What is the difference between test-optional and test-blind?

One of the biggest changes that the pandemic has brought in private school admissions is the testing policy. Travel restrictions hampered the ability of families to go to testing centers to take the tests. As a result, schools revised their admission process to accommodate these changes. Terminologies such as test-optional and test-blind came about causing confusion among applicants. 

The test-optional policy gives students the option of whether to submit test scores or not. Schools with this policy claim that they will accept test scores but these will not affect their decision in any way. This means admission decisions will rely more heavily on other factors like transcripts, essays, parent statements, and virtual interviews. Many schools also replaced the tests with writing assessments done on Zoom and required students to answer questions in real-time while being proctored online by an administrator. 

Test-blind means that schools will not accept test scores so there is no point in submitting. Schools with this policy claim to follow a holistic approach and assess students based on their overall impression. 

Based on our experience, students who submit test scores get more admission advantage than those who do not. High test scores show academic achievement, readiness to take on a more challenging curriculum, and a student’s ambition and drive to succeed, qualities that private schools are looking for. Test scores differentiate one student from another who has the same grades, GPA, and extracurricular activities. 

In our practice, if a school is test-optional, we treat standardized tests as part of the application requirements and encourage our students to take the tests.