ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 AND BEYOND - GUIDANCE FOR COLLEGES ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 AND BEYOND GUIDANCE FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NACAC Task Force on Standardized Admission Testing for International and US Students
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter from the Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Task Force Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Future Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Background on the Task Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Introduction: Standardized Admission Testing Appendix A: NACAC’s Public Letters
in 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 on Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Access and Equity Concerns in Standardized Appendix B: International ACAC
Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Delegate Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The Value and Costs of Standardized Tests to Appendix C: Member Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Assess the 21st Century Learner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Appendix D: Data Request Agencies . . . . . . . . . 36
Data-Informed Decisions: Does the Value Justify
the Costs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
TASK FORCE
John Latting, Chair Emmi Harward Chemeli Kipkorir NACAC Staff liaisons:
Emory University (GA) ACCIS (CA) Shanghai American
School – Puxi (China) Lindsay Addington
Julie Chapman Bridget Herrera Director, Global
Vanderbilt University American International Andrew Peters Engagement
(TN) School Dhaka Monash University
(Bangladesh) (Australia) David Hawkins
Gary Clark Executive Director,
University of California – Erick Hyde Anne Richardson Educational Content &
Los Angeles University of The American School in Policy
Pennsylvania London (UK)
Randall Deike The task force would like
Cleveland State Ericka Jackson Mark Sklarow to acknowledge and thank
University (OH) Wayne State University IECA (VA) Jill Cook at the American
(MI) School Counselor Association
Rafael Figueroa (ASCA) for reviewing the
Albuquerque Academy report with an eye toward
(NM) matters of importance to
school counselors.
Copyright © 2020
National Association for College Admission CounselingDEAR COLLEAGUE,
Greetings, and my best wishes to you, your family, and the institution you represent in this time of
extraordinary challenge.
The following report springs from the convergence of two events. First, there is the COVID-19 pandemic that has
upended both institutional operations at all levels worldwide, as well as the lives of individual students preparing
for higher education. This report addresses the resulting access and equity concerns for all students. Second, the
report answers a call at the 2018 meeting of the NACAC Assembly to assess standardized testing challenges for
students residing abroad.
This report is faithful to that original charge and explores the mismatch between the increasing role international
students play in our enrollment planning and the level of services that population receives in test administration
planning. But the report is also a clear-eyed assessment of implications of the pandemic on the use of standardized
testing for enrollment purposes. Just as one example, the College Board reports that the number of rising
seniors in the United States who have taken the SAT this year is down by more than 1 million. Multiple test
administrations have, understandably, been canceled, and opportunities for students this coming fall will be
determined in large part by the spread of the virus and not by the efforts of the College Board or the ACT. Even
if test administrations can proceed as scheduled in all parts of the world, opportunities for students to prepare for
their tests both in and out of school will likely continue to be significantly affected.
Yet the SAT and ACT are deeply embedded in the enrollment operations of most American higher education
institutions. Score usage can range from searching for prospective students, to guiding the selection process,
allocating financial aid and scholarship funds, and forecasting yield and retention. Student test scores are even
used by third parties to rate our institutional quality and our creditworthiness.
The availability of that resource most of us use and some of us depend on—student test scores we don’t have to
pay for—has been severely disrupted. Clearly, this is a crisis year. This is a year to be as economical as possible
in uses of standardized testing. It is a year to reexamine any mandatory use of testing as part of enrollment
operations, for both practical but also ethical reasons. It is a year to be reminded of appropriate uses, and potential
misuses, of standardized tests, as NACAC did in its excellent 2008 report. It is a year to partner with the College
Board and the ACT on test administration and fairness for students and secondary schools the world over.
We explore all these issues in this report.
I thank you for considering the recommendations of this task force. Our work has been guided by the interests
of students, and the hope that this period of crisis will not become a long-term drag on student educational
opportunities. I also thank task force members, and NACAC staff and leadership, for their work in tackling these
important issues.
Sincerely,
John Latting
Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment
Dean of Admission
Emory University (GA)
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
1EXECUTIVE SUMMARY their visibility and, arguably, their outsized importance,
which has prompted a decades-long debate over the
The National Association for College Admission question, “What are the ways in which college admission
Counseling’s Task Force on Standardized Admission Testing exams contribute to or detract from postsecondary access
for International and US Students was charged by the and success for a diverse set of students?” This task force
NACAC board of directors with investigating access examined this question closely.
to testing, alternatives for assessment, customer service
and communication with testing stakeholders, barriers The task force observed that if standardized testing
for students needing accommodations, and availability perpetuates or worsens inequities, and if it is to
of fee waivers for the ACT and SAT college admission remain a part of the undergraduate admission process
exams. This task force was created after several years of at all, it must receive the most stringent of reviews.
disruptions to international test administrations and College admission counseling professionals must
disadvantages faced by test-takers outside the US, for examine their policies and practices to offer tangible
which other efforts to enact change resulted in limited solutions that can help bring about needed change. This
responses from the testing organizations, minimal report suggests steps that institutions can take related to
awareness by higher education institutions of the standardized admission testing. These steps cannot alone
challenges students faced, and the recurrence of the same resolve issues of access and equity in admission, but
issues on an annual basis. deserve careful consideration.
