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Uses prior research and contextual trends showing policy adoption growth prior to 2020 and a surge during the pandemic as SAT/ACT access declined. Summarizes findings from multiple studies and highlights questions SUNY and peer institutions must consider for longer-term decisions.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/test-optional-admissions-policies-evidence-from-implementations-pre-and-post-covid-19/585613/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/test-optional-admissions-policies-evidence-from-implementations-pre-and-post-covid-19/585613.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Alex Sinclair","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What prompted higher education institutions to adopt test-optional admissions in 2021?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Institutions implemented test-optional admissions in response to COVID-19, which reduced applicants’ access to SAT/ACT testing.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What does pre-pandemic research suggest about the growth of test-optional policies?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Before 2020, test-optional admissions were already expanding nationally, including in more varied types of institutions beyond selective liberal arts colleges.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How do studies describe the overall impact of test-optional admissions on enrollment and student outcomes?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Findings are mixed: some studies report enrollment and application increases and shifts in URM or Pell-related outcomes, while other results show effects that are not exclusive to test-optional policies or are not sustained.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},585613,1792209068,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":24,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":46,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":31,"preview_page_count":4},1099523882182,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","POLICY BRIEF  \nTest-Optional Admissions Policies  \nEvidence from Implementations Pre-and Post-COVID-19  \nLaura Schultz Brian Backstrom  \nJune 17, 2021  \nABOUT THE AUTHORS  \nLaura Schultz is executive director of research at the Rockefeller Institute of Government  \nBrian Backstrom is director of education policy studies at the Rockefeller Institute of Government  \nTest-Optional Admissions Policies: Evidence from Implementations Pre-and Post-COVID-19  \nExecutive Summary  \nAs did the vast majority of higher education institutions, SUNY implemented testoptional admissions policies across all campuses for students applying to enroll in Fall 2021. SUNY and its peers made this decision in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced applicants’ access to SAT/ACT testing. A majority of these schools have extended their test-optional application policies through the Fall 2022 admissions cycle and many have committed to remain test-optional for 2023. The number of schools that are committing to permanently implementing test-optional admissions is growing, too.  \nTest-optional policies are not new and notable state systems such as University of California’s began their move to drop consideration of SAT/ACT scores in admission decisions well before the COVID-19 crisis. Still, the pandemic resulted in a surge of public and private colleges, universities, and systems not only enacting temporary test-optional admission practices but also considering longer-term and permanent establishment of such policies.  \nIn this policy brief we address the following questions:  \n􀂔 What evidence exists on the effectiveness of test-optional admissions policies to increase applications, stimulate more diverse enrollment, and enhance student success?  \n􀂔 What is the evidence from SUNY’s test-optional pilot program?  \n􀂔 What decisions have SUNY’s peer institutions announced?  \n􀂔 What additional questions and data could SUNY consider before making a permanent decision?  \nTest-Optional Admissions Pre-Pandemic  \nTest-optional admissions was a growing trend nationally prior to 2020: Bennett (2021) identified 100 private institutions that adopted test-optional policies between academic years 2005-06 and 2015-16. While test-optional admissions policies originated with selective liberal arts colleges, the types of institutions shifting admissions strategies has diversified since then to more regional private schools and public institutions.  \nFIGURE 1. Number of Institutions Enacting Test-Optional Admissions Over Time, by Type  \nNumber of Institutions  \n0 5 10 15 20  \n\n|  |  |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |  |\n| | | | |\n\nFirst entrance year for students admitted under test-optional policies  \n1970s  \n1980s  \n1990s 2002  \n2005  \n2006  \n2007  \n2008  \n2009  \n2010  \n2011  \n2012  \n2013  \n2014  \n2015  \n2016  \n Selective liberal arts colleges  Other institutions  \nSOURCE: Christopher T. Bennett,“Untested Admissions: Examining Changes in Application Behaviors and Student Demographics Under Test-Optional Policies.” American Educational Research Journal (April 12, 2021), [https://doi](https://doi). org/10 .3102/00028312211003526 .  \n\n| Study |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Belasco, Rosinger, Hearn (2015)2 | •\u003Cbr>• | Changes in schools’ Pell recipient and URM enrollment were no different between test-optional and test-requiring institutions. Gains experienced by test-optional schools were also seen by test-requiring schools.\u003Cbr>Test-optional schools saw an increase in average SAT scoresand applications. |\n| Syverson, Franks, Hiss (2018)3 | •\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>•\u003Cbr>• | Application increases: 29 percent for private schools, 11 percent for public institutions. About half outpaced growth at testrequired peer institutions.\u003Cbr>61 percent of test-optional institutions saw greater URM enrollment increases than their peers.\u003Cbr>50 percent of test-optional institutions saw an increase in Pell enrollments relative to test-required pe","cbCaimK13mtVWW1e","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimK13mtVWW1e","pdf",6893896,"English","# Executive Summary\n# About the Authors\n# Test-Optional Admissions Pre-Pandemic\n## National adoption trends and prior research\n# Evidence of Impact: Nationwide","[{\"question\":\"What prompted higher education institutions to adopt test-optional admissions in 2021?\",\"answer\":\"Institutions implemented test-optional admissions in response to COVID-19, which reduced applicants’ access to SAT/ACT testing.\"},{\"question\":\"What does pre-pandemic research suggest about the growth of test-optional policies?\",\"answer\":\"Before 2020, test-optional admissions were already expanding nationally, including in more varied types of institutions beyond selective liberal arts colleges.\"},{\"question\":\"How do studies describe the overall impact of test-optional admissions on enrollment and student outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"Findings are mixed: some studies report enrollment and application increases and shifts in URM or Pell-related outcomes, while other results show effects that are not exclusive to test-optional policies or are not sustained.\"}]","Test-Optional Admissions Policies - Evidence from Implementations Pre-and Post-COVID-19 | PDF",1792055288]