Transitioning to Test-Optional Admission
Transitioning to Test-Optional Admission
Join us for this two-day forum with university case studies!
Aug. 20-21 | 10:15 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. ET
On-Demand Package Available for Purchase
Has your college made the decision to move to test-optional admission this fall?
Many colleges are grappling with how to make a speedy transition to test-optional admission practices. To complicate matters, the transcript evaluation process is now more difficult because so many high schools adopted pass/fail grading in the spring of 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The good news? Many colleges have a long tradition of test-optional admission policies and valuable insights to share.
To help you sort through the considerations, implications, and challenges, NACAC is hosting a two-day Transitioning to Test-Optional Admission Forum on August 20-21. During the forum, you will:
- Hear firsthand from a variety of institutions about their test-optional policies and best practices;
- Learn about the findings of the NACAC's Task Force on Standardized Admission Testing for International and US Students;
- Find out what researchers have found through studies on test-optional policies and access; and
- Receive answers to your questions during the live Q&A.
A recording will be available at no cost to all registrants until Aug. 31. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at education@nacacnet.org.
DAY 1 Schedule
Opening Remarks
10:15 - 10:30 a.m. E.T.
Session A
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. E.T.
Session B
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. E.T.
Lunch
12:30 - 1 p.m. E.T.
Session C
1 - 1:45 p.m. E.T.
Session D
2 - 2:45 p.m. E.T.
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Susquehanna University: Case Study Susquehanna University adopted a test optional policy in the 1990s, evolving over time. Presenter: Phil Betz, director of admission. |
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DAY 2 Schedule
Opening Remarks
10:15 - 10:30 a.m. E.T.
Session E
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. E.T.
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Equitable Post-Testing Admissions The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the disparities in resources between well-funded (and largely White) schools and underfunded (and largely Black and Latinx) schools. These disparities are reflected not only in access to testing but also in the availability of support to navigate a fractured registration and administration process. While removing the requirement to submit test scores has gained popularity in recent years, there are critical concerns with the actual implementation of test-optional policies in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The panelists will provide an overview of three issues: states requiring students take a college entrance exam to graduate, the speed with which institutions have decided to go test optional, and recent term grades. We will end by providing guidance for both enrollment management practitioners and policymakers to address these three concerns. Presenters: Akil Bello, senior director of advocacy and advancement, FairTest, and Marie Bigham, founder and executive director, ACCEPT. |
Session F
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. E.T.
Lunch
12:30 - 1 p.m.
Session G
1 - 1:45 p.m. E.T.
Session H
2 - 2:45 p.m. E.T.
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Defining Access: What We Learned and What We Recommend In 2018, we released the results of Defining Access, a national study of test-optional admission that included data on over 900,000 individual applicant records from 28 institutions that had adopted a test-optional policy. We will briefly review the results, focusing on the impact on the applicant funnel experienced by those institutions after moving to test-optional admissions. Following that, for schools that are just now implementing a test-optional policy, we will identify some pitfalls to avoid and provide suggestions for a smooth and effective transition. Presenter: Steve Syverson, dean of admissions, emeritus Lawrence University. |
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