NACAC remains respectful of the complexities Among these are:
involved with administering a test internationally to a
growing population of test-takers, particularly as the • Considering the impact of every requirement that
unprecedented rate of technological change presents institutions place on students in the admission process.
additional challenges. However, recent experience
suggests that the expansion of the student population • Committing to regular predictive validity research of
and rapid changes in technology may have outpaced standardized testing and to publicly sharing results.
the capabilities of the testing agencies, causing
significant disruptions for students who test outside • Reexamining the infrastructure used for
of the United States. As such, the task force set out in standardized testing.
Fall 2019 to carefully examine the systemic challenges
involved with standardized admission testing in • Considering the impact of score policies on the student
an increasingly global landscape. The task force, experience, which may incentivize students to take
however, had to pivot in early 2020 as the COVID-19 standardized tests more than once.
pandemic swept the world and affected every facet of
life, including the college admission process. The task • Clearly articulating to whom testing policies apply
force felt a responsibility to its original charge, while and, if not to all applicants, the rationale for excluding
also altering the scope of its work to include testing certain populations.
issues and policy changes that were exacerbated by the
COVID-19 disruptions. • Sharing outcomes data, disaggregated by key demographic
variables (e.g., race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status,
Through the initial as well as expanded charge, task financial aid, and high school type).
force members insisted that access and equity be the
lens through which they approached their work. As Colleges and universities are undergoing, and will
the gatekeepers of access, the policies and practices of continue to undergo, introspection as to whether they will
admission offices are paramount to achieving a fair continue to require standardized tests as admission criteria.
and equitable process. As a prominent feature of many The task force strongly believed that it is up to institutions
admission policies, college admission exams stand out for to determine whether admission tests add sufficient
2 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELINGAs the gatekeepers of access, the policies and practices of
admission offices are paramount to achieving a fair and equitable
process. As a prominent feature of many admission policies, college
admission exams stand out for their visibility and, arguably, their
outsized importance, which has prompted a decades-long debate
over the question, “What are the ways in which college admission
exams contribute to or detract from postsecondary access and
success for a diverse set of students?”
value to the admission process to justify the social and decisions and justifications, and share data that
monetary costs, which are outlined in this report. The results from policy changes or continuations. Avoid
task force respects that institutions will arrive at different ambiguous language.
decisions about the usefulness of standardized tests in their
admission processes. • Include a plan for conducting frequent reviews.
Commit to regular assessment of institutional data to
To assist institutions in these discussions, the task inform testing policy.
force recommends key considerations that should be
addressed when making the decision. • Consider unintended consequences. Standardized
tests have served a role in the evaluation process
Decisions should: to assess cognitive characteristics of students
independently of any particular secondary school
• Consider the public good. Consider what admission curriculum. External assessments can be thought of as
policy decisions mean for higher education generally, a counterweight to information from secondary schools
and whether institutional policies and practices enable that have an interest in the outcome of the selection
more students access to higher education. process. When colleges and universities no longer utilize
SAT or ACT scores, and other measures of academic
• Be student-centered. Offer simplicity and clarity achievement become more important in determining
in a time of complexity and heightened anxiety who is admitted, does this place new pressures on
about the college admission process. Though secondary schools?
the COVID-19 pandemic created additional
barriers to accessing standardized tests, certain Through this report, the testing task force aims to
populations—including international applicants, empower senior higher education leaders to make
who are critical to postsecondary institutions— informed decisions regarding standardized admission
have faced barriers for decades that will remain, or testing policy and practice, while considering the impact
even be exacerbated, if or when testing returns to of these decisions on the public good. The task force also
pre-COVID-19 operations. intends this report to be a catalyst for discussion among
all stakeholders involved in college admission testing, and
• Focus on student success. Review historical to illustrate systemic challenges for those most directly
institutional data for enrolled students to determine the affected, including students and counselors. This report
factors that contribute to student success. provides background information, key questions, and calls
to action—related to both systemic concerns and new
• Be transparent and clearly stated. Share data that developments—to inform conversations and decisions
has informed decisions, clearly articulate the resulting around standardized testing.
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
3BACKGROUND ON THE facilitated the rapid transfer of data over the
TASK FORCE internet. These technological changes took place
as more students pursued education outside of
Standardized testing and its use in admission has been a their country of origin and were likely a factor in
topic of focus and advocacy for the National Association accelerating this mobility. Between 2011 and 2017,
for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) for the number of internationally mobile students grew
decades. NACAC’s members—representing secondary from approximately 3.9 million to 4.8 million.
and postsecondary perspectives—have long-standing and This increase in volume has undeniably strained the
varied views about its benefits and drawbacks as a factor capacity of postsecondary institutions to recruit,
in the admission process. evaluate, and accommodate students from regions far
and wide. Funneling the global student population
In 2008, NACAC’s Commission on the Use of through domestic admission processes has proven
Standardized Tests in Undergraduate Admission difficult in nearly all aspects, including standardized
explored the proper role for the SAT and ACT admission testing. NACAC remains respectful
and established a set of recommendations aimed at of the complexities involved with administering
stimulating a rich and sustained process of introspection a test internationally to a growing population
about how colleges and universities evaluate applicants of test-takers and acknowledges the additional
for admission. At that time, standardized tests challenges presented by the unprecedented rate of
were becoming an increasingly important factor in technological change. However, recent experience
undergraduate admission, while also being used for suggests the expansion of the student population
purposes like bond ratings for institutions, college and rapid changes in technology may have outpaced
rankings, and assessments of curricular learning as high the capabilities of the testing agencies, causing
school exit exams—purposes for which they were not significant disruptions for students who test outside
developed. As such, it was critical that this examination of the United States.
