Brown University Will Reinstate Standardized Tests for Admission

The News

Brown University will reinstate standardized testing requirements for admission, joining Yale, Dartmouth and M.I.T. in backtracking on “test optional” policies adopted during the Covid pandemic.

Brown’s decision, announced on Tuesday, will require either SAT or ACT scores and will be in effect in the upcoming admissions cycle.

Why Go Back?

In its announcement, Brown said that test results were a clear indicator of future success.

“Our analysis made clear that SAT and ACT scores are among the key indicators that help predict a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in Brown’s demanding academic environment,” the Providence, R.I., university said in a statement.

Brown also echoed concerns expressed by both Dartmouth and Yale that suspending test requirements had the unintended effect of harming prospective students from low-income families.

The committee at Brown that was charged with reviewing admissions policies was concerned that some students from less-advantaged backgrounds with lower scores had chosen not to submit scores under the test-optional policy, even when submitting them could have actually increased their chances of being admitted.

“Strong testing, interpreted in the context of a student’s background, may serve to demonstrate their ability to succeed at Brown,” the announcement said, “and the lack of scores may mean that admissions officers hesitate to admit them.”

Applications to highly selective colleges had surged during the test-optional period. Last year, Brown said it had received more than 51,000 applications for its fall 2023 class.

Is This a Growing Trend?

Not entirely.

For every school that is bringing back standardized tests, a number of institutions are going in the opposite direction, as part of a growing test-optional movement in the United States. Some 2,000 colleges and universities have said they will not require admissions examinations, according to FairTest, an anti-testing organization.