SAT & ACT optional= harder to get into Ivy League? (or any other top college)

[Mwfan1921]

@EyeVeee

@Mwfan1921

@EyeVeee

There are schools that have been “test optional” for years, and they can assess academic compatibility for their programs without the test scores. What they find, is that the kids they admit without test scores are always at or above the median when they find out (post admission).

Do you have a source for this statement? For example, I do not think that is true for Bowdoin, but I am not sure…so data would be helpful. TIA

So I’ve heard it at a few places, most notably Bowdoin. I’ve taken the Bowdoin tour 5 times (mulitple kids), done one overnight visit…but never so much as completed an application.

My question…why would you doubt they can determine from your academic record, interviews, recommendations, etc. your ability and generally estimate what the test scores might have been? What do you think they get from 6 hours of testing that they can’t assess from four years of grades? Do you think only the kids with scores below the median submit them? When you’re rejecting 9 out of 10 kids, I would think you get a pretty good feel for the type of students who thrive in your community.

I 100% believe that historically TO schools can figure out who will thrive in their community without test scores, I never said otherwise.

Specifically I was asking about a source for your statement re: test scores…with regard to Bowdoin, admitted test scores (which don’t include the TO group, usually 25%-33% of the total) are usually much higher than matriculated scores (includes test scores for all enrolled students)…this suggests that the TO group may have had lower than median scores.