take place. With the understanding that one size did
not fit all, the commission made recommendations Between 2015 and 2018, NACAC members working
that encouraged institutions to prioritize education with international test-takers reported widespread
about, training on, and implementation of practices problems with test administration in overseas locations.
that accounted for differential access to preparation During this period, NACAC issued three public letters
and information about testing, the possible misuses (Appendix A) to the testing agencies asking for assistance
of test scores, and the appropriate use of test scores in resolving these problems. By 2018–19, concerns
with attention to differences among different groups voiced by counselors and others increasingly began to
of people. There was an overarching call to action focus on the cumulative effects on equity and access for
from the commission that institutions should regularly international students and US citizens testing abroad,
question and reassess the foundations and implications as outlined in a May 2019 report by the International
of standardized test requirements. Association for College Admission Counseling
(International ACAC), a NACAC affiliate. The Task Force
These recommendations still hold merit a decade on Standardized Admission Testing for International and US
later. However, the world—and thus college and Students was created by the NACAC board of directors
university admission—has changed dramatically since in 2019 in response to a motion passed during the 2018
the 2008 commission issued its report. Two such NACAC Assembly (Appendix B). The task force was
changes—technology and global student mobility— charged with investigating access to testing, alternatives
have had significant impacts on standardized testing. for assessment, customer service and communication
The 2010s, the “Decade of Disruption,” saw mobile with testing stakeholders, barriers for students needing
upgraded from 3G to 4G, while the amount of time accommodations, and availability of fee waivers for the
spent online worldwide quadrupled largely due to ACT and SAT college admission exams. The task force
social media and faster network connections membership represented US and international secondary
4 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELINGNACAC remains respectful of the complexities involved with administering
a test internationally to a growing population of test-takers and
acknowledges the additional challenges presented by the unprecedented
rate of technological change. However, recent experience suggests the
expansion of the student population and rapid changes in technology may
have outpaced the capabilities of the testing agencies, causing significant
disruptions for students who test outside of the United States.
and postsecondary institutions as well as independent and to illustrate systemic challenges for those most
educational consultants. The American School Counselor directly affected, including students and counselors. This
Association, a membership organization of professional report provides background information, key questions,
school counselors, reviewed the report to ensure the and calls to action—related to both systemic concerns
task force findings reflected the views of this segment of and new developments—to inform conversations and
NACAC’s membership. decisions around standardized testing. Though the task
force focused on the SAT and ACT, the report identifies
In the fall of 2019, the task force set out to carefully themes—educational inequities, access to test preparation,
examine the systemic challenges involved with the digital divide, and more—that affect any standardized
standardized admission testing in an increasingly global assessment, particularly for purposes of evaluating
landscape. In addition to reviewing the International admissibility to college.
ACAC report, the task force solicited feedback from the
NACAC membership in February 2020 (Appendix C). About NACAC
The analysis confirmed for the task force that association NACAC, founded in 1937, is an organization of nearly
members were concerned with access to testing outside of 14,000 professionals from around the world dedicated
the US, fairness and equity for international test-takers, to serving students as they make choices about pursuing
and communication challenges with testing agencies. The postsecondary education.
task force, since its inception, has been in communication
with the College Board and ACT, and requested data NACAC strives to provide the counseling and admission
from the agencies to inform the task force’s understanding profession with knowledge, research, and tools to
and recommendations (Appendix D). The task force, as ensure that all students have access to higher education.
well as the testing agencies, had to pivot in early 2020, Toward this strategic goal, NACAC has a long advocated
however, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world for policies that address inequities. Specifically, that
and affected every facet of life, including the college inequitable distributions of resources among school
admission process. The task force felt a responsibility to its districts in the United States limits access to college
original charge, while also altering the scope of its work preparatory coursework; that inequitable access to
to include testing issues and policy changes that were school counselors limits access to college guidance and
exacerbated by the COVID-19 disruptions. preparation, including how to best prepare for tests; and,
that vast inequities in wealth limit students’ ability to
Through this report, the testing task force aims to afford college, including the standardized tests and the test
empower senior higher education leaders to make preparation services that many students and families see
informed decisions regarding standardized admission as a necessary step in the admission process. Furthermore,
testing policy and practice, while considering the impact NACAC advocates to ensure the ethical practice and fair
of these decisions on the public good. The task force also treatment of all students, including international students,
intends this report to be a catalyst for discussion among and promotes student mobility. Differential and restricted
all stakeholders involved in college admission testing, access to standardized tests threatens these core values.
