Editing Standardized test (section)

== Use of standardized tests in university admissions==
{{see also|List of admission tests to colleges and universities}}
Standardized tests are reviewed by universities as part of the application, along with other supporting evidence such as [[Application essay|personal statements]], [[GPA|high school grades]], previous coursework, and [[letters of recommendation]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Murphy |first1=Sara C |last2=Klieger |first2=David M |last3=Borneman |first3=Matthew J |last4=Kuncel |first4=Nathan R. |year=2009 |title=The Predictive Power of Personal Statements in Admissions: A Meta-Analysis and Cautionary Tale |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/cde6b6b6519abfab73e2175d5b9917a4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1059&mod=article_inline |journal=College and University |volume=84 |pages=83–86, 88}}</ref> Different countries have different tests, such as the [[SAT]] in the US, the [[Gaokao]] in China, and the [[Joint Entrance Examination]] in India.

Nathan Kuncel, a scholar of higher education, says that college admission tests and other standardized tests "help overwhelmed admissions officers divide enormous numbers of applicants into pools for further assessment. High scores don't guarantee admission anywhere, and low scores don't rule it out, but schools take the tests seriously."<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kuncel | first1 = Nathan |last2 = Sackett | first2 = Paul|date = March 8, 2018 | title = The Truth About the SAT and ACT| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-truth-about-the-sat-and-act-1520521861| journal = The Wall Street Journal }}</ref>

Research shows that the tests predict more than just first-year grades and the level of courses a student is likely to take. The [[Longitudinal study|longitudinal research]] conducted by scientists shows that students with high test scores are more likely to take the challenging route through college.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kuncel | first1 = Nathan |last2 = Hezlett | first2 = Sarah A.|year = 2007| title = Standardized Tests Predict Graduate Students' Success| url = https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1136618| journal = Science| volume = 315| issue = 5815 | pages = 1080–1 | doi = 10.1126/science.1136618 | pmid = 17322046 | s2cid = 143260128 | url-access = subscription }}</ref>

Tests also can indicate the outcomes of students beyond college, including faculty evaluations, research accomplishments, degree attainment, performance on comprehensive exams and professional licensure.<ref name="science.sciencemag.org">{{cite journal | last1 = Kuncel | first1 = Nathan |last2 = Hezlett | first2 = Sarah A.|year= 2007| title = Standardized Tests Predict Graduate Students' Success| url = https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1136618| journal = Science| volume = 315| issue = 5815 | pages = 1080–1081| doi = 10.1126/science.1136618 | pmid = 17322046 | s2cid = 143260128 | url-access = subscription}}</ref>

Since grading varies across schools, and even for two students in the same school, the common measure provided by the test score is more useful as a way to compare students.

However, in 1995, the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores accounted for just 6 percent of the variation in grades in graduate school. The GRE appeared to be "virtually useless from a prediction standpoint," wrote the authors.{{Fact|date=January 2025}} Repeated studies of the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) find the same.{{Fact|date=January 2025}}

There is debate whether the test will indicate the long-term success in work and life since there are many other factors, but fundamental skills such as reading, writing, and math are related to job performance. Major life accomplishments, such as publishing a novel or patenting technology, are also associated with test scores, even after taking into account educational opportunities. There is even a sizable body of evidence that these skills are related to effective [[leadership]] and creative achievements at work. Being able to read texts and make sense of them and having strong quantitative reasoning are crucial in the modern [[information economy]].<ref name="science.sciencemag.org" />  Students who scored in the top 1% at the age of 13. Twenty years later, they were, on average, very highly accomplished, with high incomes, major awards and career accomplishments.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Park |first1=Gregory |last2=Lubinski |first2=David |last3=Benbow |first3=Camilla P. |date=October 1, 2008 |title=Ability Differences Among People Who Have Commensurate Degrees Matter for Scientific Creativity |journal=Psychological Science |volume=19 |issue=10 |pages=957–961 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02182.x |pmid=19000201 |s2cid=6443429}}</ref>

Many arguments suggest that skills from tests are useful—but only up to a point.

