the majority of privates are test-optional for this Fall cycle? It is extremely competitive to find an open spot in our area, especially with centers canceling and closing before the scheduled testing day and the college board not accommodating those students.
If it’s not possible to test, test optional policies will allow an application to be considered on its other merits. But a high standardized test score will be beneficial to an application.
It’s a bit of the paradoxical “it won’t hurt if you don’t have it, but it will help if you do”.
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That’s what I am afraid of.
Yes, it’s the unfortunate reality of living through a pandemic.
This isn’t necessarily true. A submitted test score may hurt an application if it reflects unfavorably on the applicant’s academic ability and potential, relative to the rest of the application. In other words, if a student can make a better case for their qualifications without the score, then it may not make sense to submit it.
How would “a high standardized test score” reflect unfavorably on an applicant’s ability?
Where should my D22 not submit her 1580?
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Perhaps to schools that protect their yield.
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Cal Tech?
Seriously, congratulations to your daughter, but is 1580 really your cutoff for a “high standardized test score?” If not, then what is? How about 1550? 1520? 1490? 1460?
I don’t know. You said a high standardized test score may hurt an applicant. I was asking for details of how/when.
I think all those could be considered high. According to college advisors with whom I have communicated, whether or not such scores should be submitted depends on the circumstances of the applicant, including the strength of the application relative to the strengths of the applications (and scores) of students from the same or similar schools and demographics.
For instance, if there are 50 stellar applicants from your daughter’s high school all applying to a supposed “elite” college that usually accepts only a handful of unhooked applicants, and 20 of these students have SAT’s at or above your daughter’s 1580, then a stellar applicant with a 1530 SAT might be advised to consider applying TO, especially if that student can demonstrate strong academic ability and potential throughout the rest of the application.
It is not always true that “a high standardized test score will be beneficial to an application.”