<p>I see a number of questions on these boards from students who did poorly on the SAT and are asking about schools with SAT-optional admissions, thinking that with those schools they'd be held harmless for poor test scores. But anyone applying to an SAT-optional campus with SAT scores at or above their median are going to send them their scores. Surely, the Admissions Offices at those schools can make the assumption that any applicant declining to send SAT scores must have poor ones.</p>
<p>The one benefit of an SAT-optional admissions process that I can see is for the institution, not the applicants - if the lowest-scoring portion of applicants withhold SAT scores, then the school's average (reported) SATs should go up. Does anyone know if low-scoring applicants are actually helped in an SAT-optional program?</p>
<p>That would be a more relevant option for lower-scoring prospective students. I think that many of those students feel that “SAT-optional” means “SAT-indifferent,” but I don’t believe that’s the case.</p>
<p>They want to eat their cake and have it too. They can still report the now higher SAT averages which might help attract more high scorers because kids and parents are stupid that way. And they can still collect the hefty tuition from less gifted but hard-working grinds and or children of alums without harming the avg SAT reports. Genius.</p>
<p>These colleges actually do not think that the SAT tells much about a student beyond the amount that they prepped for it at the expense of learning something more worthwhile. Here’s the list:</p>
<p>I think that the student can be helped too if they are offered merit money that considers things other than SAT/ACT scores (a different way of tuition discounting).</p>
<p>Also, some students are just lousy standardized test takers, but might outperform what the scores predict if admitted. I believe these students are helped as well.</p>
<p>^I agree, some students are bad test takers but have high GPAs because they bust their butts. I think most colleges would prefer the kid who will give it their all over a lazy kid who scores higher on the SATS.</p>
<p>If you take the time to read through all of the material at the FairTest website, you will indeed find that there are several institutions that refuse to even receive ACT or SAT scores.</p>
<p>*What’s the point of SAT-optional applications?
*</p>
<p>Supposedly SAT optional schools don’t want to have to include the low SAT scores in their published stats, so by making themselves SAT-optional, those with low scores don’t send them in.</p>
<p>However, usually to be considered for merit scholarships, the student has to send scores.</p>
<p>Relatively selective test optional schools include:
(rounded admit rates in parens)</p>
<p>Bard (33%)
Bates (27%)
Bowdoin (20%)
Bryn Mawr (49%)
Colorado College (32%)
Hamilton (30%)
Holy Cross (37%)
Middlebury (20%)
Mount Holyoke (58%)
NYU (38%)
Wake Forest (38%)</p>
<p>These are all among the 75 most selective schools in the country*. Most of them are LACs. Apparently no top 20 national university has gone test optional, but 2 top 10 LACs have. </p>
<p>I think some schools might want more applications, but many said they would treat non SAT submitters the same, especially if you sent a graded paper and had strong recs and grades. I know that some colleges like Smith seemed insulted I asked if aid would matter if SAT’s were sent (some colleges it does) and they said, what would be the reason for not sending them if the scholarships didn’t look at grades, AP scores, etc. You are saying we really don’t think your non SAT submission is as good as a strong SAT.
My son knew students that didnt’ submit at Drew and got very high scholarships, they scored well on exams, AP’s but didn’t do well on long tests. They did very well, one student told him his school was weak and he floundered a bit, but by sophomore year, had firm footing. There were smart “partiers” that floundered also, but he really worked hard.
I would be leary if you need merit aid, ask about how they look at that vs submitting scores, many do treat you the same, you aren’t a number, but look at your GPA, papers, essay, what your teachers say about you. SAT scores might be an equalizer for some but I find it refreshing that many see beyone one test.
If more students do well without it, except for the top colleges, I think it will become less important. I’ve known quite a few students that didn’t submit and some anecdotally through others, never as many as the last couple of years.</p>