WILMINGTON — It is time for the UNC System to reconsider its suspension of standardized testing, according to members of the system’s Committee on Educational Planning, Policies and Programs.
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Last month, the committee reviewed ways to bring back the UNC System’s testing requirement, which prescribes potential students submit an ACT or SAT score with enrollment applications. The mandate was made optional after the Covid-19 pandemic reduced the availability of testing and upended student learning, though students were still required to reach a minimum 2.5 GPA for eligibility.
The UNC System joined more than 80% of colleges nationwide suspending the requirement; in recent months, some have been reinstating it, though not necessarily returning to the former status quo.
For example, Yale University applicants must include test scores for enrollment, but for the first time, the school is allowing applicants to report Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam scores in place of SAT or ACT scores. AP and IB are rigorous programs designed to mimic college-level work in a high-school setting.
The educational planning committee discussed an alternative to reinstating the pre-pandemic rule that was put forth by UNC Board of Governors member Art Pope.
Any decision will apply to all 16 schools in the system, including UNCW, which sets minimum benchmarks for admission to any system institution. This includes a 2.5 minimum GPA, and before the pandemic, a 1010 minimum SAT score or minimum ACT score of 19.
The submitted policy would phase in testing requirements starting in the fall of 2025. At that point, students with a weighted high school GPA greater than or equal to 2.5 and less than 2.8 would be required to submit an ACT or SAT for eligibility.
A specific score would not be required until fall 2026; students with a GPA greater than or equal to 2.5 and less than 2.8 would be required to submit an ACT score higher than 17 or an SAT score higher than 930. Individual campuses could propose to require the submission for students with GPAs higher than 2.8, per chancellor or board of trustee approval.
Each institution would also get to determine how the test scores would be weighted or evaluated for its admissions.
According to the UNC System, 3.82% of all first-time students had a GPA below 2.8 (1,470 out of 38,529 enrolled) in fall 2023. Of those, 1,349 (3.5 percent of the total) were between 2.5 and 2.8.
The proposal received wide support from the March meeting attendees, including UNCW Chancellor Aswani Volety.
“I think the compromise proposal we have before you is very good,” Volety said at the meeting. “It really is a compromise recognizing that there is a very high correlation between standardized test scores and student success.”
BOG member John Fraley, who is not on the committee but offered feedback, was concerned the rule would negatively affect smaller institutions, who may have more students applying that don’t meet the 2.8 GPA threshold. Andrew Kelly, executive vice president for strategy and policy, countered that the policy would create an additional burden for the student having to test, but that would give smaller institutions more information to ensure it enrolls quality students.
Some other attendees questioned what’s called “the chancellor exception,” which allows each university’s chancellor to exempt 1% of admitted applicants from all minimum admission requirements.
According to the UNC System, the total number of allowable chancellor’s exceptions in fall 2023 was 1,799 (179,941 admitted students), up 63% from fall 2018.
Chancellor Karrie Dixon of Elizabeth City State University requested the committee explore providing a “floor,” for the exception, whereby all institutions would have up to 1% of admitted applicants or a fixed number of exceptions (around 75 was suggested), whichever is higher.
BOG member Woody White, Wilmington lawyer and New Hanover Community Endowment board member, questioned why one would be against requiring a testing standard.
“[The testing requirement amendment] simply just requires standardized tests and then gives each campus institution the flexibility to use it however they feel they wish they should use it,” White said. “I’m having a hard time articulating an intellectual argument against that.”
Estefany Gordillo-Rivas, president of the UNC Association of Student Governments, offered an answer, pointing out many students are concerned about the availability of testing resources.
Kelly expanded on this, explaining applicants outside of the North Carolina public school system may have trouble accessing a test. North Carolina offers the tests for free to each student.
An argument can also be made that a student’s GPA is more indicative of success than standardized tests, though the way they are measured can vary across school districts.
There has been a growing conversation on whether testing should be abolished in higher education. Students may struggle with demonstrating knowledge on an hours-long test, making it harder to ascertain one’s intelligence from test-taking abilities.
An applicant may not be able to afford multiple tests or obtain prep materials. Research shows that students of lower socioeconomic status tend to score lower on standardized tests, and may thus be at a disadvantage in college admissions.
Although, there has been research supporting lower income students are represented more in college admissions when high schools require and offer the test. Additionally, research shows societal conditions that contribute to lower SAT scores for some demographics — poverty, racism, trauma — also affect the other components of a college education, such as GPA, essays or recommendations.
Thus, some argue anti-testing initiatives can take away an opportunity for a student to stand out.
The educational planning committee discussed that requiring tests may encourage institutions to over-emphasize test scores in admissions decisions to climb in the rankings. The proposal could also put UNC System schools at a disadvantage when high-schoolers are picking colleges to apply for, as some institutions remain test optional.
There was concern with some governors that the UNC System requiring testing when the NCAA has permanently removed the requirement to do so. This could put athletics programs at a disadvantage in recruiting, as a sought-after prospect may be eligible for one university and not another. Based on UNC System data, few chancellor’s exceptions have been used to admit athletes.
These concerns will be discussed further as the committee hones its draft proposal, scheduled for a committee vote on April 17, followed by a board of governors vote on May 23.
Reach out to Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com.
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