How the pandemic has not changed the admission process
When Concord Academy decided to go testing optional for the first time in its 78 year history, the decision sent shock waves through the independent/boarding school community in Massachusetts. No longer would students applying to CA be required to send SSAT scores as part of the application process. In its stead, students are asked to write a supplementary personal statement. Students applying to the number 13 ranked high school in MA would no longer have to devote hours to test preparation and pay exorbitant sums for private tutoring. Was the great testing divide between the haves and the have nots finally disappearing?
In short, the answer is No. I applaud CA for its willingness to buck the trend in which private schools increasingly rely on standardized test scores to make admission decisions. It has a long history of making bold decisions that set it apart from other schools in the area. Concord Academy also recently did away with the official title and lesson plans of Advanced Placement (AP) exams. CA Teachers now write their own curriculum for the “advanced” courses and actual scores on the official exam have shot up.
That being said, of the top 31 independent schools in Massachusetts, not a single one has followed suit. They are not alone. Even during a pandemic, only 18% of independent schools in the country are currently “testing-optional” according to US News & World report.
Does this mean students who are applying to Concord Academy should not submit SSAT scores? Among brave universities that have gone “testing optional” there is a dirty little secret. If a student decides to refrain from sending his scores, there is an underlying question in the back of the minds of the admission committee. Did the student actually take the exam and if so, why has he not submitted his scores? The reality is that there is still noticeable bias among private schools and universities. If you choose to not send your scores, in the eyes of the admissions committee, you bombed the exam.
As a result, I counsel prospective parents to always send their child’s scores. If the scores are low or even mediocre, hire a private tutor, sign your daughter up for a test preparation, take books out of the library from a test preparation company. God knows there are a lot of us! But the key is that standardized tests are 100% coachable.
Would students actually be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for the only time in application history? No. The reason schools use standardized test scores is to compare applicants across different backgrounds. Since all applicants take the same exam, a public school kid can be compared to a suburban child attending boarding school in 9th grade. Standardized testing is not going anywhere soon.
For parents who want to encourage students to take a standardized test this application season, my advice is simple: do it. Send in your child’s scores and you will be rewarded come March 10th with some very promising news.
