University of California President Janet Napolitano announced that the ten schools in the system will no longer base admissions on standardized tests - joining a "Test-blind" admissions movement nationally.
Advocates for greater diversity in admissions have long opposed the use of standardized tests as disfavoring minority applicants.
Instead, its final report concluded that "At UC, test scores are currently better predictors of first-year GPA than high school grade point average, and about as good at predicting first-year retention, [University] GPA, and graduation." Not only that, it found: "Further, the amount of variance in student outcomes explained by test scores has increased since 2007 Test scores are predictive for all demographic groups and disciplines In fact, test scores are better predictors of success for students who are Underrepresented Minority Students, who are first generation, or whose families are low-income." In other words, test scores remain the best indicator for continued performance in college.
The system will go from two years of "Optional" testing to a "Test-blind" system until or unless it develops its own test.
The Harvard Crimson reported that "Asian-American applicants to Harvard earned an average SAT score of 726. White applicants earned an average score of 713, Native American and Native Hawaiian applicants an average score of 658, Hispanic American applicants a score of 650, and African American applicants a score of 622." Yet, during that same period, "Asian-Americans saw the lowest acceptance rate of any racial group."
Rather than eliminate standardized scores due to the disparity in performance of racial groups, we should focus on improving the performance of minority high school students in these areas.
Eliminating standardized scores will not erase true racial disparities in our educational system.
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Will Eliminating Standard Tests Really Reduce Racial Disparities In Education?
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