During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the college admission process underwent significant changes. On March 1, 2020. Columbia University became the first Ivy League school to get rid of the SAT score requirement for applicants. This set a trend that other institutions soon followed, as research showed that standardized test scores are not always representative of a student’s true potential. Since this trend has been set, according to Insider Higher Ed, “Only 43 percent of applicants submitted SAT or ACT scores in 2022–23, a drop of more than 30 percentage points since before the pandemic.”

This decision significantly increased the applicant pool and gave more opportunities to communities that don’t have equal access to the SAT. There is a huge financial burden on students taking the SAT, this is because if you want a good score, typically one has to account for extra fees on top of the actual test itself.

Students with more money have a significant advantage over students who don’t. According to The Guardian, “Studies have long shown that SATs mostly benefit white, wealthy students who can afford to pay for preparation courses and to take the tests multiple times.” The fee to take the SAT is $68, which may seem reasonable as a one-time expense, but students with more resources can take the test several times, purchase prep materials and hire expensive tutors to boost their scores, increasing their chances of admission.

Valerie Zeko, a school services assistant at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech), recalls her experience with seeing students taking the SAT and Preliminary SAT (PSAT), stating that “the kids with money had this huge advantage because they would hire very expensive tutors and they would get really high scores, so it seemed unfair.” This gives the students with the inability to afford these extra boosts a disadvantage when it comes to applying for college. 

Since SAT scores have not been required, it seems more fair for students with less money. However, due to this, “All the colleges are having record-breaking numbers of applicants,” Zeko said. As the number of applicants grows, fewer students are submitting their SAT scores. 

Thanks to this shift, many colleges are reinstating the requirement of SAT scores, because when they have too many applicants they need more deciding factors. 

This raises the question as to whether or not SAT scores should be the deciding factor. Foothill Tech counselor, Steve Boyd, argues that the deciding factor should be “the person’s background and what they have to bring to the college experience.” Further stating, “I think it says a lot more about a person than a SAT score.” Many students struggle with test-taking but still have more to bring to the table in their classes. Camila Duenez ‘26 argues the same point saying, “You can be the most amazing student in class, and just really fumble the tests.” This is true for many students who feel that standardized tests do not accurately represent their true knowledge and potential.

The reinstatement of SAT scores could also threaten the diversity of applicants. The applicant pool could significantly narrow to just the students with the available funds for all of the additional expenses of the SAT on top of college tuition. 

This change from test-optional back to test-required for some colleges has sparked debate over equity concerns, financial situations and how intelligence should be measured. While standardized tests can provide useful information, and be a method of measuring intelligence for some people, other students may have other talents worth considering that show their true potential. SAT scores should certainly be looked at, as they can show a person’s academic capabilities, however, they should not be the deciding factor. Many other factors go into determining a person’s character that reach far beyond just a test score and should certainly be considered.