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
5INTRODUCTION: Among the institutions that made decisions this spring
STANDARDIZED or summer, at the time this report was finalized, 80 were
permanent policy changes, 25 specified a two- or three-
ADMISSION TESTING year pilot program, and 213 were specific to the class of
IN 2020 2021, prompting questions as to what testing will look
The COVID-19 pandemic has called into question like over the next few years, and which institutions will
the college admission practices and policies higher decide to remain test-optional for the long-term.
education institutions have maintained for decades, one
of which is the reliance on the ACT and College Board
to provide valid and reliable external assessments of Understanding “Test-Optional”
millions of students worldwide. In the US alone, more
than 2 million students from the class of 2019 cohort “Test-optional” is a blanket term to describe
took the SAT and nearly 1.8 million took the ACT, an institutional policy around not requiring
with the majority of test-takers aspiring to some form of standardized exams, or a specific exam. In
postsecondary education. practice, “test-optional” typically refers to
institutions that give students the choice
School and testing center closures, as a result of the
pandemic, have caused significant disruption to students to submit scores if they feel it reflects their
around the world who seek to enter higher education true ability. Institutions will still consider
in the coming years. According to UNESCO, at the scores if submitted. “Test-flexible” refers
peak of the pandemic in mid-April, 194 countries had to institutions that give students a choice
implemented nationwide school closures, affecting close about which type of assessment to submit.
to 1.6 billion students—90.1 percent of the world’s total “Test-blind” refers to institutions that will
enrolled learners. These closures derailed the testing not consider standardized testing for any
process in the spring, and likely will continue to disrupt applicant, even if submitted.
the ability of hundreds of thousands of students to test
over the summer and fall as uncertainty remains over
reopening. By the end of May, roughly 1 million fewer
American 11th-graders had taken the SAT for the first As a result of the pandemic, higher education institutions
time than would have been expected. have an opportunity to come together to reflect on
current or recently changed testing practices, to review
These disruptions have forced many postsecondary testing in light of other measures to predict successful
institutions to make changes to their testing policies, student outcomes, and to realign admission requirements
as access to testing cannot be guaranteed for students to ensure a student-first framework. NACAC’s Code of
and maintaining enrollment is critical for institutions. Ethics and Professional Practices states:
Moreover, institutions recognize the clear threat to
fairness, equity, and access posed by maintaining testing Our profession strives to ensure that the students we serve
requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of and all of our colleagues are valued and supported. We
the writing of this report, more than half of four-year thrive by embracing and engaging our unique identities,
colleges and universities had gone test-optional, 318 experiences, and perspectives, and we are committed
of which—including many highly selective public and to increasing the enrollment and success of historically
private institutions—made announcements in spring underrepresented populations. We are dedicated to
or summer 2020. Though test-optional adopters were promoting college access and addressing systemic
growing prior to the emergence of COVID-19, the inequities to ensure that college campuses reflect our
pandemic quickly accelerated the movement. For society’s many cultures, stimulate the exchange of ideas,
comparison, approximately 50 institutions announced a value differences, and prepare our students to become
test-optional policy throughout the entire year in 2019. global citizens and leaders.
6 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELINGAs the gatekeepers of access, the policies and practices of admission
offices are paramount to achieving a fair and equitable process…. As a
prominent feature of many admission policies, college admission exams
stand out for their visibility and, arguably, their outsized importance,
which has prompted a decades-long debate over the question, “What are
the ways in which college admission exams contribute to or detract from
postsecondary access and success for a diverse set of students?”
In addition to highlighting the causes and As the gatekeepers of access, the policies and practices of
manifestations of disparities that students face, college admission offices are paramount to achieving a fair and
admission counseling professionals must also examine equitable process. Indeed, these policies and practices
their policies and practices to offer tangible solutions are the subject of regular discussion, critique, and
that can help bring about needed change. This report assessment, both internally and externally, each year. As
suggests steps that institutions can take related to a prominent feature of many admission policies, college
standardized admission testing, which cannot alone admission exams stand out for their visibility and,
resolve issues of access and equity in admission but arguably, their outsized importance, which has prompted
deserve careful consideration. a decades-long debate over the question, “What are the
ways in which college admission exams contribute to
ACCESS AND EQUITY or detract from postsecondary access and success for a
diverse set of students?”
CONCERNS IN
STANDARDIZED TESTING The relationship between colleges and universities,
on the one hand, and the SAT and ACT admission
The higher education sector must create an exams, on the other, is symbiotic. The development of
environment whereby all students, regardless of race, standardized admission tests was a direct response on
ethnicity, country of origin, or country of residence, the part of postsecondary institutions to the desire for
are provided with equal access to educational a “common yardstick,” and to a great extent, a way to
opportunity. Higher education institutions have create efficiency in the process of reviewing applications
strategized for decades to create equitable admission for admission. Over time, the tests have adapted in
practices, which is necessary for higher education to response to stimuli from the market—enrollment has
remain of service to the greater good. US institutions grown more than 1,500 percent since the SAT was
have enacted strategies, for example, that include developed in 1926—and to critical thinking about
race-conscious admission practices, consideration how (or whether) students’ abilities, and later learning,
of students’ socioeconomic circumstances, or can be assessed in a single sitting. Postsecondary
targeted recruiting. Several states have limited the institutions have effectively entrusted the College Board
ability of admission offices to consider a student’s and ACT with the authority of serving as a third-party
race or ethnicity as a factor affecting their access to certifier of students’ qualification for admission. As
educational opportunity, while some have enacted the population interested in admission to college has
laws requiring public institutions to accept the top rapidly expanded and diversified, however, testing
“X” percent of students from public high schools. agencies have not been able to ensure that the access
One important element links both sides of this often- to and availability of test administrations, the quality
contentious debate—that access to postsecondary of the testing experience, and the integrity and validity
opportunities is not evenly distributed, equitable, or, of test scores are preserved consistently. Moreover,
in a broad sense, fair. “test prep”—at first scorned by the testing agencies
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
7and now embraced—has burgeoned into a billion-
dollar industry, creating added equity challenges and Recent concerns further complicate long-standing
calling into question the reliability of test scores as true questions about college admission exams,
measures of student abilities. including but not limited to:
• How do we account for differences in scores by
International test-takers, particularly, have for years faced race/ethnicity and income?
