Test-optional has been a word that every college counselor has heard over and over for the last two years. The pandemic has led many colleges to adopt a test-optional policy as it has been hard for some communities to access testing. While going to the test-optional model has been a huge trend, some schools have been test-optional outside of the pandemic. Being test-optional/no-testing has worked outside of the pandemic for schools like Bennington College, Wesleyan, Wake Forest, etc. and as colleges keep extending their test-optional policies, we may see more schools adopt the policy even as the pandemic hopefully fades away.
UPenn has decided to stay test-optional for 2022-2023. This is big news for a couple of reasons, so let’s talk about it.
What does test-optional mean?
Just to get us all on the same page, test-optional means you can choose to not send ACT or SAT scores to the school as part of your application. These schools have made the promise that not submitting tests scores will not change your chances of getting in, however many of them have not released any data on what percentages of admitted students have gotten in without test scores. Trust us… we have looked! However, we do have some data from UPenn.
Let’s talk UPenn’s Numbers:
While most Ivy League schools have kept their test-optional numbers close to their chests, the UPenn student newspaper, The Daily Pennsylvanian, reported for the early decisions candidates from the class of 2025 that “24% of those admitted through Early Decision did not include test scores.”
Do we wonder how many students represented by that number are legacies? How many are athletes? Yes. We don’t know that information and we probably will never know, unfortunately, despite our incessant calls to the admission department. But knowing that they are accepting a solid number of students without tests is a start and nearly ¼ of ED candidates is significant.
What does this mean for you if you want to apply to UPenn?
You might be asking yourself, “ok, but should I submit test scores this year???” It’s hard to say. UPenn says on their admissions blog, “For real, you should do what feels right to you. That may sound vague, but it’s not. You know yourself. You know your strengths. What feels right to you is actually very, very specific – to YOU.” It’s an annoying answer, but a true one.
If you have amazing test scores, obvi submit, but for everyone else, you really have to think through it and think about if it is right for you. UPenn also released a 17-minute long video in 2020 when they went test-optional that breaks down their application process. The section on academics says a little about testing and promises that not submitting tests won’t hurt your chances of getting into UPenn. However, the testing section of the video is rushed through and doesn’t give that much information about how to decide if testing is right for you.
In all, UPenn isn’t going to help you decide whether to submit scores or not. They push you to decide for yourself. We, however, will help you if you need (seriously, reach out if you need us!)
Why does UPenn matter?
Hey, our founder and half our staff went there! But seriously, why they matter this time is a simple truth that the Ivies tend to stick together. Once one Ivy League school announces something or adopts a policy, usually other members of the league follow. UPenn was the first to extend their test-optional policy, but they weren’t the last. Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale have extended for 2023. Harvard has doubled down and has extended to 2026… which means we are likely to see the other schools extend again shortly.
UPenn has set the tone for other top schools. We will probably see top schools outside the Ivies follow as well throughout the next month or two. Think of this announcement as a harbinger of what's to come. We wouldn’t be surprised if the test-optional trend sticks around past the 2023 season for a growing list of schools. As more schools adopt test-optional policies year after year, we think it will be harder to go back to a non-test optional model after seeing it work over the years. We will be following any announcements closely, so follow our blog for more.
Test-optional is still a very new policy at many schools. We love that it’s continuing to be an option at top schools, even if we wish they were more upfront with their test-optional data. UPenn and other Ivies staying test-optional means we will probably see a rash of schools keeping their test-optional policies this year. With all that being said, you have to figure out if test-optional is right for you if you are applying to test-optional schools this year. Here’s where we can help!
If you need guidance on what test optional means for your application, contact us here!