- Dartmouth College becomes the first Ivy League school to reverse its test-optional admissions policy and reinstate standardized testing requirements for undergraduate applicants.
- A study commissioned by Dartmouth President Sian Beilock finds that SAT and ACT scores help identify high achievers from less-resourced backgrounds, and the test-optional policy discouraged some low-income students from submitting scores that could have strengthened their candidacy.
- Starting this spring, the SAT will be available online and shorter; however, Dartmouth emphasizes that test scores will never be the primary factor in its holistic admissions process.
Additional Coverage:
Dartmouth College has reversed its decision to become a “test-optional” school for undergraduate applicants and will reinstate its standardized testing requirement. This makes Dartmouth the first Ivy League school to move away from test-optional admissions. The new policy will begin with applicants for the Class of 2029. Dartmouth stated that the evidence supports the reactivation of a required testing policy and believes it will improve the ability to bring in the most promising and diverse students.
According to a study commissioned by Dartmouth President Sian Beilock, SAT and ACT scores are a key method for determining which students will succeed at Dartmouth. The study found that test scores help identify high achievers from less-resourced backgrounds and that the test-optional policy discouraged some low-income students from submitting scores that could have strengthened their candidacy. Dartmouth argues that standardized testing allows for the admission of a broader and more diverse range of students.
Starting this spring, the SAT will only be available to take online and will be significantly shorter than previous exams.
The decision to go test-optional in 2020 by Dartmouth and other colleges was influenced by the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, which made it difficult for students to take or retake tests. At the time, colleges believed that test-taking and preparation were not beneficial during a public health crisis. Some experts also argued that test scores were not a good predictor of college success. Some colleges, like the University of California, went test-blind and completely ignored exam scores, focusing instead on high school GPA, essays, and other considerations. Harvard University dropped testing requirements in 2020 and announced that SAT or ACT scores would not be necessary until at least 2026. However, MIT decided to bring back the standardized testing requirement in 2022.
While Dartmouth is reinstating the testing requirement, the school emphasizes that test scores will never be the primary factor in its holistic admissions process. The whole person and environmental factors are still essential considerations for admission.