Submitting standardized test scores will be optional for students applying to Furman next year. There are mixed views on how this new policy will affect the university. For my part, I think that the new approach could benefit Furman.
Furman admissions is taking a holistic approach to evaluating students. Instead of using test scores from the SAT or ACT to differentiate top students, they will be focusing on other factors that indicate potential for academic success.
For the first time ever, all of the prospective students for the class of 2015 had the opportunity to be interviewed. By focusing on interviews or other academic strengths of each applicant, Furman may be able to recruit an increasingly talented freshman class each year. During the admissions process for next year, students can become more than a number. Test scores will no longer define each applicant.
I think this is beneficial because students who may have been overlooked in the past due to lower test scores might now have a chance to thrive at Furman.
This approach could also have a positive impact because it may increase diversity at Furman. The previous system's reliance on test scores favored students who could afford test preparation. This new system could level the playing field for students who do not have the resources to invest in expensive test prep. These students will now be able to compete for merit-based scholarships because Furman is no longer emphasizing standardized test scores for these scholarships.
This approach might strengthen the process of awarding scholarships. Students who excel in areas other than standardized tests will be given the opportunity to receive merit-based financial awards.
Yet I do not think removing the test score requirement will be detrimental to students who have strong test scores. Prospective students can still submit scores if they would like the admissions committee to take their scores into account during the admissions process.
Those students will be able to have their scores recognized, while students with low scores are not penalized in the admissions process.
This policy could also be advantageous because it could raise the standardized test score statistics for Furman. Theoretically, students with high scores would submit them to Furman, while students with lower scores may choose not to send them. This could increase the average and median SAT and ACT scores for the university because low scores would not be included in the data.
The new admissions approach is valuable because it will help Furman reach its ultimate goal of increasing the size of the student body. Students who may not have been originally interested in Furman might be inclined to apply because there is no longer a test score requirement. This might increase the applicant pool, thereby enabling the admissions committee to choose from a larger group of qualified applicants.
There are concerns that this new policy may allow for the admission of some students who are unable to handle the coursework at Furman. However, just because a student has lower test scores does not mean that the student cannot succeed. The rigor of courses taken in high school along with GPA should be a realistic indication of whether or not a student will do well.
Additionally, high test scores do not necessarily signal that a student will be successful. Work ethic, time management and good study habits are better indicators of potential for success.
I do see how there may be a risk involved in not requiring test scores. However, I think that the benefits of this approach outweigh the risks.