Harvard, along with other prestigious institutions such as Dartmouth, Brown, Yale, MIT, and UT Austin, has reinstated the requirement for SAT or ACT scores for admissions starting Fall 2025, reversing a trend that began in 2020 where many colleges, including Caltech, dropped standardized testing requirements. This move has sparked a wide range of reactions, with some commentators lauding the decision as a return to merit-based admissions and others criticizing it for perpetuating income and opportunity biases. Critics of the decision argue that standardized tests offer an even playing field, as everyone takes the same test, despite acknowledging that wealthier students might have access to better preparatory resources. Proponents of the reinstatement argue that standardized tests are the most unbiased way to assess student capabilities, highlighting their importance as a tool for disadvantaged students to demonstrate their academic potential. The debate continues over the effectiveness and fairness of standardized tests in college admissions, with some pointing out the necessity of an independent benchmark to grade schools and the predictive power of SAT scores on college performance.
ICYMI: @Caltech also went back to requiring standardized tests in admissions yesterday. https://t.co/gC1D4gSz78
Yes, defeat. 🤡 But who will examine "natural experiment" resulting from suppression of SAT/ACT? 🤔🙈 SAT predicts college performance. Data collected over last few years will show dramatic differences between weak and strong admits to top unis. https://t.co/sUyLoQuRl7 https://t.co/FpyngLgjTB
After pandemic pause, Caltech restores standardized testing requirement for incoming undergrads https://t.co/QMkqZ1ev26
Harvard hopefuls are going to need to start cramming for the SAT again https://t.co/wcWu5mkHBQ
Harvard to Require SAT, ACT Tests in Fall 2025 https://t.co/mqKEAUW2bi You need an independent benchmark to grade the schools children come from. Grade points are not consistent, and need to be adjusted. Easy schools deserve less credit.
Harvard's Eureka Moment: Discovers Standardized Test Scores Can Predict Success, Reverts to Sanity https://t.co/2Jw6F6NbhG
Yawn 🥱 Harvard reinstates SAT/ACT, joining Yale, MIT, Brown, Dartmouth, UT Austin, etc. Watch this episode of Manifold on meritocracy, testing, and higher ed: https://t.co/S76IByeL0W https://t.co/rKebJ3qdUH
DEI clowns lose another battle to common sense… Standardized tests (SAT) are the most unbiased way to judge students. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your race/gender is, everyone takes the same test. It’s purely merit based. Why we created them in the first place. https://t.co/WawcsCPOSL
A lot of people said these tests were racist & classist. But in some sense the exact opposite is true: An exceptional SAT score can be a game-changer for disadvantaged students who can't afford fancy extracurriculars. This is a good decision. https://t.co/1d8yai6kGS
The “SAT is a test of affluence” argument made by people like Nikole Hannah-Jones never made any sense when you consider the majority of black families are solidly middle-class and above.
The rush to eliminate standardized testing in college admissions was one of the most hilariously and predictably stupid things I've ever seen play out in real time. https://t.co/ROEqxfsYBT
The SAT is an objectively fantastic (if not the best) measure that determines who will do well in college and is less biased to income/opportunity than other measures. They got rid of it to show how forward-thinking they were in 2020, then realized how important it is. https://t.co/cxILZHr3ld
10/10 move by Harvard. Kids from higher income families will always have advantages in the college admissions game, but standardized tests were the closest thing we had to an even playing field: everyone took the same test. Yes, rich kids could afford better tutors, but they… https://t.co/l3XcmUexm5
Harvard is once again requiring submission of scores for the SAT or ACT (w/ Dartmouth & Brown) Now every other college has the air cover they need do the same.. They cite a study that shows measures other than tests are even more prone to income biases than SATs https://t.co/GsZ1DNIfbo