UChicago recently became a test optional school, with no requirement to submit ACT, SAT, or AP scores. What do you guys think of this move? UChicago is certainly not the first to go test optional, but it is by far the most selective and reputable school to do so.
Is this indicative of a shift away from such a strong emphasis on test scores, or a smaller, niche trend?
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I am a current hs junior, and UChicago has always been my number one choice. I know many people with near perfect scores that end up getting rejection letters from UChicago, and still get in to many other selective schools, and it was very surprising when I learned that they went test optional last year.
My test scores are certainly not perfect, but I am happy with my 3.95 GPA with a relatively difficult course load.
Don't take the school so seriously. They're just cowtowing to the PC crowd that thinks standardized tests are racist or whatever. They now have a technical out: we don't even require the test. Doesn't stop them from requiring that any applicant who applies without scores be the valedictorian of an elite prep school who has also made a few "20 under 20" lists and built a village in a third world country.
You gotta love when schools are now emphasizing the quality of "extracurriculars" and such which clearly benefit upper class families over working/middle class families. Hard to spend a summer programming robots or building homes in Uganda when you're working part time at the grocery store to support your parents. In conjunction with the ballooning tuition costs and associated student debt, we are absolutely squeezing out income mobility in this country.
Test scores are the ultimate equalizer - no matter how rich or poor, you're asked the same questions and have the same opportunity to perform under pressure. All of this "subjective analysis" screws the most qualified candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
Agree on your first point but UMC kids still have an advantage in standardized tests considering how much cash these status-hungry parents will shell out for tutors and prep classes. To be fair though, a lot harder to game tests than extra curriculars are. Would be neat to see schools champion economic diversity in their classes to go with cultural diversity. This isn’t the way to do it though.
Aftera few thousands applications, you’ll know how to read between the lines to see applicants for who they really are. Building houses in Uganda is clearly just crap rich kids do. No one takes it seriously. Working part-time at crappy after-school jobs while still earning top grades is far more impressive.
The thing about the SAT is that they can be gamed. Pay for a tutor, take a prep course and you’re on your way to 750+ on both verbal and math. I got good scores while not affording all the expensive test prep that rich kids buy. I’m not a fan of SAT being objective measure. High scores now mean mom and dad invested heavily in what it takes for their kid to get high scores.
I can't wait till future UChicago graduates apply for top tier BBs and Consulting firms and can't actually apply because they can't fulfill the required SAT/ACT score section of the application
Yea that’s going to be super exciting when that happens...
There goes the neighborhood....
Good luck getting in without submitting test scores.
The fact that some people try to pull that ACT bullshit is nonsense enough. No scores? LOL . . we'll see. Sounds like a way to justify admitting some billionaire kid who's too dumb to tie his own shoes.
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