America’s colleges and universities are embroiled in yet another debate about admissions.
This time, they’re rethinking their positions on standardized testing.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, several elite colleges made the submission of SAT and ACT scores optional for applicants.
Testing had become a hassle, with limited testing locations and time for students to get prepared. The anti-testing movement had long contended that standardized tests reinforce racial and economic inequality and that reliance on them harms students from disadvantaged backgrounds. During the pandemic, those students faced additional roadblocks. Schools loosened restrictions to simplify the process for everyone.
But last week, Yale University announced that it was reversing course.
Going forward, students must include test scores with their applications, and for the first time, the school is allowing applicants to report Advanced…