In a Major Reversal, Harvard Will Again Require ACT and SAT Scores

Following a wave of other prestigious colleges–Brown, Dartmouth, Yale– that have changed from test optional to test required, Harvard University announced today that they will again require standardized test scores for undergraduate admissions:

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/4/11/harvard-sat-act-admissions-requirement/

This shift is especially notable because Harvard had previously stated that they would remain test optional up through applicants for the Harvard graduating class of 2030.

Why this change? First, “Harvard has found that SAT and ACT scores are  the best predictors of Harvard grades.” This comes as no surprise in light of increasing grade inflation at U.S. high schools. According to Inside Higher Ed, “the proportion of students with A averages (including A-minus and A-plus) increased from 38.9 percent of the graduating class of 1998 to 47 percent of the graduating class of 2016.” If most applicants are getting A’s, colleges need another way to differentiate among applicants–hence, the need for standardized test scores.

Second, many students have mistakenly been told that unless they get ACT scores in the high 30s or SAT scores above 1500, they have no business applying to selective schools. Harvard wants to encourage students to submit scores who fall below this range, sharing that “in the last year that Harvard required testing, the range (10th percentile to 90th percentile) of SAT scores for enrolling students was 670 to 790 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 680 to 800 for Math.  The range (10th percentile to 90th percentile) of ACT Composite scores was 31 to 36.” Harvard applicants who score in the in the high 1300s on the SAT and low 30s on the ACT should definitely considering submitting their scores based on this data.

Most college admissions officials to whom I have spoken have said that students are typically well-advised to submit their test scores if they are at least at the 25th percentile for admitted students. Now that standardized testing is widely available, unlike during the Covid pandemic, applicants should be aware that if they decline to submit their test scores to a college, they are effectively signaling that their scores are less than the 25th percentile for admitted students. Students can find the 25th percentile scores for colleges by searching the Big Future website.

The bottom line–in order to differentiate yourself in an increasingly competitive admissions environment, ACT and SAT scores should not longer be considered optional.

–Brian W. Stewart

Yale will again require standardized test scores

Yale just announced that they will again require test scores as part of the college application. In addition to SAT or ACT scores, students can now submit Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate results. Yale made this shift because it will improve their ability to predict which students are most likely to succeed at Yale:

“Yale’s research from before and after the pandemic has consistently demonstrated that, among all application components, test scores are the single greatest predictor of a student’s future Yale grades. This is true even after controlling for family income and other demographic variables, and it is true for subject-based exams such as AP and IB, in addition to the ACT and SAT.”

In addition, Yale found that including standardized test scores would serve to increase the diversity of its class:

“Our researchers and readers found that when admissions officers reviewed applications with no scores, they placed greater weight on other parts of the application. But this shift frequently worked to the disadvantage of applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds.” Source: https://admissions.yale.edu/test-flexible

Students looking to apply to highly selective schools would be well-served by showing their readiness for college level work by doing their best on the SAT or ACT.

PSAT, ACT, and SAT Planning for High School Juniors

High school juniors in the United States have a very interesting year of testing options ahead of them. There are a total of four major tests that students will have the opportunity to take: the Digital PSAT, the Paper SAT, the ACT, and the Digital SAT. Who should focus on which of these different types of tests?

Digital PSAT: Administered in the month of October through a student’s high school. Students who are trying to earn National Merit recognition should prepare for this exam. National Merit recognition generally applies to students who score in the 95th percentile or above, and National Merit Scholarships usually go to students who score above the 99th percentile. For students who do not think that a National Merit award is in reach, taking the Digital PSAT is still an excellent way to try the adaptive, digital format they will find on the Digital SAT. Scores for the Digital PSAT will be back in November, so students will have plenty of time to review their PSAT results to prepare for the Digital SAT in the spring.

Paper SAT: Administered in August, October, November, and December of 2023. After these administrations, the current paper SAT will be retired and replaced with a Digital SAT. For students who want to take advantage of the expansive body of existing practice tests and review books, taking the paper SAT before it goes away is a good idea. Results from the paper SAT will still be fully utilized by colleges, so students would have nothing to lose by giving the paper SAT a try before they no longer have the opportunity to do so.

ACT: Administered throughout 2023-2024. In general, students who are faster test takers like the ACT. This is a good test to take if you have taken through Algebra 2 and a bit of pre-calculus. The ACT covers more math material than the Digital SAT: logarithms, matrices, hyperbolas/ellipses, and combinations/permutations. It also has a broader array of grammar concepts than does the Digital SAT: wordiness, idioms, diction, and sentence placement. Fortunately, students who want to take the ACT can use many excellent books and practice tests to prepare for this well-established test.

Digital SAT: Administered in the United States beginning in March, 2024 and continuing thereafter. The Digital SAT will be offered on national test dates, and many schools will offer it during the school day given the relatively short amount of time that taking the Digital SAT requires. Students will have their Digital PSAT results back in November of 2023 so they can evaluate whether the Digital SAT is a good fit for them. There is a great deal of overlap in the content between the ACT and Digital SAT, so if students wish to switch from one test to the other, it should be fairly seamless.

