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These universities abandoned standardized testing

More and more colleges are growing disenchanted with formal tests, such as the ACT and SAT. While many schools that had previously abandoned the SAT were considered lower-tier schools, many prestigious schools have stopped requiring the test in order to gain admission.

Schools that have abandoned standardized testing include Texas A&M University, American University, Boston University, and NYU.

However, critics say the push to eliminate standardized testing will make college admissions more unfair than ever. The creators of the ACT say their test is a race-blind, gender-blind test offered on a “level playing field.”

“ACT scores are the only admission decision factor that provide a common, standardized metric allowing colleges to compare students from different schools, states and countries on a level playing field. No other factor used in admission decisions can do that,” Ed Colby, a spokesman for the company that produces the ACT, said. He also disputed the claim that eliminating standardized testing increases diversity. “The literature suggests that test optional policies might result in an increase in the number of applicants, while the diversity of students who actually enroll remains largely unaffected.”

But many college administrators maintain that the SAT and ACT do not truly measure a student’s ability to learn and succeed in college.