The pandemic has affected the academic setup all over the world. SAT is an important exam for candidates aspiring to study abroad. With the SAT scores, students are able to apply to many schools at the same time. But in the year 2020, only 44% of students submitted their SAT or ACT scores, which has dropped from 77% in the year 2019. Universities have had to reduce their cut-off as well as temporarily suspended the requirement of SAT scores for admission.

The probable reason the schools have taken this decision is that it is easier for the wealthier students who can take tuitions, get guidance from counselors to improve their essays and English language skills. While most of the students are delighted that they do not have to turn in their SAT marks, academic experts worry that this might lead to an increase in inequality in the American education system.

It is observed that always greater percentage of SAT scores are submitted by the students whose parents are educated, i.e., have a bachelor’s or higher degree. In 2019, 71% of students, whose parents do not have a BA, and 79% of students, whose parents have a BA, submitted their SAT scores. This number reduced drastically due to the pandemic. In 2020, only 30% of students, whose parents do not have a BA, and 49% of students, whose parents have a BA, submitted their SAT scores. But it can nonetheless be observed that kids from educated families are more in number.

Testing Divide

There are various reasons that the candidates failed to take the SAT. The test takers were unable to reach the SAT test centres to give the exam, their dates were cancelled due to lack of seating arrangements.

One of the many candidates, Ayah Fakhy, whose parents had immigrated to Los Angeles from Morocco, had registered twice for SAT. But they were cancelled because the test sites were closed. She was immensely scared of being left behind by her peers, other test-takers, who could afford to fly or drive to test centres. She had to focus on and qualify the other parts of the application. Bob Sweeney says that these types of students need someone to advocate for them. In this context, it is useful to mention that the Brooklyn College access program helps 20 senior girls, who are the first in their family to attend college, every year to get admission.

Like Fakhy, another aspirant, Babitsky, who wants to study molecular biology, was unable to appear for his SATs because his test got cancelled four times. He says that if he had started preparing for SAT sophomore year, he would have had his SAT scores now.

College applications containing test scores: different race and ethnicity

The percentage of applications for admission in the first year coming from Asians is 58.3%, from white is 48.2%, from Latins is 32.8%, from American Indians or Alaska Natives is 32.8%, from African American is 30.6%, and from Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander is 29.8%.

Experts criticize the education and admission process. The SAT was introduced in the twentieth century to assess the merit of the students, but it has circumstantially always been biased towards the wealthier lot. The poor and underrepresented minor groups have always faced problems with SATs. Testing critics say that getting rid of these criteria will help amend gender, race, and income diversity. Over time more than 1300 schools have made scores of SAT or ACT optional for admission, at least for the current junior class.

But people of Collegeboard, who represent SAT and ACT, say that a common testing standard should be there otherwise schools will start relying more on grades, and top schools are likely to inflate their grades. Although in a Kaplan Test Prep survey of more than 400 colleges, only 9% of them asked for standardized test scores, a percentage of the test takers sent their SAT scores anyway through the ‘Common App’.