Here’s what a college Admissions Counselor has to say about test-optional policies
By Elizabeth Thomason, Assistant Director of Admissions
How would you feel if your livelihood, place of residence, social network, career and other aspects of your life were determined by how you perform on a four-hour-long multiple choice test? Your chest might be tightening right now. Now imagine that your final score is actually determined by how your fellow test-takers perform. You might feel anxiety over the lack of control. Sure, you have confidence in your own abilities, but what if everyone really is better than you? Or worse still, what if you have zero confidence in your test-taking ability? If we, as adults, feel the immediate concerns about the unfairness of this system, why do we subject our children to it?
This is exactly what we do when we tell high school students that national standardized tests are the only things that matter in the college admission process. Both the SAT and the ACT tests utilize norm-referenced data, or how one performs based on their peers, in some form. Many colleges support the test game by basing their admission and scholarship decisions on these tests. We all fall in line because we want our students to maximize their options for success, whatever that may mean to us. But does this process support our mission as an institution?
So, let me give you the good news. As an Assistant Director of Admissions, I can tell you with confidence that doesn’t have to happen anymore when students apply to Spring Hill College.
We saw a better way. In order to more wholly fulfill our mission as a Jesuit institution committed to cura personalis, or care for the entire person, we value the whole student beginning with the application process. Which is why we’ve chosen to become a test-optional institution.
Over 1,000 institutions have implemented a test-optional admission policy in an effort to increase college access while still admitting a class with a strong academic profile. This includes 11 of the 27 Jesuit institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. A test-optional policy is needed because the tests have limited demonstrated efficacy in predicting academic performance, and present problems with a lack of equitable ways to a successful performance on them.
Practically speaking, when a student applies to Spring Hill College, they can choose to submit the information that best showcases their potential as a successful college student. For the student that does well on standardized tests, they are able to apply with their ACT or SAT scores and be awarded admission and scholarships, if eligible, based on their test scores and high school transcript. For the student who feels their test scores do not accurately reflect their full potential, they can apply using the test-optional method.
How do admissions work at Spring Hill so test-optional student applications are taken seriously? Test-optional students will submit an application file that includes their high school transcript, an essay of at least 250 words and a letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or counselor. These items will be used to award the student an admission decision and scholarships, if eligible. Spring Hill will continue to offer an interview with an admission counselor, either in person or remotely, for any student. In addition, students will submit their ACT or SAT scores when they enroll for some course placement.
As we enroll our first class of test-optional students this year, SHC will track their persistence versus their peers who applied utilizing their ACT or SAT scores. This way we can continue to implement new ideas to best support both the institution and our future graduates through the admissions process. With this new policy, Spring Hill College is still committed to educational excellence that forms students to become responsible leaders in service to others.
Elizabeth Thomason is an Assistant Director of Admissions for Spring Hill College and has worked in admissions for almost six years.
