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Top US universities and colleges are waiving the essay requirement from standardized tests for student admission.
Stanford, Princeton, and Brown University are among the most recent schools to drop the essay requirement, following Harvard’s and Yale’s move early this year. To date, over 1,600 US colleges and universities no longer require essay test scores from the American College Testing (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
US universities usually consider scores from the ACT and SAT when admitting new students. With multiple-choice questions and an optional essay writing section, these tests examine the student’s capacity to accomplish college-level work.
Some schools cited the additional cost as one of the reasons behind their decision. They recognize that not all states and secondary schools shoulder the cost of taking the essay writing section of the ACT and SAT. Schools also admitted that students can be discouraged from applying to top schools where essay scores are mandatory.
In addition, some experts believe that the essay section is not effective in discovering students’ writing abilities. They emphasized that good written communication often relies on a complex process that cannot be done within the limited time given during tests. Recognizing this, some schools require students to submit personal or academic essays instead.
On another note, test developers reacted negatively to the schools’ decision. A spokesperson from College Board, a non-profit organization, argues that the essay section complements the multiple-choice part as students are required to exhibit critical thinking by writing about a given text. A representative from the ACT also said that the writing section can provide a reliable way to assess students’ writing abilities.