A turn in the admission procedure has taken place in the case of most of the exams across the world and the ACT exam is one of them. Since the COVID-19 restricted the candidates from taking the standardized exams for studying abroad, most of the test centers were closed for the longest time. As a result of the lockdown prevailing across the world, and the constant alarming factor about the health safety rising, the conducting authorities launched the ‘test-optional’ measure for most of the standardized exams.
Since ACT also has implemented the ‘test-optional admission process, the CEO of ACT, Janet Godwin, recently stated that “It is somewhat unlikely that institutions who adopted temporary or pilot test use policies in response to COVID will return to test-required in the near term," thereby affirming the continuity of the ‘test-optional’ measure for ACT exam.
Though during the last few months the majority of colleges and universities have been well acquainted with the ‘test-optional’ function and this acknowledgement from ACT’s CEO doesn’t come as an astonishing factor for them. Though the statement being delivered from the mouth of a dignitary appeared as a stark disclosure.
Godwin has further stated that according to the report as commissioned from EY-Parthenon that is a driving force behind conducting much higher education based researches state it "wanted to learn from our colleagues in higher education about how they are using ACT test data for admissions, what they value as they seek to evaluate applicants, and how ACT can better work alongside them to ensure a fair and equitable testing and admissions process."
According to researches, the ‘test-optional’ policy had a steady-going before March’2020 but the sudden advent of the pandemic resulted in a spike in the test-optional admissions undertaken by colleges. She has further added that "temporary COVID-driven policy changes were most often made abruptly and in response to the immediate pressures presented by the pandemic,". "These adoptions were much less deliberate than test-optional policy adoptions seen before March of 2020."
The report further stated that it is quite unlikely for colleges to undergo a test-blind policy completely for ensuring admission. Though some of the colleges under the University of California have accepted the policy.
Godwin has added that for the longest time colleges and universities have relied on standardized test scores like GRE, GMAT, SAT to determine a candidate’s ability and suddenly they will not implement the test-blind measure. They will support students’ wish to submit their scores. Presently, there are still colleges that are using test scores despite a downfall of 20 to 30%. "Schools report an increased difficulty in evaluating entering students, though the most pronounced pain point relates to scholarship awarding processes," said Godwin.
Godwin concluded her blog by stating "We know we can’t go back to the way we did things before the pandemic. We must learn from this watershed moment, and we must all come together to fight for fairness for all students, to give them a world where they can realize their full potential. I’m looking forward to the work we will do together."
From what the report has explicitly stated is how around 20% of colleges had test-optional policy implemented before March’2020 and how more than 30% implemented that policy during a pandemic. It is highly questionable if the colleges who have implemented test-optional policy will ever return to being test-required, only the first-class candidates will be guaranteed admission without ACT scores.
A certain unnamed public college has stated how they are keeping an eye on the results of this year, but they might go back to the test-required policy.
A College Board spokesperson has stated that the organization has aided relaxation in admissions during COVID-19. Further, it has been said, "That flexibility must extend to all student achievements, ranging from schoolwork to extracurricular activities, because students are living in more challenging and changes circumstances than ever,". “Never has it been more important for admissions officers to look at students’ achievement in context."
We have further information from Robert Schaeffer, the interim executive director of FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing, "ACT's latest report accurately forecasts that a large majority of U.S. colleges and universities will remain ACT/SAT-optional for the foreseeable future."
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