Appealing to a Broader Pool
For its 2015-16 school year, Pitzer College of Claremont, Calif., fielded 4,149 applications and admitted 12.9 percent of those students (536 total) with an average GPA of 3.93. This “Class of 2019” comprises 40.1 percent students of color, 8.2 percent international students, and 11.8 percent first-generation college students. A test-optional campus since 2003, Pitzer made the move after finding (via its own study) that there was no direct correlation between its students’ academic success and standardized testing.
Since Pitzer stopped requiring the SAT or ACT for admission, the campus has seen a 58 percent increase in diversity, an 8 percent increase in GPA, and a 39 percent increase in applicants with a 10 percent increase in retention. The college has also doubled the number of students from low income, first generation backgrounds.
According to Santiago Ybarra, interim director of admissions, the institution uses a holistic approach to student admission with emphasis placed on high school transcripts, recommendation letters, leadership positions, work history, involvement in school and community activities, and commitment to Pitzer’s core values. The latter is especially vital, says Ybarra, and something that really can’t be “tested” for.
“For us, the admissions process is really about ‘fit,’” says Ybarra. “Of course we look for strong academics and preparedness for college, but we’re very centered on a set of core values that include social justice, environmental sustainability, and cultural understanding. When we talk about selectivity, we’re talking about the individuals who adhere to one or more of those core values—not the highest GPA, the best testing, or the most extracurricular activities.”
Ybarra says Pitzer’s test-optional policy also helps the school reach those populations that don’t necessarily perform well on standardized tests, but that would be a good candidate for the school. “Someone who has a high GPA but who is worried that a 520 verbal SAT score will lower his or her profile might not even apply here,” says Ybarra. “But when you take the testing component out of the equation and talk to them about it during school visits and presentations, their ears perk up.”
Leveling the Playing Field
Hiss, of course, isn’t surprised at the way schools like Trinity College and Pitzer College have embraced the concept of the test-optional college campus. And based on the number of schools that have joined the movement over the last few years, he expects more institutions to move in this direction in the coming years.
“The idea that a single, standardized test can accurately measure millions of different people over a wide span of cultural differences and intelligences is a monstrous and hurtful trip up a blind alley,” says Hiss. “I think optional testing is a piece—and only a piece—of a step toward trying to level the playing field.”
Bridget McCrea is an editorial freelancer for eCampus News.
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