By the Daily Post staff
Stanford has dropped its requirement that students submit an essay score from the ACT or SAT when applying for admission.
Princeton, Yale and Harvard have also dropped the requirement. The problem is that a growing number of states and school systems have paid for their students to take the SAT or ACT, but some don’t cover the cost of the optional essay.
Those that want to take the essay might have to shell out an additional $17 for the SAT and up to $16.50 for the ACT, according to the Washington Post.
While Stanford is making the essay optional, it is strongly recommending that applicants submit an essay score from one of the two tests. Stanford is the nation’s most selective research university, admitting less than 5% of students who apply.
The College Board launched the modern version of the SAT essay in 2005, making it a required section on the core test and changing the maximum score on the test to 2400. In 2016, the main SAT was overhauled again.
The maximum score reverted to 1600, and the 50-minute essay section was made separate and optional. Princeton is requiring students submit a graded high school writing assignment.
This changes nothing for most students. It will only help low income and minority students and allow the colleges to pat themselves on the back for being “accepting of all” even though they aren’t really, with such low admission rates. Ones with involved parents will still fill the majority of the slots.
Agreed
Agreed
Remember that kid who got into Stanford last year for an essay where he repeated the words “Black lives matter” 100 times. That proved the essay requirement was a joke, and virtue signaling ability was more important than putting together a cogent, well thought out essay. Way to go Stanford!!!