Which colleges are these? In another post, from several months ago, I listed some specific numbers, which rare requoted below. Is this type of figure you mean? The first figure is 44% of applicants to Vanderbilt were test optional, but only 39% of admits were test optional. This implies non-submitters had a slightly lower admit rate than submitters, so does this show that Vanderbilt had a penalty for not submitting scores?
Total Class (ED/EA + RD)
Vanderbilt Total – 44% of applicants test optional, 39% of admits test optional
Tufts Total – ~50% of applicants test optional, ~41% of admits test optional
Wellesley Total – 60% of applicants test optional, ~50% of admits test optionalOnly ED / EA
Penn ED – 38% applicants test optional, 24% of admits test optional
Amherst ED – 45% of applicants test optional, 39% of admits test optional
Notre Dame REA – 49% of applicants test optional, 31% of admits test optional
As stated in my earlier post, you need to also consider that scores are correlated with other criteria that colleges value. Kids with lower test scores also tend to have a lower rate of ALDC hooks (especially true for early applicant subgroup), lower grades, worse course rigor, worse LORs, worse ECs/awards, etc. Considering the worse rest of the application, a similar admit rate between submitters and non-submitters would suggest non-submitters are favored.
For example, suppose the applicant stats were as follows (hypothetical example, not real stats). A similar admit rate between the 2 groups is not expected, regardless of whether scores or lack of scores is considered.
- Vanderbilt Submitters Applicants – Higher rate of ALDC hooked, Averaged 3.7 GPA, averaged 5 AP classes, 15% had top LORs, 15% had top ECs/awards
- Vanderbilt Non-submitters Applicants – Lower rate of ALDC hooked, Averaged 3.5 GPA, averaged 4 AP classes, 12% had top LORs, 10% had top ECs/awards