It's Time to Get Involved.

As any college student or alumnus knows, standardized testing was simply part of the "deal" in gaining higher education. The grueling hours of studying for the SAT or ACT may evoke chills in many who’ve suffered from the horrors of test-taking. The pricey testing guide books, tutors for those who can afford them, and even NO. 2 pencils benefit from the testing business. 

What happens when this system falls apart?  

While the College Board and the ACT have long been fighting against the shift away from standardized testing, COVID-19 has dramatically increased this trend. With spring tests canceled and delays in summer tests, colleges that have previously required test scores are waiving this requirement for applicants of 2021. 

In addition to a number of colleges, including Ivy League schools Harvard and Cornell becoming temporarily test-optional, other colleges are phasing out testing from their admissions process altogether. The University of California announced its system of 10 schools will extend its test-optional status for an additional year. They plan to look into more equitable options for evaluating students, as these tests have been seen as unfairly disadvantaging the less fortunate, minorities, and students with learning disabilities. 

Although the College Board proposed an online test in an attempt to stay relevant during COVID-19, they have since abandoned this idea, citing unequal access students may have to the resources necessary for remote test-taking. 

Thus, as the debate in the relevance and fairness of standardized tests escalates, many wonder: is this the end of standardized testing?

- Annabel Bradley

Source: New York Times