Standardized Tests Re-Emerge as Trustworthy Metric Amid AI's Impact on College Admissions

The role of standardized tests in college admissions, once considered to be at a "nadir" in 2021 with widespread test-optional policies, is now undergoing a significant re-evaluation, particularly in light of advancements in artificial intelligence. This shift is prompted by concerns over the authenticity of application materials, especially essays, in an "LLM world." John Arnold, in a recent tweet, encapsulated this evolving perspective, stating, > "Standardized tests reached their nadir in 2021 with scores of colleges going test-optional. In an LLM world, they may be the only part of the application that admissions officers can trust."

The year 2021 marked a peak in the test-optional movement, largely accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted testing schedules and highlighted existing equity concerns regarding standardized exams. Many institutions, including highly selective ones, adopted policies allowing applicants to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores, leading to record application numbers and increased diversity in applicant pools. This period saw a significant decline in the percentage of applicants reporting test scores, with Common App data showing a drop from 73% in 2019-2020 to 40% in 2020-2021.

However, a growing number of highly selective institutions, including Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, MIT, and Georgetown, have recently reinstated standardized test requirements. This reversal is often attributed to findings that test scores can be strong predictors of academic success in college and can help identify high-achieving, less-advantaged applicants who might otherwise be overlooked. Some colleges observed that students admitted without scores during test-optional periods sometimes had lower college GPAs, prompting a return to requiring tests for a more comprehensive assessment.

The increasing sophistication of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, has introduced new complexities into the admissions process, particularly concerning the authenticity of application essays. While AI can assist with brainstorming and editing, admissions officers and researchers express concerns that AI-generated content often lacks the unique voice, personal reflection, and specific details that distinguish genuine student narratives. This raises questions about the reliability of essays as a true representation of an applicant's abilities and experiences.

Colleges are actively grappling with the ethical implications of AI in applications, with many explicitly prohibiting AI-generated content for essays and exploring AI detection software. Research indicates that AI-generated essays tend to sound generic and may inadvertently mimic the writing style of privileged demographics, potentially disadvantaging diverse applicants. In this landscape, standardized tests are being reconsidered as an objective and verifiable metric, offering a consistent point of comparison that is less susceptible to AI manipulation, thereby potentially regaining trust among admissions committees.