Please contact us if we can advise you as to the best testing plan for this upcoming school year.

Visiting Boston University

Located in Boston Massachusetts, just a few subway stops from the historic North End, and across the river from MIT, Boston University is well positioned for an involved urban experience. Boston University is a large, private, teaching and research university. Admission to BU is highly sought after by students from all over the nation, and application is simple with the common app, so their admission rate hovers around 20%.


Academics:

Boston University does its best to have a flexible approach to academics. Students who apply undecided into one of BU’s ten schools will have two years to declare a major. BU focuses on hands on learning, with 40% of their student body studying abroad at some point and many more students taking part in internships and completing research during their time at BU. BU has a program which they describe as “our take on the liberal arts” in which students can pick from over 1000 classes to build what the university sees as six life skills. Outside of those classes and classes for their major, students are free to fill their electives however they choose.

BU does a decent job of getting students to graduation with 80-85% of students completing their degree in four years. BU has a 10:1 student to faculty ration and their average class size is about 27 students.

Campus Life:

Like most city colleges, BU lacks the charm of the traditional green quad and wide open spaces. It is a fairly compact campus that often appears to be just part of the neighborhood around it. This would appeal to students who want to live in a major city and still be on a college campus. The campus has a mix of historic and modern buildings which makes for an interesting campus feel. Students are required to live on campus for only their freshman year and many take the opportunity to move into the surrounding neighborhoods with friends once their first year is over.  There is a decent amount of Greek Life on campus with 20% of students taking part in Fraternities and Sororities, but students say there are plenty of social opportunities outside of the Greek system.

Admission:

Applying to BU is fairly simple because BU uses the common app. While there are later deadlines for regular admission, admissions counselors at BU stress that students should have their applications done by December 1st for merit scholarship consideration. BU is test optional for at least one more year, so if you feel that your test scores do not reflect you, you can apply without them. In addition, BU will superscore any tests that you do submit. The best piece of advice given by the admissions officers is this “be specific when answering the essay question ‘why BU’”. Take your time on that supplemental essay. Don’t give a generic answer, don’t apply just for the relative prestige BU can offer. Have a good and specific reason why you want to be at BU in the fall.

Let us know if we can help you with that essay or with any part of your college application process- good luck!

Michal Strawn

I Got into Multiple Colleges: Now What?

It is that time of year again. College admission decisions are flying in and students are trying to figure out where they’ll be moving in the fall. Many students find themselves with several acceptances and struggle to make that final, crucial, decision. Even students who got into their dream college should sit down and think through their options prior to saying “yes”. We’ve compiled a list of some things for students to consider as they ponder their choices.

  1. Wait for financial aid packets:
    When students find out they’ve been accepted to the top school on their application list, the temptation is often to confirm attendance as quickly as possible. This is generally a poor decision. Students have until May 1st to respond and they should be patient and wait until they’ve heard from all their applicant schools and received financial aid info before committing to any one institution. It’s always a bad idea to buy something without looking at the price tag. Comparing the final out-of-pocket price and the amount of debt that students will incur for each college is a vital part of the decision process. Students should also remember that loans are real money. Just because you don’t have to pay right this minute, doesn’t mean that that particular school is a good deal! Financial aid awards can be drastically different at different institutions, so crunch the numbers.
  2. Consider plans after college:
    Students often see college as the end goal. They’ve been working toward college for so long that they tend to forget that college is just a stepping stone to a career. Many of those careers require additional schooling in the form of graduate programs. When selecting a college students should consider how the colleges may set them up for success in grad school or in a career. Financials are especially important for a student who is looking at an additional few years of schooling after college. If a student hopes to attend law school or med school, they should be careful not to deplete any cash resources they have just to get through undergrad. In addition, students might look for the school that has the best track record for helping its graduates gain admission into the grad program they are hoping to complete.
  3. Weigh program strengths and weaknesses:
    Students often choose their campus based on gut feeling or on a ranking list. The higher rank on the national list must be the best choice, right? Not always. The same college might be great for one student and terrible for another. Students need to consider which school will give them the best education. After all, that’s the reason they’re paying for college. While a school might be high up on a national ranking list, that doesn’t mean all of their majors are high ranking in and of themselves. Every school has programs that are stronger and others that are weaker. Consider program strength, not just overall college ranking. A school might be highly nationally ranked because they have world-class humanities programs which dominates the school, but if a student is studying chemistry, the humanities department is rather irrelevant.
  4. Imagine life on campus:
    This is number four for a reason. It’s the last thing that students should consider, but it should be considered nonetheless. Occasionally a college just isn’t right for a student. Students should be careful not to make the decision based on any minor issues: every college will have one or two minor issues. However, large issues that would lead a student to being uncomfortable or miserable for four years should eliminate that college from contention. Maybe they applied to the local large university as a backup, when really they would feel lost on the giant campus. Maybe they applied to a foreign school for fun when they can’t see themselves moving overseas. These are important considerations beyond just “the campus isn’t as pretty as I want” and should be taken seriously.

