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Test-Optional Admissions Hurt Poor Kids

A new working paper from Dartmouth College researchers provides more evidence that ditching the SAT hurts disadvantaged college applicants.

AnewworkingpaperfromDartmouthCollegeresearchersisprovidingyetmoreevidencethattest-optionalcollegeadmissionsendeduphurtingtheverydisadvantagedstudentsthepolicychangewasmeanttohelp.Insteadofboostingthechancesoflow-incomeorfirst-generationstudents,researchersfoundthatnotsendingintheirscoresdramaticallyreducedtheirchancesofadmission.  “Undertestscoreoptionalpolicies,lessadvantagedapplicantswhoarehighachievingsubmittestscoresattoolowarate,significantlyreducingtheiradmissionschances;suchapplicantsincreasetheiradmissionsprobabilitybyafactorof3.6x(from2.9percentto10.2percent)whentheyreporttheirscores,”readsthepaper’s abstract.“Muchmorethancommonlyunderstood,eliteinstitutionsinterprettestscoresinthecontextofbackground,andavailabilityoftestscoresonanapplicationcanpromoteratherthanhindersocialmobility.” Followingpandemiclockdownsthatmadest