I believe that dropping the SAT test in favor of ACT will benefit UMass Lowell and I applaud the university’s decision. Many students who do well in high school and maintain a good grade point average (GPA) throughout their four years may not always score as high on standardized tests. Giving incoming students the option to submit their GPA scores encourages applicants to apply, even if their test scores were not average or above average.
A maintained GPA throughout high school serves as a better indicator to the university of the student’s capabilities to thrive in an educational environment. By eliminating the external factor of doing well on standardized tests in order to be accepted into a college, students are relieved of that pressure and can focus solely on doing well in school and maintaining their GPA. Moreover, students will be more encouraged to apply to colleges they would like to attend because they will not have to stress over not meeting the score requirements for admission into that given college. So, by dropping the SAT/ACT in favor of GPA, colleges will increase the number of applicants applying.
I believe a GPA is a better indicator of what the student is truly able to accomplish academically. GPA is accumulated over time, while standardized tests are given under time restrictions and not every student has the resources at their disposal to prepare well for them. By eliminating the option of the standardized test scores, all students are assessed on their ability to do well in an academic environment which serves as a better indicator of how that student will do in college.
DEEDHITI PATEL
deedhiti_patel@student.uml.edu