significant barriers to access, creating an inequitable • Do the exams simply magnify existing
testing environment compared to test-takers within the disparities already ingrained in our K-12
United States—the original impetus for this task force. educational system?
Advocates for international test-takers have expressed • Do the exams provide sufficient additional
disapproval over fewer test dates, greater distances predictive power for postsecondary success,
traveled to a limited number of testing locations, higher particularly for underrepresented students? Does
fees, differing policies (e.g., fee waivers), and alternative it vary by academic pathway and type of higher
testing formats that disadvantage students. Specialized education institution?
technology requirements for the ACT have reduced • Does inequitable access to test preparation
the ability of some secondary schools to remain as further reinforce systemic inequities and further
testing sites. After years of expressing their concerns, amplify test score differences?
professionals working with international students have • Are the exams culturally tilted away from
been frustrated by limited responses from the testing underrepresented students in their very
organizations, minimal awareness of their challenges by construction?
higher education institutions, and the recurrence of the
same issues on an annual basis.
Now, as a result of disruptions to testing in the Over time, an increasing number of postsecondary
United States, the spotlight on testing is being driven institutions have implemented test-optional admission
by domestic student voices and their advocates, policies, citing concerns about equity among the reasons
which has brought the issues previously limited to for doing so. The task force stresses that with these,
the international student realm into the forefront of and other policies intended to address equity concerns,
public consciousness. Significant testing disruptions results are what matter, not simply implementing
resulted globally from COVID-19—spring and policies. Though several research studies have shown
summer tests were canceled, seats are and will that test-optional policies do not improve institutional
continue to be limited as testing sites are allowed diversity, these studies have significant limitations
to open, discussions about alternative formats including focusing on highly selective liberal arts
for test administration accelerated, students have colleges—the early adopters of test-optional policies. As
limited access to guidance on test taking, and test the types of institutions that go test-optional broadens,
preparation is delivered in alternative formats. and as test-blind policies are adopted, more research
Though some rising seniors were able to test in is needed to show the effects on institutional diversity.
their junior year, retesting, which around half of And importantly, a large percentage of students still
test-takers will do (54 percent for SAT and 45 opt to submit standardized test scores to test-optional
percent for ACT), will be restricted, therefore institutions. Applying to other schools that require
limiting the opportunity for students to demonstrate exams, needing exams to apply for certain academic or
improvements or create stronger scores for those scholarship programs, or unfortunately, mistrust that
institutions that superscore. It is also well-established they won’t be treated fairly in the review process without
that from an access and equity perspective, limited scores play a large role in the decision to submit. As such,
testing and retesting capacity will disparately affect it is critical not to abandon efforts to address concerns
students who are underrepresented, low-income, about equity and access to the tests for students who are
first-generation, or live in densely populated areas. required to or opt to submit test scores. Institutions must
8 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELINGcommit to showing evidence to the public that they are THE VALUE AND COSTS
making good on this renewed commitment to students OF STANDARDIZED TESTS
that higher education can be an engine of opportunity
and social mobility for all. TO ASSESS THE 21ST
CENTURY LEARNER
After we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and
related restrictions, we cannot simply “go back to Twenty-first century learning as defined by the 4Cs—
normal.” The tenuous grasp we hold on many of our communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and
habits and policies has been further loosened, and we creativity—are among the skills that college admission
must adapt if we are to continue to fulfill our duty offices seek in applicants. The task force considered
to the public good. While more higher education how the current standardized admission tests—one-day,
institutions will undoubtedly adopt test-optional multiple choice, largely paper-based exams—demonstrate
admission policies, not all institutions will do so. the 21st century competencies that colleges expect
And while some institutions have decided to go test- and students need for the world into which they will
optional as a result of COVID-19 disruptions, this may graduate. For example, college and career success is now
be a temporary shift in policy. The task force believes highly dependent on technological capabilities, such
institutions, regardless of the college admission policy as the ability to search, find, and evaluate information
they choose, must closely examine their approach in on the web; web-style reading skills; synchronous and
light of equity concerns. asynchronous communication skills; and the ability to
FIGURE 1. PERCENTAGE OF COLLEGES ATTRIBUTING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
IMPORTANCE TO FACTORS IN ADMISSION DECISIONS: FIRST-TIME FRESHMEN, FALL 2017
Considerable Moderate Limited No
Factor N
Importance Importance Importance Importance
Grades in All Courses 220 74.5 15.0 5.5 5.0
Grades in College Prep Courses 220 73.2 16.8 5.9 4.1
Strength of Curriculum 219 62.1 21.9 8.7 7.3
Admission Test Scores (SAT, ACT) 221 45.7 37.1 12.2 5.0
Essay or Writing Sample 220 23.2 33.2 24.1 19.5
Student’s Demonstrated Interest 218 16.1 23.9 28.0 32.1
Counselor Recommendation 218 15.1 40.4 26.6 17.9
Teacher Recommendation 219 14.2 40.2 26.5 19.2
Class Rank 220 9.1 29.1 34.1 27.7
Extracurricular Activities 219 6.4 42.9 32.0 18.7
Portfolio 219 6.4 11.9 26.9 54.8
Subject Test Scores (AP, IB) 219 5.5 18.3 35.2 41.1
Interview 219 5.5 16.4 28.3 49.8
Work 217 4.1 28.6 36.9 30.4
State Graduation Exam Scores 218 2.3 8.7 18.8 70.2
SAT II Scores 216 1.9 5.6 14.8 77.8
SOURCE: NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2018–19.
