Opinion: Keep the SAT

Junior year, often deemed the hardest year of high school, can be a lot to handle for most students. Multiple AP classes, sports, a growing list of extracurricular activities and jobs are just a small list of things that juniors have to balance. The aspect of junior year that serves as the cherry on top is the dreaded SAT test.

As SAT season approaches, many students fear it could make or break a chance at college admission. Since thousands of colleges, including the most elite campuses, are going test-optional, applicants face more decisions on the pros and cons of submitting their scores.

Despite it being an increasingly popular move to not submit SAT scores, I will not be going test-optional. Many students have to make a judgment call – will my scores help or hurt my application? However, when looking at the whole picture, I think that the benefits outweigh some of the negatives of submitting the SAT. Finding out that some of the top schools still require test scores suggests that many schools that I want to attend prefer applicants who post scores.

Without submitting test scores, I think I’ll have trouble standing out in the competitive pool of college applicants. Admission officers will probably shift their focus to looking at an outstanding college essay and a perfect GPA, which adds even more pressure to my junior year. Going test-optional means a college considers an application without test scores. It does not necessarily mean that application is on equal footing with others. There are a lot of opportunities labeled as optional: AP exams, volunteering, leadership roles and recommendation letters. But optional does not mean without an impact.

Even though highly selective colleges would still prefer students to submit their scores, I think that so many colleges making it optional is de-emphasizing the importance of the test. The SAT will just be one part of my lengthy college application, along with grades and other aspects.

I think when I’m applying next year, going without test data is a riskier choice as test-optional is something that was implemented not too long ago and isn’t very widespread yet. For instance, a college may claim to be test-optional, but still require scores for out-of-state applicants. I also believe that the SAT measures the skills that students gain from their high school studies over the years which can demonstrate my readiness for college work.

Secondly, beyond just helping with admission I also keep in mind that test scores can affect merit-based aid at many schools and help secure scholarships. Many schools will even automatically offer scholarships based on test scores, making the whole application process a lot simpler. Also, as someone who has taken the PSAT test for the past two years, I’ve been able to learn which areas I should focus on when studying for the SAT. Although it’s not a replica of the actual test, I’ve gained a greater understanding of the test formats, questions, and scoring. Even though I don’t naturally excel in standardized tests taking the PSAT under strict time limits with a proctor present has helped me gain more confidence for the real test.

Test anxiety is also very common among students when taking the SAT because of the pressure placed on college admissions. It’s easy to get stressed out during timed tests, but taking the PSAT has also prepared me to overcome this difficult hurdle.

Even if I don’t do as well as I’d hoped to, I don’t think choosing to withhold a score looks good. Most students probably don’t choose to withhold their scores because they are too low, so the college will know that the student had a test score that was below the median. So not submitting a test score is almost like submitting a low score and the college might assume that it was very far below their median.