The Nation’s Largest Catholic University Chicago, IL

The Test Optional Decision

Why, What, and How

I Really Do Know What You’re Thinking

• To increase test score averages/USNWR Rankings• To become more selective• To admit academically weak students• To attract a more diverse population of students• To gain public attention and affection• To make friends with conservatives in the media

who think the world is going to Hell in a handbasket

The “Why We DIDN’T Do This” List

• DePaul is a bit more complex than a freshman ACT average• Over the last four years:

– Average of 2,450 students– Average ACT score of 24.72

• Eliminating the bottom 500 students each year from ACT calculation takes us to…..

• 25.4• We increase average scores more than that just by Super-Scoring (we don’t)• USNWR adjusts for Test-optional schools• Average ACT counts for a very small (< 10%) part of rankings• We will report test scores for all students who took a test (anticipated 98%

+) in our averages

The Test Scores?

• We are very happy admitting 62% of applicants• We prefer admission committees over rejection

committees• All those applicants are real• We have purposely avoided Fast Apps, Snap Apps, VIP

Apps, Express Apps, etc. in the past, all of which are faster and cheaper ways to increase the perception of selectivity

• By any measure, the entering class of 2011 is our best in history

Selectivity?

• DePaul has always used GPA more than ACT to admit students

• It’s anticipated that students admitted without test scores will have higher average GPA’s than those with test scores

• The “odd ones out” are likely to be applicants with high test scores, but lower GPA’s.

Admitting Weak Students?

• Of institutions with higher academic profiles than DePaul, only a few are more ethnically diverse

• Of institutions more diverse, few share the profile of DePaul

• Our diversity is a function of who we are as an institution, not a function of artificial processes

• When adding socio-economic diversity, DePaul is distinctive, sharing the spotlight with less than 20 similar institutions

More Diversity?

Student-reported Ethnicity of Undergraduates

African AmericanAsianHispanicMultiethnicNative AmericanPacific IslanderCaucasianOtherUnknown

Among Universities of DePaul’s Academic Profile, Few are as Diverse

• Our announcement was purposely given only to the Chronicle to ensure it played out professionally first

• Hardly mentioned in Tribune, Sun Times, Inside Higher Ed, etc. until seven months later

To Gain More Public Attention and Affection?

To Make Friends Among Conservatives?

No

The Nation’s Largest Catholic University Chicago, IL

Test Optional

Why We DID Do It

• We have known for a LONG time that the single best predictor of college GPA is HS GPA– YES, even from one HS to the next– No study has ever refuted this

• ACT and SAT DO predict college GPA…but covariance with HS GPA tends to eliminate incremental value

• ACT and SAT are not intelligence tests• Other factors have been shown to predict academic success

** better than ACT or SAT• Only Academic Success predicts graduation

In All Seriousness…

* Combination of 2.5 GPA and 48 quarter credits earned in first year

2.5 and 48 credits 2.5 or 48 credits Neither 2.5 nor 48 credits0

10

20

30

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50

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70

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90

100

Top 1/3 Freshman Middle 1/3 FreshmanLowest 1/3 Average Freshman

NOT: Will I get a 2.0? …But Will I Graduate?

Note: Student performance measured after three quarters of enrollment; DePaul is on quarter system, and 16 credits per term is standard

• “When asked about SAT scores, admissions representatives usually explain the importance of standardized scores, but never present them as the sole decider. They refer to their university's brochure where almost everyone shows the middle 50 percent of incoming freshmen SAT scores as a general benchmark. However, as potential applicants we have developed a habit of selective hearing. The logical messages that are conveyed by admissions officers often get distorted or dismissed by students' rumors and opinions that are much better circulated than the admissions presentation. The result is that junior year becomes a frenzied obsession about how, and how much, to improve your standardized test scores and GPA.”

• At some level, we all get that colleges understand the problems involved with quantifying a student's ability based on numbers. Many very talented students don't earn scores and grades that represent their strengths for any number of reasons. Some of them simply don't test well. There are essays and interviews, of course, where these students hope to stand out. Some colleges really encourage applicants to show who they are through some pretty creative measures, but many students just don't make the effort if they think their numbers are too low to be taken seriously.

• We need to know what questions we should be asking, instead of focusing almost exclusively on the statistics listed in the brochure. The mania inspired by standardized testing seems to subside when representatives talk about college life instead of the admissions process.

The Student Angle

Selective Catholic Peers Private Selective Institutions Large Public Universities College of the Holy Cross American University University of Alaska Providence College Bates College University of Arkansas Fairfield University Bowdoin College University of ArizonaLoyola University, Maryland Connecticut College Arizona State University Dickinson College California State (14 campuses) Denison University University of Idaho Franklin & Marshall College University of Kansas George Mason University University of Maine Gettysburg College University of Mississippi Knox College University of Montana Lake Forest College Montana State University Lawrence University University of Nebraska Lewis and Clark College University of Nevada My. Holyoke College University of Oklahoma Pitzer College Oklahoma State University Rollins College University of Oregon Smith College University of Texas (8 campuses) Union College Texas A & M Wake Forest University Texas Tech University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Washington State University

The History of Success AngleNote: No two test-optional policy, or policy eliminating tests for some students is identical

The Nation’s Largest Catholic University Chicago, IL

The Fairness and Access Angle

• Joseph Soares, Wake Forest University:– Testing agencies admit scores correlate with income– Best way to attract wealthy students is to require

standardized tests– California Study: 100 points on SAT accounts for .02

point in GPA in college– Best case regression: 70% of freshman GPA not

explained by academic variables

Limits of Standardized Tests

http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/Research/Documents/InstitutionalResearchonStandardizedTesting.pdf

• Four-year Pilot Program starting with Freshman Applicants to Fall 2012

• Students decide which approach is best for them; no changes once they commit

• If we have scores from candidates who don’t want us to use them, we will eliminate them from the review process

• If we get them on the transcript, we’ll ignore them

How This Will All Work

• Candidates who do not submit scores will be asked to complete four essay questions as a special on-line supplement (Read: Beyond the Big Test by William Sedlacek)

• Review process will be separate for submitters and non-submitters

• Scholarships and Honors Program will still be available based on review of file

• We will ask for scores of all enrolling students in the fall for research and reporting purposes only

How This Will All Work, cont’d.

• We will work with Faculty to review the Pilot Program results yearly

• We anticipate full implementation by 2016• However, we reserve the right to change or

revert prior to the start of any application cycle• We’re happy to answer questions at any time

How This Will All Work, cont’d.

http://bit.ly/dputest

Read All About It

http://bit.ly/dpuoptional

Counselors:

Students:

Everyone: http://bit.ly/readthisplease