While there are other factors to consider, these big four will set you up to make the best decision you can. If you’re still struggling, ask for help from parents, or a college counselor. If you’d like to chat with one of our counselors about your options, we’d be happy to help!

Happy College Decision Season!

Michal Strawn

The New Digital SAT and PSAT

The College Board announced that the SAT and PSAT are updating to a digital format over the next 2+ years. Here is anticipated timeline for these changes:

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Source: The College Board

For current sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States, these updates will have no impact on their SAT test experience. Freshmen are scheduled to take the digital PSAT in the fall of their junior year–that will be their first experience with the updated digital format. These same freshmen would then be on track to take the digital SAT in the spring of their junior year–over two years from now.



What will be different on the digital SAT and PSAT?

  • The test will be adaptive. Students will take one Reading/Writing question module, and the second Reading/Writing question module will be different depending on the performance on the first section–the math section will also have this two module format. Students who performed well on the first module will receive more difficult questions in the second module, and those who did not perform as well will receive less difficult questions.
  • The digital SAT and PSAT will be shorter. Instead of taking around 3 hours, the new digital SAT will take around 2 hours. As with other adaptive tests like the GRE, the College Board hopes to obtain the same information about students’ skills in a shorter amount of time.
  • Calculators will be permitted throughout the math section. The digital SAT will have a built-in calculator program (apparently much like the one found on the Desmos website). Students will still be able to bring their own approved calculators if they prefer. Roughly a third of the current SAT math is done without a calculator.
  • Students will take the test on a laptop or desktop computer. If students do not have a computer, they will be given one to use. The computer will have a testing program that will lock down other parts of the computer, so students will not be able to surf the web or chat during the SAT. Students will be able to download the testing software on their personal devices prior to test day.
  • Schools will have more flexibility as to when they offer the in-school SAT. Currently, there are a handful of designated days allowed for test administration. With the digital SAT, schools will be given a month or so over which time they can administer the SAT to different groups of students over different days.
  • There will be shorter reading passages. At this point, we do not clearly know if the new SAT Reading will continue to have longer reading passages. We do know that the digital SAT will have at least a few shorter reading passages that have one question tied to them. I personally am skeptical that the SAT will retain its predictive validity unless they continue to have longer reading passages–after all, students read longer materials in college. I hope to get more clarity on this issue soon and I will update you as soon as I can.
  • The test should be more secure. It will no longer be possible for cheaters to obtain copies of the questions and passages they will find on their test, since the test will be adaptive. This change is especially important for international SAT testing, which has been plagued by test score cancellations because of test security issues.
  • Students will receive more helpful career and college information. The College Board is making a concerted effort to connect students not just to four-year college programs, but to vocational and trade programs. So even if a student is not planning on going to college, the SAT will still provide targeted and relevant career guidance.
  • Scores will be available more quickly. Currently it takes weeks to receive SAT test scores; digital scores will take less time to be available.

What will be the same on the digital SAT and PSAT?

  • The SAT and PSAT will still test the same fundamental skills. Unlike the last major test revision in 2015, this is not a complete redesign of the SAT; it is principally a change in formatting. Students will still need to demonstrate skills in reading comprehension, grammar & editing, and mathematical problem solving.
  • Scores will remain the same. The SAT will still be out of 1600, giving colleges the same metrics they have relied on for several years.
  • Minimal changes to test preparation should be required. The SAT will continue to provide its free resources on Khan Academy, helping students bolster their skills in reading, grammar, and math. As a tutor, my recommendation to current freshmen would not change–do not worry about full practice tests at this point; focus on taking rigorous classes in school, and reading widely outside of school. When the GRE shifted from a paper-based to a digital/adaptive format, very few test preparation changes were needed; I would anticipate a similar situation with the digital SAT.
  • Colleges still want to see your test scores. Please see my post on 5 reasons to take the SAT and ACT for more details.

What comes next for the digital SAT and PSAT?

The most important thing for any standardized test is to clearly demonstrate that it can make valid, fair predictions. So far, the digital SAT has only been administered in a pilot program to fewer than 500 students around the world. The College Board outlined their extensive research agenda for the digital SAT over the next 2.5 years:

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Source: The College Board

If the College Board cannot clearly demonstrate the predictive validity of the digital SAT, they will have to make adjustments to it or postpone its implementation. Here are some questions they will need to answer before they can pull this off:

  • Will students who bring in their own laptops to the SAT have an unfair advantage over those who are provided one by the test site?
  • Will students who have a specific accommodation that allows them to take the SAT using paper/pencil have an unfair advantage or disadvantage over those who take it digitally?
  • Will students who experience technological outages and interruptions have statistically valid scores as a result?
  • Will the flexibility that the College Board is allowing schools in administering the test lead to a lack of a standardized testing experience?
  • Will the digital SAT withstand efforts by hackers to access the question banks?
  • Will students who live in rural areas have the same access to digital testing as those who live in urban areas? How will differences in Internet speed and availability of computers be handled?

The bottom line is that sophomores, juniors, and seniors do not need to worry about any of these changes. In the coming years, we will know much more about the specifics of the digital SAT as the College Board completes its research trials. If you have questions about the new digital SAT and PSAT, please reach out to us.