Even "Woke" Brown Sees A Change

Brown University will reinstate standardized testing requirements for admission, joining Yale, Dartmouth, and M.I.T. Brown’s decision, announced on Tuesday, will require either S.A.T. or A.C.T. scores and will be in effect in the upcoming admissions cycle.

In its announcement, Brown said that test results clearly indicate future success. “Our analysis made clear that S.A.T. and A.C.T. scores are among the key indicators that help predict a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in Brown’s demanding academic environment,” the university said.

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. Students from less-advantaged backgrounds with lower scores had chosen not to submit scores under the test-optional policy, even though submitting them could have increased their chances of being admitted.

It is commendable that another elite institution is moving towards an admissions policy that helps deserving lower-income students. What is notable is the opposition they face from liberal media and social advocates.

In an article, The New York Times writer @stephaniesaul defends the idea that standardized tests are biased and disadvantage lower-income students. She ignores articles in her paper that challenge this view and holds that standardized tests create more opportunities for students who are not privileged.

She quotes Fair Test, an anti-testing organization, which states that only a small percentage of universities and colleges require these tests. Stephanie, you need to consider that elite institutions, having carefully considered this issue, have decided that standardized tests are not biased and provide an accurate gauge of expected performance in a university setting. They enable better decisions—for everyone.

Our media and education pundits need to recognize that assessment is integral to education. The fact that grades are no longer an accurate indicator of ability and that many schools no longer even mark students indicates how little clarity there is today on the purpose of our education system. It really is dicouraging.