By: Ryan Kaspar
On the 19th of January, the College Board announced the removal of subject tests and the optional essay on the SATs.
The SATs were used by many colleges to measure a student’s college readiness and to easily compare all of the applicant’s knowledge in every area. Specifically, the subject tests were used to measure a student’s knowledge in a certain subject, like Math or Biology. The optional essay hasn’t been a requirement, so its removal will not have a large impact on testing.
According to the College Board, the subject tests are being removed because there are other, better ways to show mastery in a subject rather than a single test.
“Colleges and universities have their own ways to measure if a student is going to be placed in certain courses,” said Veronica Zarco, a counselor at Redwood.
Missy Yavasile, the director of SOAR College Planning, a Visalia business that helps with student’s college admission goals says “the testing policies will vary from college to college. Each college will decide how, or if, they want to use the tests.”
Instead of looking at test scores, colleges will most likely begin to examine other ways students have shown mastery in a certain subject. For example, if an individual has taken college-level courses, their AP exam scores in those classes, and students state testing results.
Some colleges may still use the SAT to determine students’ readiness, but the test’s importance is most likely going to shrink.
“One of the effects of the loosened test score requirement is an enormous increase in applications, especially to the UCs. This makes the UCs even more competitive than they have been in the past because of the increase in 4.0+ students applying who, in the past may not have had top test scores” says Yavasile.
She predicts “that after this year many colleges will go back to their previous test policy, but many will remain “Test Optional”, which simply means that if you have scores they will still look at them. So good test scores will still matter.”
Ryan Kaspar
Ryan Kaspar ('24) is a four-year member of the Redwood Gigantea. They work as managing editor along with being a writer and editor for the News section.
You can reach them at ryan.kaspar05@gmail.com
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