Balancing Access and Success: Test-Optional Policies at Less Selective Public Institutions

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: College Access and Testing Practices

Abstract

The shift to test-optional policies (TOPs) has become more common, especially amongst private liberal arts and highly selective institutions, but the challenges of Covid-19 pushed public institutions of varying selectivity to suddenly adopt this approach. Over a year into the pandemic, higher education leaders must decide whether to remain test-optional and how to balance the needs of students, institutions, and systems as a whole. In this multiple case study, we draw upon in-depth interviews with admissions staff at two less-selective institutions under a systemwide TOP to explore their perceptions of shifting to test-optional. Our findings suggest that, while going test-optional was viewed as a good move, institutional differences exist on the perceptions of possibly returning to test-requiring.

Authors

• Collin Case, University of Georgia

• Alex Monday, University of Georgia - Athens