The SAT Makes College Admissions Fairer

By Geoffrey Barto

During the pandemic, many universities stopped using the SAT for admissions or made it optional. At the time, a lot of people believed this would make admissions more equitable. However, Dartmouth, one of the first universities to reinstate the SAT, found just the opposite.

Dartmouth did an in-depth study on the effects of optional standardized tests. They determined that the SAT and ACT scores were a strong predictor for academic success at Dartmouth, indicated by a linear relationship with first-year GPA. More importantly, their study indicated that this outcome was the same across various sub-groups of students including metrics such as income, if their high school was advantaged, and whether they were first-generation students or not. Dartmouth’s data indicated that test-optional policies did not increase the proportion of low-income and less advantaged students in the applicant pool. Instead, they removed one way for students from less privileged backgrounds to stand out. Yale has found the same thing.

The Dean of Yale Admissions, Jeremiah Quinlan, explains why the SAT is so important for low-income students or those attending high schools with fewer resources.  With the exclusion of standardized test scores, it is difficult for admissions officers to make an accurate assessment of an applicant’s true aptitude. On the other hand, applicants from low-income areas can reveal their potential for academic success with a solid SAT score, even if it is lower than the college’s median, especially given the right resources in a college environment. According to Quinlan, standardized tests offer applicants a more level playing field to show their talents and abilities, regardless of access to educational resources. This ultimately results in a more diverse admitted class.

Visit our SAT page to find out how Excel can prepare you for the new Digital SAT.