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
9integrate text, images, and video into a deliverable. cognitive characteristics of students independently of
These are also the skills, coincidentally, that have been any particular secondary school curriculum, and have
critical to students as they navigate virtual learning as a generally been found to add a measure of predictive
result of COVID-19. And, unquestionably, skills that are power when combined with high school grades. As
not assessed through the current ACT or SAT. high schools employ differential grading techniques
and offer courses of various strengths, this external
What might the value be of a test that measures student assessment has been perceived as an important tool
readiness and maintains only a modest statistical for many institutions in comparing students across
correlation with first-year success, particularly when contexts. Without external assessments, colleges
institutions are responsible for graduating students and universities would be making their high-stakes
prepared for longer-term success? decisions on what is generated at the secondary
school level, which could be problematic. More
Value to Institutions recently, US-based standardized admission tests are
being increasingly utilized as a factor in admission
Assessing Student Potential for international universities (SAT recognized at
As originally envisioned, college admission exams universities in 85 countries), particularly for students
were intended to provide a “common yardstick” as studying in an American high school diploma program,
the population of students expanded. Moreover, which alone is not considered sufficient.
early in their history, college admission exams
held the promise of finding the “diamond in the Institutions, through predictive validity studies, are able
rough,” or high-performing students in settings to determine precisely the added value of standardized test
where colleges traditionally had not sought them. scores in admission decisions.
However, time has changed much about the
founding purposes and assumptions behind these Call to Action: US and international institutions
exams. Indeed, the very notions of “diamonds in should commit to regular predictive validity
the rough” and even the “common yardstick” are research and to publicly sharing results.
culturally suspect—are not all students capable of
success given equal opportunity? Beyond academic
capability, institutions often seek additional
information about what makes a student a good The value of ACT or SAT scores to colleges is
fit for the institution’s mission and needs. And to dependent on scores conveying valid and reliable
what degree is a yardstick effective if the units of information. In the international testing context,
measurement cannot afford us a full understanding cheating and score cancellations—the extent
of what we’re attempting to measure? of which are not yet fully understood—raise
important questions about the integrity of test
Indeed, US colleges and universities apply a range scores. Furthermore, as one task force member
of factors to obtain a multidimensional view of notes, “the improvised fixes and stop-gap measures
applications for admission. Colleges and universities that testing agencies were willing to make as a
across the board consistently indicate that high school result of COVID-19 have destroyed the fiction
grades in college preparatory courses are the most that these tests are actually standardized at all.”
important factor in admission decisions (see Figure The testing organizations maintain a responsibility
1). This reliance on grades earned over the duration of to colleges and universities to ensure that the
secondary school reflects decades of research indicating access to and availability of the tests, the quality
that high school grades are the single strongest of the testing experience, and the integrity of test
predictor of academic success during the first year scores are preserved throughout the world.
of college and beyond. Standardized tests, however,
have served a role in the evaluation process to assess
10 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELING…institutions have come to rely on test-based student search
services to play a core lead generation function in their recruitment
processes, and on the other end of the funnel, have used tests
administratively to aid in enrollment forecasting and onboarding
related to academic advisement and placement. Such benefits
are secondary to the original purpose of college admission
exams, but have become intertwined in the relationship between
postsecondary institutions and testing agencies.
Administrative Tool score that comprises 10 percent of an institution’s rank.
Standardized admission tests also have practical College admission exam scores, therefore, remain a core
implications for colleges and universities. As application perception of institutional quality for internal and external
numbers continue to grow and even outpace admission higher education stakeholders that many institutions have
staff capacity in light of diminished budgets, testing not been willing to risk upsetting.
offers an efficient and expedient tool to assist decision-
making. The largest and most selective colleges receive Institutions make use of positive rankings and other
tens of thousands of applications each year, reducing the reputational indicators when recruiting students,
review times for each application to mere minutes. In reporting to boards and alumni, and marketing to other
such an environment, single quantitative measures offer external audiences. While most admission officers believe
a tantalizing shortcut to accomplishing the unrealistic that their institutions are not manipulating practices
task of reading every application for admission in to achieve better rankings, nearly all admission officers
depth and evaluating a student’s academic record and believe that other institutions are doing so, according to
accomplishments during a lifetime of learning. the 2011 Report of the NACAC Ad Hoc Committee on U.S.
