Should I Take a College Entrance Exam or Not?

The answer to that question can vary widely from student to student. It is dependent on several factors. One of the first things that should be considered is the college list. Even though more than 500 colleges announced that they would be test optional through at least the year 2023, not all of them are truly test-optional. Some of them still need test scores in order to be considered for merit scholarships. There is also the question of competitive majors that require additional admissions information.

If only one college on your list requires exam scores, you will need to take one of them. Of course, that could also be a very good reason to trim your college list by removing that school. If none of your colleges require test scores for admission or consideration for scholarships, then the choice is completely up to the student. To help make that decision, check the reported test scores for admitted students provided by each college. The score range is usually reported as the middle 50% of accepted students. If your scores are in the upper 25% of what is reported for admitted students, then sending them would likely help your application. If your scores are in the bottom 25% for admitted students, I suggest leaving them out of your application.

There can also be other considerations when deciding whether or not to take college entrance exams Let’s say that one or more of your college requires you to take the SAT or ACT. The problem then arises that you or an immediate family member is at high risk for infection due to a pre-existing condition and your family does not want to risk bringing the COVID virus or any other organism into the home. You should contact the colleges requiring the scores right away to find out if you have options for submitting test scores. The governing boards of many colleges have the power to consider extenuating circumstances and grant exemptions as they see fit. If the college is not able to provide a viable option to submitting a test score, then a suitable substitute should replace it on your list. No college is wort risking your health of the health of a family member. Just remember that there are about four thousand colleges in the United States and there are several that match you and your goals perfectly. Replacing one college your list is not the end of the world.