Cornell and Vanderbilt Extend Test-Optional Policies
Earlier this month, Dartmouth announced that they had ended their test-optional policy and were once again requiring students to submit standardized test scores as part of their application process.
The same week, both Cornell and Vanderbilt announced that they had extended their test-optional policies. Cornell announced a short-term extension, through the next admissions cycle, while Vanderbilt announced a longer extension, for the next three years.
In an interview with The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt’s student newspaper, dean of admissions and financial aid, Douglas Christiansen, said that this extension gives the university more time to conduct their own research into the debates surrounding standardized tests. He noted that since the suspension of testing requirements, the university’s applicant pool has benefited from a boost in “all types of diversity.”
Cornell is the second Ivy League college to extend their test-optional policies after Columbia announced their intention to eliminate testing requirements last year.
Standardized tests have been a hot debate over the past couple of years, since the test-optional policies came into practice during the pandemic. Many colleges, including several Ivies, have been slow to return to the testing requirements in place before the Covid era.
Some Ivies, including Brown and Yale, formed committees to research and address the fairness and prejudice of testing requirements. These universities are expected to receive recommendations from these committees in the next few months over whether or not to reinstate their testing requirements.
In the meantime, Ivy Link’s stance has not changed. We’ve stated many times before that, test-optional or not, students should take the tests and submit good scores with their applications. Even if a university is test-optional, a good test score can only increase a student’s chance of admission. All else being equal (high grades, impressive extracurriculars, etc.) a good test score may be the difference between acceptance and rejection.
Ivy Link offers test prep and tutoring for standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, and AP Exams. If you’re interested in learning more, register for a diagnostic test, or schedule a consultation below.