News and World Report Rankings. The reality is that all
In addition, institutions have come to rely on test-based selective colleges, to one degree or another, factor rankings
student search services to play a core lead generation into their decision-making processes at a number of levels,
function in their recruitment processes, and on the other including the choices they make regarding standardized
end of the funnel, have used tests administratively to testing policies.
aid in enrollment forecasting and onboarding related to
academic advisement and placement. Such benefits are It is important to note, however, that the USNWR
secondary to the original purpose of college admission methodology, as well as our collective perceptions about
exams, but have become intertwined in the relationship the significance of college admission exam scores on
between postsecondary institutions and testing agencies. institutional quality, reflects a reality that may no longer
Among other functions, the ability to identify diverse and exist—that a substantial majority of US colleges and
underrepresented populations among test-takers is an oft- universities require the scores for admission decisions.
cited benefit of utilizing this student information. Though institutions that go test-optional may be signaling
that rankings hold less influence than some may think,
Reputation these colleges and universities still rely on submitters.
Colleges and universities are also mindful of public If fewer than 75 percent of students in an entering class
perception of institutional quality, which is inextricably submits ACT or SAT scores, USNWR methodology is
linked to both test score ranges of incoming students and designed to give test scores less weight, with the overall
college rankings. US News & World Report (USNWR) value of the school’s score being reduced. USNWR is
rankings, for example, utilize student inputs—standardized making adjustments to reflect a changing landscape,
testing scores and class rank—for its “student excellence” however, such as now ranking test-blind institutions.
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
11In 2018–19… students testing outside of the US had four
options for testing whereas domestic test-takers had seven
opportunities. As one member of the task force noted, “Access
is not about increasing test dates and lowering registration
fees by region. It’s understanding that students applying to
university don’t have the same opportunities to prepare and
test and for that reason, should not be penalized for that.”
As score disparities are often tied to money, power,
Call to Action: Call on rankings organizations and privilege, the students who most often benefit
to remove certain inputs, specifically class rank are those with money, power, and privilege. In the
and standardized testing metrics, from rankings equation—does the value to institutions justify the
methodologies in favor of factors that measure cost to students—careful examination of the costs is
student outcomes, satisfaction, and engagement. necessary. As task force members aptly pointed out in
See the 2011 Report of the NACAC Ad Hoc their discussions, it’s not just costs to students, but also
Committee on U.S. News & World Report Rankings. costs to secondary schools.
Call to Action: Determine how strongly rankings Costs to Students
and other “reputational” considerations factor Costs to students must be examined both prior to the
into your institution’s decision-making process COVID-19 pandemic and after. It is clear that many
regarding testing. of the institutional decisions to adopt test-optional
policies for at least the 2020–2021 application cycle
Value to Students are based in part on the judgment that the costs, both
When considering value to institutions, it’s logical to financial and otherwise, to students amid a pandemic
then consider the value to students. Simply put, students are too high. Uncertainty about access to physical
take standardized tests because colleges require them to testing centers; apprehensiveness about public health;
do so. Like institutions, students can benefit from the and concerns about equity in varying test scenarios,
opportunity to externally validate their abilities amid including the prospect of expanded online testing,
widely differing systems—both within the US and likely drove most institutional decisions. In addition,
internationally, and even within systems with differing colleges and universities recognize that stress is already
grading structures. Results have the possibility of heightened around a very different junior and senior
opening doors for students that may not have otherwise year academically, cocurricularly, and with respect to the
existed, leading them to consider, for example, applying college search and application process.
to more highly selective institutions based on their test
scores. But the opposite can also be true, prompting Institutional decisions to go test-optional permanently, or
students with lower scores that aren’t an accurate to use this time to examine testing policies more closely
reflection of their ability to question their place in higher during this temporary shift, most certainly included,
education. It is also important to consider cultural or will include, a close examination of costs to students
differences when it comes to the value of testing for outside of a global health crisis. The task force sought to
students. In some cultures, where tests alone determine better understand the costs to students from an access and
a student’s postsecondary path and holistic review is equity perspective.
hard to comprehend, the test-optional movement can be
anxiety-inducing. Under the current system, the financial foundation of the
administration of standardized testing rests exclusively
12 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELINGon students and their families. Direct costs include exam not require a flight or a passport. The same can’t be said
registration fees for each test administration, as well as the for many international test-takers.
costs students encounter when requesting additional score
reports beyond those allotted by the testing agencies. Additionally, there have traditionally been fewer test
dates offered to students residing outside the US,
Yet it’s institutions—not students—who ultimately particularly for the SAT. In 2018–19, for example,
capitalize on the final product, using the scores submitted students testing outside of the US had four options
by applicants as a third-party certification of student for testing whereas domestic test-takers had seven
qualifications. This system in itself is problematic, opportunities. As one member of the task force noted,
particularly when viewed through an equity and access “Access is not about increasing test dates and lowering
lens. Financial structures that impose a flat, standardized registration fees by region. It’s understanding that
fee for access are inherently regressive. Moreover, when students applying to university don’t have the same
the service for which individuals pay is connected to a opportunities to prepare and test and for that reason,
public good, such as entry to higher education, the system should not be penalized for that.”
