COVID-19 completely disrupted the use of standardized testing in college admissions. While it was possible to run a virtual classroom, proctoring such an important exam via Zoom was not ideal. Although many schools were going “test-blind” even before the pandemic broke out, quarantine sped up the process.

Now, about five years after the pandemic, some of the most prestigious schools in the country are bringing back standardized testing, which means students are required to submit either SAT or ACT scores. Among these institutions are MIT, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell. If you’re counting, that’s half the Ivy Leagues bringing back standardized testing.

So, why are schools bringing back these tests?

According to Forbes, “SAT scores [standardized test scores] predict first-year college grades and they help admissions officers evaluate a student in context.”

The article goes on to quote Dartmouth’s president Sian Leah Beilock and Brown’s president Christine Paxson, who both corroborate this claim. Seeing standardized test scores helps admissions officers evaluate if a student will be able to handle the rigorous curriculum of their school.

One factor that admissions officers often consider, a factor that students often do not consider, is the school’s graduation rate. It’s not just about doing enough to get into a prestigious institution, it’s about your ability to handle the institution’s coursework.

High schools vary so much by difficulty, an “A” at one school may not be equivalent to an “A” at a different school. In theory, these test scores allow universities a more objective look at a student’s academic prowess.

However, many people argue that in practice standardized tests serve as a tool to perpetuate racism and disproportionately harm minorities. Critics point out that access to expensive test prep, tutoring, and multiple test attempts gives wealthier — often white and Asian — students a leg up, while underfunded schools serving Black and Latino communities lack the same resources. 

This structural imbalance, they argue, makes the tests less a measure of “ability” and more a reflection of socioeconomic privilege.

“Standardized tests have become the most effective racist weapon ever devised to objectively degrade Black and Brown minds and legally exclude their bodies from prestigious schools,” Ibram X. Kendi of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center at Boston University said.

An article written by the National Education Association goes on to delve deeper into this claim, elaborating on the racist roots of standardized testing and why it should be completely removed from the college admissions system.

This issue is more of an ongoing debate in academic circles. The truth of the matter is that many schools are reinstating standardized tests, so what does this mean for you as a student or parent who clicked on this article?

To start, there are thousands of colleges and universities in the U.S. and about 80% of them do not require standardized testing. Despite not being required, that does not mean all of these schools do not accept scores in some way.

Some schools are either “test-optional” or “test-flexible.” The former many people have heard of; students can decide whether or not they want to submit their scores to the college they apply to. The latter is a sort of odd option where a score of some sort is required, not just ACT or SAT but an AP or IB score.

So, in short, there is merit in taking either the SAT or ACT as a high schooler. Even if your dream school doesn’t require or even accept the score, you could still be awarded a scholarship based on how well you do.

Standardized testing will likely remain a point of controversy in higher education. But for students today, the best approach may be to stay informed and prepare for all possibilities.