Diversity, Inequality and Predictive Power: Why Do Colleges Go SAT Optional?
Standardized testing is a controversial topic that has gained national attention from the press. Testing is an issue that impacts students from the moment that they enter the school system. The emphasis on testing follows students throughout elementary, middle and high school, culminating with college entrance exams at the end of their high school career. The SAT and ACT are the most commonly used assessments to gain admission to a college or university in the United States. There is a movement in higher education to adopt test optional policies. The implications of test optional policies have not been examined extensively. Previous research suggests that SAT optional policies increase an institution’s selectivity rate, but does not enhance diversity (Belasco et. al 2014). This study examines the relationship between adopting a test optional policy and diversity rates and assesses how colleges rationalize the decision to transition.