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College Admission Requirements are Adapting Essay Example

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College Admission, Education, Special Education

Pages: 3 (633 words)
Published: July 14, 2021

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SIU-C announced in the fall that they will no longer require SAT and ACT standardized test scores from prospective students.

Interim Chancellor John M. Dunn believes that a student's cumulative grade point average is a more accurate measure of success than their standardized test score, according to research. The Washington Post reports that SIU-C is aligning with a trend that has been present for many years.

In 2001, the President of the University of California suggested eliminating test scores in the admission process, which was opposed by the College Board, owner of the SAT. Although the proposal did not succeed, it ignited a debate on whether standardized tests accurately predict student aptitude. When SIU-C made their decision in December, Chancellor Dunn stated that demographic factors and cost can hinder access to higher education through SAT and ACT exams. The Washington Post also highlights thes

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e reasons for colleges and universities no longer requiring these exams. Furthermore, when analyzing scores, a correlation has been found between high scores, higher family income, mother's education level, and race.

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, commonly referred to as FairTest, analyzed data from the most recent cohort of high school graduates and discovered that the disparity among different demographic groups has grown, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Robert A. Schaffer, the director at FairTest, revealed that there has been an unparalleled rise in educational institutions eliminating the need for SAT and ACT scores. Throughout the summer of 2019, almost one school per week made this announcement, resulting in approximately 40 percent of accredited universities adopting this policy.

Initially, upon learning about SIU-C's change, I must confess that I didn't grasp the

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rationale behind it. Chancellor Dunn's mention of "levelling the playing field" seemed to me like the elimination of a benchmark. In high school, a significant emphasis is placed on taking and excelling in the ACT or SAT in order to have a wide array of college options. These exams have always been regarded as the initial stride towards achieving success.

After reading some of this research, I now comprehend and endorse this trend. In a high school classroom setting, I observed that numerous students face challenges in achieving good test results. I was previously unaware of the research that links lower scores to disadvantaged students, but it is entirely logical. These students lack the necessary resources to attend preparatory classes or purchase books that are known to improve scores.

To restrict students' possibilities based on a few days and a test they took as teenagers would not be fair. As a prospective special education educator, I find it encouraging that individuals are acknowledging alternative methods for evaluating student potential, rather than relying solely on testing. It will be gratifying to demonstrate to students that one subpar performance will not nullify years of dedicated effort. They will no longer face limitations in their college options or be told that they must settle for a community college because of poor standardized test results.

I am hopeful that this trend will become common place and several more area universities adapt this policy. This topic does bring up some interesting questions. Will this policy trickle down the high school and elementary level? Will the state and federal government no longer look to standardized test results to analyze the effectiveness of a

school system? If the policies change, what will the new standards be? I believe that if the FairTest organization continues to publish this type of research, the school structure in ten more years will be completely changed.

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