Well, for 2021 recruits, unless they took the tests in 2019, it is not possible to submit scores before a pre-read. And, if they took it in 2019 and were hoping to take it again to get a higher score, it would not make sense to submit or the coach to ask for 2021s.
2021s who donāt have a test score in time for NESCAC pre-reads which start July 1 will be at a disadvantage. Period.
Athletes are generally advised to take tests early for this very reason. I can assure you I know many 2021s who do have test scores already. For those who donāt or those who want to better their scores they should have another chance to test before Fallā¦but not before July 1. Some coaches will wait, some wonāt.
No one was anticipating COVID-19. Even Tufts president stated the reason they are going test optional for 2021 is because they donāt want to cause more stress for 2021 applicants than they are already experiencing from repeated test cancellations. What is the purpose of having a test optional policy if it really isnāt?
@Mwfan1921 I actually donāt believe the 2021s without a score will be at a disadvantage at all. Kids cannot give what is impossible to give, and colleges know that. It was a NESCAC coach who offered my son the preread I mentioned upthread, and when asked specifically about scores, replied that they were not needed, but if the school felt more info was needed they might ask for a writing sample. It was one of the more academically selective NESCACs.
I agree there will likely be more leeway this yearā¦but really thatās just possible with DIII. I do still think many coaches have their choice of potential recruits who do have test scores, right now. For students without test scores, the hurdle will be higher when AOs are reviewing grades and rigorā¦that will put some recruits at a disadvantage.
And if the June or July tests are held and the student doesnāt take them? The student should be ready to answer why they didnāt take it.
For DI/II, test optional is not even an option for these recruits per NCAA rulesā¦even at TO schools (NCAA only waived test requirement for class of 2020). Can the school let the recruit test late in the Fall, or even into the winter or spring and still offer admission to a TO schoolā¦sure, but that would have to be a top recruit. Most coaches still have plenty of potential recruits from class of 2021 with test scores.
The tests, if they take place, will resume in August at least thatās what College Board has said about SAT.
ACT is still on for June and July. Whether or not those happen, we donāt know.
I think 2021 will be different due to COVID-19. You have some top notch public school systems who cannot deliver distance learning due to technology glitches. I live in an area with some of the best in the country where not a whole lot of learning is going on because of the technology issues. One school system is giving pass/fail rather than letter grades the last semester because not all students can login for various reasons. So, most colleges are following the news and know whatās happening in high schools. The same with the standardized testing. Even elite colleges are not going to allow students to be disadvantaged due to a health crisis that interrupted due to a never before experienced pandemic. Iām sure there are some parents who may hope their kid, who took the test early over another kid who didnāt, gets a leg up but I thing colleges are wise not to do that.
I hear what you are saying, but the reality is many elite colleges are not test optional, at least as of right now.
And again with athletic recruiting for class of 2021 for DI/II, NCAA eligibility rules require all student-athletes to have a test score, at least as of right now.
That test can happen anytime over the course of the application season per NCAA rules, but a student canāt apply to a non-TO school without a test scoreā¦right?
Right. But, some scores may be submitted late to meet the NCAA requirement for DI/II.
It appears NCAA has eliminated the initial eligibility testing requirement for those graduating this spring (unless Iām misinterpreting):
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/COVID-19_Public.pdf
Correct, just for the Class of 2020ā¦not class of 2021 (at least as of now).
Yes, unfortunately not much of a relief for future classes. Big relief for those in the current class who, for whatever reason, had procrastinated on testing.
There probably were not many 2020ās without test scoresā¦beside applying to TO schools this past cycle in DIII, I doubt many DI/II students were still trying to get tests done in March.
Of course there are some 2020 athletes still being admitted now and will be over the summerā¦so those ones without test scores lucked out for sure. And maybe the NCAA strategy was to set a precedent for the 2021sā¦just in case taking tests is really problematic for the next six months so, in which case the NCAA could waive the test requirement for them too.
This is the list of test optional schools as of 4/23. https://www.fairtest.org/sites/default/files/Optional-Schools-in-U.S.News-Top-Tiers.pdf
why have class of 2020 still had no test score by March 14th (when SAT test first got canceled)? The application deadline was November or December of 2019. What does 2020 students not having test score have anything to do with COVID-19? I donāt understand the point of NCAA setting the TO rule for 2020.
Many athletes take the tests in spring or summer of senior year in order to comply with NCAA eligibility requirements, not for purposes of admission. This includes athletes who are still being recruited as well as those who committed earlier. Using Track and Field as an example, probably at least a third of those who will eventually compete in college enter the spring track season with no idea where they will go to college or if they will be recruited. These are not Ivy or NESCAC athletes but those schools account for a very small portion of college athletes.
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The late testers may also be top athletes who are poor students and currently have scores that are too low to qualify. They keep taking the tests until they qualify.
Also, some may be students who werenāt going to college or were going to a local school that doesnāt require them, but now have an athletic opportunity.
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@DCA28 I also find this link very useful.
It lists all the test optional colleges which is constantly being updated:
https://2021admissions.org/list-of-all-colleges-going-test-optional-for-their-2021-admissions/
@OCDaddy, for the Wesleyan class of 2020, the combined SAT score at the 25th percentile is 1450. https://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/apply/classprofile.html. Wesleyanās change to test optional has really increased the average test score. By way of example, a 33 ACT is in the 25th percentile, with 35 being the 75th percentile. Incidentally, these are admitted numbers, not matriculating numbers.
@Booksmart27, the 700 SAT score correlates to the NESCAC league bands. The A band is primarily all As with an average of 700 in each SAT subpart. That means that the applicant presumably is getting ātipā support with admissions, rather than a slot, which could go down below the A band for academic credentials A coach at a test optional school could still claim the A band for an applicant if test scores are below 700 average by not submitting the test score with the application. Or, in even simpler terms, the adcom could have suggested to the coach that the recruit not submit test scores (or that the recruit passed the pre-read only if he didnāt submit test scores with his application).