“while a high test score could help an applicant, no score or a low score would not hurt as the no/low test score would be disregarded and they would simply look at GPA, rank and rigor.”
Depends on the college. Remember, some fine highly competitive colleges are looking for more than stats.
Yes, lots of stem kids change majors. Adcoms can look for evidence of some relevant stem experiences beyond some club where hs kids hang. Some sense they know what engineers really do- not just the media glories. So, did they test the so called interest, do they really have the mindset? (Counter to some opinions, I find engineers to have broad interests.) Can they show how they’re collaborative? This is also where a good LoR helps.
I’ve mentioned it before but we are very close to chucking the SAT. I agree that prepping and being cancelled on can only happen so many times before kids just say forget it. I’m not going to be manipulated by the CB anymore and I’ll take my chances. And we now know two kids who drove far, stayed overnight in a hotel with a parent and showed up to a school that cancelled a test just that day. We are not jumping through hoops to get to a test.
We suggested to our D that perhaps we should give up on testing, all things considered. Her answer was immediate: OF COURSE we are going to South Bend! The resilience and determination I wasn’t quite expecting…
Update - saw the CC and she is going to look into the engineering #s at our EA schools and then get back to me about submitting our one lopsided SAT taken. So far she was inclined to submit to more schools than I feel comfortable with. She also told my son he might consider writing to ask, but I’m not sure about that either.
I looked again at the web pages on TO policies and FAQs for the different common app colleges (links are right there in the app). Statements are all over the place. A couple say you can’t change status once you submit, but one says you can submit a fall test result through the portal. One says - basically - please don’t test in the fall and be safe and we know how hard testing has been. Another says use last year’s class to see if you meet the midpoint and if so do submit (they seem the least comfortable with TO). A big state school says they will plug your test score into a formula and if your score helps you based on the last three years of applicants it will be considered, but if not they will ignore it. Anyway, I suggest that you look at the schools on your list. Not all of the statement are perfectly clear IMHO.
One of the testing centers that cancelled on the day of the test was in Northern Indiana, not sure which town. I would call the school on the Friday before the test and make sure it’s still on. Do not expect CB to inform you. In fact, I would call a week or two before so that your D knows whether to keep studying. I only know that D’s Aug test is cancelled bc I called the school. Still have not been informed by CB and it’s been three weeks.
@homerdog
Of course. I appreciate your suggestion. The process is so random…
We’ll certainly make sure to call. And worst comes to worst, we’ll have a tour of a certain university nearby, although my daughter won’t apply there, not a chance.
So no one will know if having a score VS not having one with this college cycle will help /hurt. . But each applicant needs to show their Strengths and interest in the schools. You can only control what you can control… Having interviews and researching your target schools is something you can use in your applications. Both my kids had interviews that they set up prior to visiting. This is a great attribute of your child. It also shows your interest in the school. Make a great essay. I am sure the schools adviser can put something in about not being able to take the Act/Sat Tests. Schools will get it this year.
Again, you can only control what you can control. Good Luck.
I’d like to pose a question with a slight twist to your scenario: Student A submits no score and student B, with a similar application, submits a score right in the middle of the 25/75 range. Any advantage to student B in this case?
FWIW my kids’ high school College Counseling department let parents know that if the student couldn’t take a test, they would let the colleges know that context in a letter or it would be discussed via phone. It’s a school that does have long relationships with lots of the schools you mention, but even if that weren’t the case, I would imagine that a letter or a mention in the letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor would help.
That leads me to speculate that test scores are still a factor, but you won’t get penalized if you can’t take them (instead of didn’t get a good score.) Who knows though.
"Cornell overall has not planned to adopt a test-optional admission policy permanently. As appears to be true at test-optional colleges and universities, we anticipate that many students who will have had reasonable and uninterrupted opportunities to take the ACT and/or SAT during 2020 administrations will continue to submit results, and those results will continue to demonstrate preparation for college-level work.
In Cornell’s review during the 2020-2021 application cycle, results from the ACT or SAT might still be a meaningful differentiator in particular for students who:
live near or attend a school that will be open, and where testing will be offered, or
who live near a testing center that will be offering more testing seats or dates than they did in 2019; and have not experienced lost income for one or more of their household providers or other significant new hardships and losses during 2020.
We can’t pre-define in absolute, comprehensive terms what economic or personal disruptions will look like. We don’t plan to require any students to justify their reasons for not submitting test results.
Students who have taken a test, or even more than one test, but would still prefer not to submit those results, can make that choice."
If you can’t take the test:
"Cornell readers will consider with increased scrutiny their other application documents, looking for different evidence of excellent academic preparation, including:
challenging courses and excellent grades in each secondary school (high school) context.
Note: there will be no negative interpretation for schools and students who have had only pass/fail or similar grading options during this current term;
evidence of commitment and effort to pursuing other challenging learning experiences;
results from other kinds of secondary, college-preparatory, and university-qualifying testing where available and verifiable;
care, craft, and authenticity in their writing submissions;
and wherever practical and available, details, insight, and analysis from secondary school counselors and teachers.
Applicants with no test results might more often be asked after review has begun for additional evidence of continuing preparation, including grade reports from current senior year enrollment when that can be made available in time for Cornell admission review. "
If you can take the test and get a good score (within 25th-75th percentile, and preferably towards the higher end if a STEM/Engineering applicant,) submit it----it’s going to do nothing but help your application.