Libs at universities starting to realize that eliminating "racist" standardized tests for admissions ended up just helping rich white people

[Dan Druff]

Remember how I repeatedly stated that killing the SAT and other standardized tests as an admissions requirement was stupid?

Idiotic libs in charge believed the tests were "racist" because whites and Asians scored better on them than blacks and Hispanics.

I predicted that they'd eventually realize two things:

1) These tests actually do predict the aptitude for college success, to some degree

2) Eliminating them only helps rich white students whose parents can send them to grade-inflating private schools, as such students are no longer hindered by bad SAT scores. (Think of Lori Loughlin's daughter.)


Well, guess what:

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/sfmcguire79/status/1976385038229889187

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/sfmcguire79/status/1976464327142965606

Ivy League schools rediscover, sometimes as if for the first time, that standardized tests predict success in college:

1. Dartmouth (Feb 5, 2024):

“Several key findings guided our decision: First, standardized test scores are an important predictor of a student's success in Dartmouth's curriculum, and this is true regardless of a student's background or family income.”

“Research shows that standardized test scores can be an important predictor of academic success at a place like Dartmouth and beyond—more so even than just grades or recommendations, for example.”

2. Yale (Feb 22, 2024):

“Yale’s research from before and after the pandemic has consistently demonstrated that, among all application components, test scores are the single greatest predictor of a student’s future Yale grades. This is true even after controlling for family income and other demographic variables, and it is true for subject-based exams such as AP and IB, in addition to the ACT and SAT.”

3. Brown (March 5, 2024):

“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.”

4. Harvard (April 11, 2024):

“Research by Opportunity Insights has shown that SAT and ACT scores are the single strongest predictors of academic success at selective colleges like Harvard... Standardized tests provide a common benchmark that can help us evaluate applicants’ readiness for the academic challenges at Harvard in a way that is more fair and equitable than high school grades alone.”

5. Cornell (April 22, 2024):

“After a multi-year study conducted by the university’s Task Force on Standardized Testing in Admissions, data showed that when reviewed in context with other application materials—such as GPA, academic rigor, extracurricular engagement, essays, and letters of recommendation—test scores help to create a more complete picture of an individual applicant.”

6. Penn (Feb 14, 2025):

“Penn’s practice has been, and continues to be, considering a student’s school-based academic record on its own merit, with testing as part of Admission’s broad and comprehensive assessment. With this approach, testing complements a student’s existing accomplishments and can offer additional relevant information in our comprehensive and holistic admission process.”

7. Princeton (Oct 9, 2025):

“The decision to resume testing requirements follows a review of five years of data from the test-optional period, which found that academic performance at Princeton was stronger for students who chose to submit test scores than for students who did not.”

The Ivy league has brought them back.

Are libs good at any kind of practical analysis, or is their only gear "everything's racist"?

It took them almost a decade to figure this out.

[Kalam]

Remember how I repeatedly stated that killing the SAT and other standardized tests as an admissions requirement was stupid?

Idiotic libs in charge believed the tests were "racist" because whites and Asians scored better on them than blacks and Hispanics.

I predicted that they'd eventually realize two things:

1) These tests actually do predict the aptitude for college success, to some degree

2) Eliminating them only helps rich white students whose parents can send them to grade-inflating private schools, as such students are no longer hindered by bad SAT scores. (Think of Lori Loughlin's daughter.)


Well, guess what:

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/sfmcguire79/status/1976385038229889187

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/sfmcguire79/status/1976464327142965606

Ivy League schools rediscover, sometimes as if for the first time, that standardized tests predict success in college:

1. Dartmouth (Feb 5, 2024):

“Several key findings guided our decision: First, standardized test scores are an important predictor of a student's success in Dartmouth's curriculum, and this is true regardless of a student's background or family income.”

“Research shows that standardized test scores can be an important predictor of academic success at a place like Dartmouth and beyond—more so even than just grades or recommendations, for example.”

2. Yale (Feb 22, 2024):

“Yale’s research from before and after the pandemic has consistently demonstrated that, among all application components, test scores are the single greatest predictor of a student’s future Yale grades. This is true even after controlling for family income and other demographic variables, and it is true for subject-based exams such as AP and IB, in addition to the ACT and SAT.”

3. Brown (March 5, 2024):

“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.”

4. Harvard (April 11, 2024):

“Research by Opportunity Insights has shown that SAT and ACT scores are the single strongest predictors of academic success at selective colleges like Harvard... Standardized tests provide a common benchmark that can help us evaluate applicants’ readiness for the academic challenges at Harvard in a way that is more fair and equitable than high school grades alone.”

5. Cornell (April 22, 2024):

“After a multi-year study conducted by the university’s Task Force on Standardized Testing in Admissions, data showed that when reviewed in context with other application materials—such as GPA, academic rigor, extracurricular engagement, essays, and letters of recommendation—test scores help to create a more complete picture of an individual applicant.”

6. Penn (Feb 14, 2025):

“Penn’s practice has been, and continues to be, considering a student’s school-based academic record on its own merit, with testing as part of Admission’s broad and comprehensive assessment. With this approach, testing complements a student’s existing accomplishments and can offer additional relevant information in our comprehensive and holistic admission process.”

7. Princeton (Oct 9, 2025):

“The decision to resume testing requirements follows a review of five years of data from the test-optional period, which found that academic performance at Princeton was stronger for students who chose to submit test scores than for students who did not.”

The Ivy league has brought them back.

Are libs good at any kind of practical analysis, or is their only gear "everything's racist"?

It took them almost a decade to figure this out.

--Obviously there is serious academics in the Ivy Leagues who have common sense and ability to do analytical analysis. The problem is they ceded too much control to activists mainly in the administration who are not serious people. And only interested in racial quotas. But the more the moral panic of 2020 fades, the more serious people are taking back control.

--On another note, the UC system (which I am a product of) whose top administration is very much non-serious activists is still test optional and still basically does enrollment based on racial quotas. They actually proudly brag their student body is only 20% white, despite whites still being like 35% of the state population; so fairly extreme overt racial discrimination. But because it is public and everything is paid by our tax dollars, there is less accountability than a private University.

[Orko]

Ftr white people don't control anything esp in academia but i know what you mean, poiint taken.

[Orko]

It's interesting how were supposed to believe Trump forced Harvard to adopt all this pro israel/Jewish policy by witholding
$2 billion in multiyear grants. As if Harvard doesn't have a $50 billion endowment.

All the major universities do, they are for all intents and purposes hedge funds disguised as educational institutions.

I thought we had to cut costs, why is the govt giving anything to any of these elite uni's.

I truly believe on any Uni campus, any Jewish student can snap hisor her fingers and have any non Jewish student thrown out instantly pretty much no questions asked.

It seems to make non Jewish students vulnerable to blackmail.

[Sanlmar]

$2 billion in multiyear grants. As if Harvard doesn't have a $50 billion endowment.

You mean Harvard of free tuition fame? The list of well endowed schools offering a free ride is growing too.

The government funding and private universities ought to be completely divorced. Research at universities can be conducted and financed by venture capital and companies. DARPA can set up their own skunkworks in Wuhan.

Let the universities conduct themselves in whatever manner suits them. Don’t apply to the school if it doesn’t seem right for you. Whatever happened to freedom?

State schools are the concern of state voters.

Just another disappointing turn of events with Trump this term.