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ERIC Number: ED676577
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Sep
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Test-Optional College Admissions: ACT and SAT Scores, Applications, and Enrollment Changes. Working Paper 34260
Christopher Avery; Lena Shi; Preston Magouirk
National Bureau of Economic Research
This paper uses data from the largest college application platform in the U.S. to describe application and enrollment changes in response to widespread test-optional admissions adoption between 2018-2021. Although test-optional policies aimed to expand college access, underrepresented students did not apply to Elite colleges at higher rates and Elite colleges still received large numbers of high-scoring applications after tests became optional. Despite the oversupply of high-scoring applicants in the test-optional period, Elite colleges enrolled more lower-scorers with high grades, in particular first-generation and lower-income students. Enrollment in less selective colleges also increased among high-scorers, so test-optional policies may exacerbate undermatching.
National Bureau of Economic Research. 1050 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-5398. Tel: 617-588-0343; Web site: http://www.nber.org
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: ACT Assessment; SAT (College Admission Test)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A