Standardized Testing is Making a Comeback
Photo Credit: Getty Images via U.S. News
The vast majority of universities across North America do not require applicants to submit their scores for standardized tests known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT). However, on Apr. 11, Harvard University reinstated the requirement for submitting these standardized test scores starting in the fall of 2025 according to The New York Times.
After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, universities opting to be temporarily “test-optional” for applications became an increasing trend, with around 2,000 universities throughout North America keeping this in place as of 2024. For applicants, this means that while these universities do not hold a requirement for submitting standardized test scores, they may still be submitted and would be taken into consideration alongside their applications.
The SAT and ACT are entrance exams that universities and colleges use to measure a student’s readiness for postsecondary education. They provide data that these institutions can use to compare applicants.
The content of these tests is similar in the subjects they evaluate. Math and “Evidence-Based Reading and Writing” can be found in the SAT, which has a maximum score of 1600. The ACT contains English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing sections and has a maximum score of 36.
The process of preparing for and taking these assessments can be an overwhelming time. “It's stressful being in a room because it's a standardized test […] but it's a digital test now, on a computer. I actually think that's less stressful than doing it on paper,” Jason Huang (12) said. However, this may not be universal for many students who decide to take the SAT.
“Overall, I had a negative experience taking the test,” said Eun Seol Kim (11), who plans on using her score when applying to American universities.
“Although the test itself was not too difficult when I took it, I hadn’t gotten my new MacBook yet, so my MacBook was intensely overheating and sounded like a fan,” Kim said. “I spent the whole test in fear of my computer dying on me.”
She added that she was also sick while taking the test, holding in coughs in order to not disrupt others.
The possibility of achieving a high score on either test makes it desirable for many applicants to study diligently in order to include it in their application process, often with American institutions.
This desire may be fueled by the competition from many applicants who have various extracurriculars to add to their applications, which are another factor in the selection process for universities and colleges. “When you start looking at extracurriculars, they are more ‘pay-to-win’ than the SAT,” Huang said, who took the SAT in March of his grade 11 year.
“Given how the SAT has really good free resources now, including Khan Academy […] any student can prepare without having to spend any money and get a good score on the SAT,” Huang said. “But when schools start looking at extracurriculars a lot more heavily, it actually advantages the people with money [...] because people can pay for research opportunities. People in better situations can pay for just more extracurriculars.”
Having mandatory standardized testing for application processes is cause for debate, as many students have varying opinions on the matter. Eric Fu (11) also took the SAT and expressed why institutions should make having these tests mandatory.
“I think the SAT shows that you have the academic drive and requirements for higher studies [...] because they need to know if you can truly handle that higher level of learning. But test scores do not always mirror a representation [of your intelligence] and your drive.”