There is a correlation between test scores and social class, but success on standardized tests and in college is not simply dependent on class. The studies show that "the tests were valid even when controlling for socioeconomic class. Regardless of their family background, students with good tests scores and high-school grades do better in college than students with lower scores and weaker transcripts."<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kuncel | first1 = Nathan |last2 = Arneson |year=2009 | title = Does socioeconomic status explain the relationship between admissions tests and post-secondary academic performance?| url = https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-18777-001?mod=article_inline| journal = Psychological Bulletin|pages= 1–22 }}</ref>

Another criticism relating to social class and standardized testing is that only wealthy people receive [[test preparation]] and coaching. However, test prep programs often result in an increase of 5 to 20 points (out of 1600), which is far below the "100 to 200 points claimed by some test prep companies."<ref>{{cite journal |last1 = Connelly| first1 = Brian S.| last2 = Kuncel | first2 = Nathan |date = November 3, 2012 | title = Balancing Treatment and Control Groups in Quasi-Experiments: An Introduction to Propensity Scoring
| journal = Personnel Psychology|pages= 407–442| volume = 66| issue = 2| doi = 10.1111/peps.12020}}</ref>

Many people believe that standardized tests reduce diversity in admissions, since [[disadvantaged]] members of racial [[Minority group|minority groups]] have, on average, lower test scores than other groups.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Couch|first1=Michael|last2=Frost|first2=Marquisha|last3=Santiago|first3=J.|last4=Hilton|first4=Adriel|date=2021-09-09|title=Rethinking Standardized Testing From An Access, Equity And Achievement Perspective: Has Anything Changed For African American Students?|url=https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/jri/vol5/iss3/6|journal=Journal of Research Initiatives|volume=5|issue=3|issn=2168-9083}}</ref> A 2012 comparison of universities where admissions tests are optional for applicants and schools that use the tests showed that "recent research demonstrates that testing-optional schools have been enrolling increasingly diverse student bodies. But the same is true of schools that require testing."<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kuncel | first1 = Nathan |last2 = Sackett | first2 = Paul|last3 = Beatty | first3 = Adam S.|date = August 2, 2012 | title = The Role of Socioeconomic Status in SAT-Grade Relationships and in College Admissions Decisions| journal = Psychological Science| volume = 23 | issue = 9 | pages = 1000–7 | doi = 10.1177/0956797612438732 | pmid = 22858524 | s2cid = 22703783 }}</ref> In 2025, comparisons found that testing-optional admissions disproportionately harmed high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds.<ref name="z720">{{cite report | last=Sacerdote | first=Bruce | last2=Staiger | first2=Douglas | last3=Tine | first3=Michele | title=How Test Optional Policies in College Admissions Disproportionately Harm High Achieving Applicants from Disadvantaged Backgrounds | publisher=National Bureau of Economic Research | publication-place=Cambridge, MA | year=2025 | doi=10.3386/w33389 | page=}}</ref>

Opponents claim that standardized tests are misused and uncritical judgments of intelligence and performance, but supporters argue that these are not negatives of standardized tests, but criticisms of poorly designed testing regimes. They argue that testing should and does focus educational resources on the most important aspects of education—imparting a pre-defined set of knowledge and skills—and that other aspects are either less important, or should be added to the testing scheme.

Evidence shows that black and Hispanic students score lower than whites and Asians on average. Therefore, the math and reading standard tests such as SAT have faced escalating attacks from progressives. However, a 2020 report found the tests are not discriminatory and play an important role in protecting educational quality.<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE">{{cite web |author = UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE |date = January 2020 | title = Report of the UC Academic Council Standardized Testing Task Force | url = https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/underreview/sttf-report.pdf?mod=article_inline}}</ref>  The report suggested that worsening [[grade inflation]], especially at wealthy high schools, makes a standard assessment especially important.<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE" />

Regarding UC schools' intention in dropping standard tests such as the SAT and ACT in college admissions, subjective and customized tests like essays and extra-curriculars can be easily tailored and detrimental to the students who are not familiar with the process. Admissions without testing may be even more tilted in favor of the well-connected.<ref>{{cite journal |author = The Editorial Board |date = May 17, 2020 | title = California Defines Testing Down| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-defines-testing-down-11589746251|journal = The Wall Street Journal }}</ref>

In January 2020, the faculty senate at the [[University of California]] recommended that the UC system keep standardized tests as admissions requirements.<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE"/> The report says standardized math and reading tests are useful for predicting college performance. Based on data from the students in the UC system, the report concludes that "test scores are currently better predictors of first-year GPA than high school grade point average."<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE"/> The report continues: scores are also good at predicting total college GPA and the possibility a student will graduate. While the "predictive power of test scores has gone up," the report adds, "the predictive power of high school grades has gone down."<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE"/>

Test scores enable UC schools "to select those students from [[underrepresented group]]s who are more likely to earn higher grades and to graduate on time."<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE"/> "The original intent of the SAT was to identify students who came from outside relatively privileged circles who might have the potential to succeed in university," the report says.<ref name="UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, ACADEMIC SENATE"/> The SAT's maker, the Educational Testing Service (ETS), now claims the SAT is not an "aptitude" test but rather an assessment of "developed abilities".<ref>Todd Morrison and Melanie Morrison. "A Meta-Analytic Assessment of the Predictive Validity..." Journal of Educational and Psychological Measurement. 1995. Componentshttp://epm.sagepub.com/content/55/2/309.abstract.</ref>