I agree with @MuzakParent – the colleges that tie merit money to test scores are using that to essentially buy students with higher scores and bring up or solidify their score range for ranking purposes. It’s a metric that has value for the college in terms of the data they report – not something tied to anticipated student performance at a college.
If a high scoring student accepts a generous merit offer that also comes with requirement of maintaining a minimum GPA in order to retain and renew the scholarship – and that student falls short down the line – then that actually may benefit the school financially – (they don’t have to keep on paying out the scholarship dollars for all 4 years). I’m not saying they would deliberately entice student with big $ awards with the hope that the students won’t make the grade down the line – just that there is no particular value to the college to assess likelihood of individual student success in offering the merit money. The question is what does the school get for its money in year #1 — not how that particular student does down the line.
“It’s a metric that has value for the college in terms of the data they report – not something tied to anticipated student performance at a college.”
It may be both. Pretty certain I read somewhere that Alabama gives out the scholarships it does not just to up their test scores but also to strengthen the school and state (by attracting smart kids, some of whom may stay in AL).
A bit of an aside, but when folks dismiss test scores, citing highly selective test optional schools, remember that many do get test scores from applicants. It is not as if they evaluate all applicants without looking at scores. In fact, Bowdoin lists scores as important on the CDS. If you submit an application without a score, it will need to be very strong. I am guessing more than 4.0 GPA strong, perhaps “hook” strong.
True, some students who choose not to send scores when applying to Bowdoin (or other TO schools) have to have a compelling application without scores…typically between 25%-33% of applicants don’t send scores to Bowdoin in a given year (although official scores are required upon matriculation).
But interestingly athletes are required to provide scores during the pre-read process, and must send official scores when applying ED…that particular group (likely the largest ‘group’ at around 70 students) doesn’t have the choice to be test optional.