by which the service sustains itself must be examined
critically to determine whether access is restricted at the Seeking guidance on test registration procedures, test
very source. score submission, test preparation, and other related
questions can also carry hidden costs. In the US,
In recognition of barriers to access, some states and many students face student-to-counselor ratios that
localities have begun offering free college admission exams are far too large, but many students outside the US
in public schools. However, while these measures relieve have no access to counseling at all. In both cases, the
individual students and families of direct costs, they lack of guidance inhibits access. As such, students
ultimately transfer them to the taxpayer and consume in wealthier families and schools are more likely to
scarce public dollars at a time when spending on public receive this information through resources provided
goods, including education, has stagnated. And while the by the school or by hiring a consulting service.
testing agencies offer fee waivers to low-income students, Low-income students, in contrast, often lack access to
the opportunity costs of submitting additional paperwork the same support and information.
with each administration—all to prove that a student is,
in fact, disadvantaged—remains a barrier that wealthier
students do not face.
Students who can work with knowledgeable,
Beyond direct financial costs, task force members well-resourced college counselors are better
focused on issues that are less evident and harder able to make alternate arrangements when
to quantify, yet are of considerable importance to testing difficulties arise and make more
consideration of equity and access. Per the original informed college choices related to testing.
charge, the task force sought to understand additional, Students who do not have access to a
different, and significantly higher costs to test-takers counselor, or work with counselors managing
outside of the United States, and were asked to examine large caseloads, must navigate these changes
how issues of access and equity in testing compared with less guidance. In some cases, and as
inside the US versus outside of the US. The task force witnessed more often in an international
concluded that the issues are similar, but of different context, students may seek help from
magnitude. At the most basic level, fees for testing individuals who are not well-informed and
internationally are much higher than those charged who may take advantage of a student’s and/or
domestically, and do not include ancillary but necessary family’s lack of knowledge of the process.
costs, such as travel expenses. For example, in the US,
students (particularly rural students) might have to
travel some distance to test, but that trip usually does
ENSURING ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
13To make informed decisions about testing policies, the task force felt strongly
that institutions need to understand a variety of student perspectives with
respect to the overall experience of taking college admission exams.
There are also entirely different issues facing international by the sheer hours of conversation and preparation that
test-takers, many of which cost students the chance to standardized testing requires. It feels that the precious time
take tests or receive scores: of both students and those who advise them is disregarded.”
• Mass test score cancellations are among the most serious, Call to Action: Consider the impact of every
as testing organizations struggle to manage a global testing requirement that your institution places on
network securely. Thousands of students outside of the students in the admission process. Specific to
US have been required to retake the exams, at significant testing requirements, call on testing agencies to
cost—financially, emotionally, and mentally—due to make testing-related information and data readily
mass cancellations. Test reuse, digital technology, and available to better understand costs to students.
the physical expanse of the global testing system have
accelerated cheating processes that strain the agencies’ Costs to Secondary Schools
ability to prevent such occurrences globally. So far, these In weighing costs of standardized testing, institutions
cancellations have been unique to the international testing cannot overlook the costs to secondary schools. The College
environment, though score cancellations on a smaller scale Board and ACT could not function without secondary
occur regularly in the domestic context. schools, as their business model relies on the support of
secondary school personnel to advertise tests; assist students
• Fee waivers for low-income families are available with registration, accommodations, and score sending
in the US, but not outside of the US, except for a procedures; prepare for and proctor test administrations,
few programs targeting low-income, high-achieving including for students outside of their school and for
international students. students who receive testing accommodations; manage
and troubleshoot all technology and mailing associated
• Tests that are meant to be standard are administered with testing; and serve as the customer service first
differently outside the US. For example, international contact for the testing agencies when issues arise. This
test-takers are only able to take the ACT as a computer- labor infrastructure operates year-round with minimal, if
based exam, unless they have been approved for any, compensation from the testing agencies, and often
accommodations. inadequate support from the agencies themselves.
• International students who require customer service The international testing experience is even more complex
face greater obstacles due to time differences. with added security measures in place to combat the
heightened potential for cheating in the global context.
To make informed decisions about testing policies, the task In addition to the responsibilities listed above, test
force felt strongly that institutions need to understand a administrators at non-US locations are responsible for
variety of student perspectives with respect to the overall receiving exams that arrive in large, padlocked boxes that
experience of taking college admission exams. These have to be stored as ordered, not knowing if the shipment is
experiences are witnessed most acutely by the counseling correct and if enough exams have arrived for those registered
community, which serves on the front line as the face to test. Test center supervisors abroad, particularly in Asia
of the testing agencies to students and their families. and the Middle East and North Africa region, also regularly
As one counselor on the task force noted, “The higher deal with last-minute cancellations as a result of a cheating
education community has to understand that everything incident. It is also quite regular for testing center staff who
they are hoping for in an applicant—curiosity, passion for do not have US bank accounts to wait up to a year for
learning, desire to explore new interests—is often impeded remuneration for their administrative services.
14 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELINGYou can also read
