Dropping SAT/ACT requirement may make Penn more diverse

For some potential Penn applicants, dropping the standardized testing requirement may result in the difference between an acceptance and a rejection.

A new study conducted by Princeton University sociology professor Thomas Espenshade and statistical programmer Chang Chung suggests that if colleges entirely dropped SAT or ACT testing as application requirements, more Latino, black, working-class or socio-economically disadvantaged students would be admitted into selective universities.

The study proposes that getting rid of this requirement would also result in higher levels of academic achievement in entering classes at public institutions, though not private ones. It suggests that making standardized testing optional, however, would cause classes of students with higher grade point averages.

The study's findings show that reliance on standardized test scores in college admissions tends to favor wealthy white students over other applicants.

Furthermore, it suggests that if universities did not consider test scores, numbers of black, Latino, working class and economically disadvantaged students would increase significantly, while corresponding drops would occur in white and Asian applicant pools.

"There are socioeconomic issues that may deter students from even taking the tests," said Wharton sophomore Ayanna Anene, admissions chairwoman of UMOJA, the umbrella coalition for black students.

However, Nancy Owen, an ACT spokeswoman, noted that the test is only $31 and qualifying students have the opportunity to earn fee waivers to forgo that cost.

The purpose of the test is to help everyone achieve education and workplace success, she added.

Many urban, inner-city or public schools, as well as individual students within them, may not have the resources to fund SAT classes, books or other prep materials, said College sophomore and Latino Coalition chairman Cristian Barrios.

However, he said he was hesitant to think that merely eradicating the tests would be a solution to increasing Penn's diversity.

"The University should definitely have more diversity," he said. "But we shouldn't take students just for the sake of it. Of course they should be qualified."

Undergraduate Admissions Dean Eric Furda did not respond to requests for comment.

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