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The ACT recently released three new policies that will take effect starting with the September 2020 tests: Section Re-Testing, Superscoring, and Online Testing. Let’s break these down:
On the surface, these announcements seem very exciting, it appears schools might be moving away from rigorous testing and toward a truly holistic method of college admissions. Unfortunately, section re-testing and superscoring are a little too good to be true. Even though news organizations are reporting that students might finally be getting a break in the college admissions process, very few schools superscore the ACT and, for those that do, it is only a matter of time before the new multiple-sitting policy makes superscoring arbitrary. Moreover, if you can study 3 months for each section to earn the best score possible, we cannot expect these policies to last or the test itself will lose its value. One need only look at the lengthy list of schools at the bottom of this page that do not, and likely will never, superscore the ACT. Please note that this list includes Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Chapman, Harvard, NYU, Penn State, LMU, SMU, Stanford, Tulane, USC, and countless others. Every single UC is also on this list. If I was to put money on it, I would bet that superscoring will soon become a practice of the past and single-sit tests will remain the expectation for the vast majority of schools. So, even if you start hearing buzz about these new ACT policies from high schools, peers, media, or other sources, your child will likely not benefit from them. Good old-fashioned studying and hard work, in preparation for a single-sitting test, will remain the ACT “trick” to earning admission. The following schools do not superscore the ACT*: Agnes Scott College Alfred University Angelo State University Arizona State University at the Tempe campus Auburn University Bard College at Simon’s Rock Barnard College Bennington College Berry College Bethel University Bowdoin College Bradley University Brandeis University Brigham Young University (UT) Brown University Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Calvin College Carnegie Mellon University Cedarville University Centre College Chaminade University of Honolulu Chapman University Chatham University Chestnut Hill College Christopher Newport University Clark Atlanta University Clark University Clarkson University Clemson University Coe College College of Charleston College of Idaho College of the Holy Cross College of the Ozarks College of William and Mary Colorado School of Mines Columbia University - Columbia College and Fu Foundation School of Engineering Cornell University Creighton University Dallas Baptist University Dartmouth College DePaul University Drexel University Duke University Eastern Washington University Edgewood College Emory University Fordham University Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering George Mason University Georgetown University Georgia Southern University Guilford College Hardin-Simmons University Harvard College Hillsdale College Holy Family University Hope College Humboldt State University Illinois State University Illinois Wesleyan University James Madison University Kansas State University Kent State University, Kent Campus Kentucky State University Lebanon Valley College Lee University Lenoir-Rhyne College Lewis & Clark College Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University of Chicago Lubbock Christian University Macalester College Marlboro College Marquette University McGill University Michigan Technological University Missouri University of Science and Technology Montana Tech of the University of Montana Moravian College Mount Mary University Muhlenberg College New Jersey Institute of Technology New York University Northwestern College (IA) Oberlin College Ohio University, Athens Oklahoma State University Oregon State University Pace University Penn State University Pepperdine University Pitzer College Portland State University Princeton University Providence College Purdue University, West Lafayette Quinnipiac University Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Ripon College Roanoke College Rockhurst University Rollins College Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Saginaw Valley State University Saint Anselm College Saint Louis University Salisbury University Santa Clara University Scripps College Siena College Skidmore College Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Smith College Sonoma State University Southern Methodist University Southwestern University Stanford University St. Edward’s University St. Mary’s College of Maryland St. Olaf College State University of New York at Binghamton (Binghamton University) State University of New York--College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York--Stony Brook University State University of New York--University at Buffalo Stephens College Temple University Texas A&M University, College Station The City College of New York of The City University of New York The College of New Jersey The Evergreen State College The Ohio State University, Columbus The University of Alabama at Birmingham The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa The University of Scranton The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Dallas Transylvania University Truman State University Tulane University Tuskegee University United States Air Force Academy University at Albany - SUNY University of Arizona University of California, Davis University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Berkeley University of California, Irvine University of California, Riverside University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Central Florida University of Cincinnati University of Dallas University of Florida University of Houston University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Iowa University of Kansas University of Louisiana at Lafayette University of Maine-Fort Kent University of Mary Washington University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Massachusetts Dartmouth University of Massachusetts-Lowell University of Michigan, Ann Arbor University of Minnesota, Morris University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus University of Mississippi University of Missouri University of Nebraska, Lincoln University of New Hampshire University of New Orleans University of Notre Dame University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Pikevile University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus University of Richmond University of San Diego University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma University of South Alabama University of South Carolina, Columbia University of Southern California University of Southern Indiana University of the Pacific University of Utah University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point University of Wyoming Ursinus College Utica College Vanderbilt University Virginia Wesleyan College Wagner College Wesleyan College West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Virginia University Western Illinois University Western Michigan University Westminster College of Salt Lake City Wheaton College (MA) Whittier College Wichita State University William Jewell College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Wright State University Xavier University of Louisiana Yale University *Please note, this list is current as of 2019. Schools may change their policies without notice. Check individual school websites for the most up-to-date information on their superscoring policies. 
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As I reflect on 2019 in these first few days of 2020, a single question arises: In a process naturally laden with stress and pressure, how can we make the road to college admissions healthier? While the path to admission contains many roadblocks we cannot remove, there are several areas where we can assert our agency and create a healthier, happier, and more productive relationship with this entire process. It starts with students identifying their passions and following them. We need to transition from asking students “What’s your GPA and ACT score?” to “What are you passionate about?” and “What do you like to do more than anything else?”. On a practical note, colleges are explicitly requesting students to follow their passion. Gone are the days they want to see thousands of identical “well-rounded” students with the exact same backgrounds, transcripts, and extracurriculars. As more and more students are excelling in rigorous courses and achieving above average test scores, schools are looking for ways to differentiate between students. When opening an application, admissions officers are asking, “How can this student add value to our university?” Beyond grades and test scores, true value lies in a student’s story. Schools are looking for a clear line they can draw between a student’s class choices, activities, internships, and community service work that explicitly highlights their passion. If an application states that a student wants to be a business major, the admissions officer will respond: prove it. If colleges are daring us to follow our passions, let’s harness this and run with it. Students who follow their passion will also inherently earn better grades and achieve higher test scores. There is no reason to make this process any harder than it has to be. If the game of college admissions starts with a focus on a student’s GPA and test scores, why not provide students with the assurance and relief that these numbers-focused components are leading to an academic and professional career they are truly passionate about? Let’s resolve to follow our passions in 2020. After all, it is the key to everything that truly matters: personal fulfillment, strong emotional health, self confidence, and happiness. Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year, thank you for being a part of our community.  |
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