Seeing the Big Picture: Enrollment Leaders Discuss Standardized Testing

For independent school admissions teams, the pandemic's wake has ushered in a period of reflection. Should they return to pre-pandemic admission testing policies? Stay the course with test-optional or blind strategies? Or reflect on what worked and what didn't, and once again, adapt?

To gain insight into the discussions taking place at schools regarding these decisions, we sat down with Angela Elledge, director of admissions at Marist School in Atlanta, and Adam Choice, director of enrollment management at The Bush School in Seattle.

‍

The perspectives of each participant were slightly different. Marist utilized admissions testing throughout the pandemic, whereas The Bush School recently adopted a test-flexible, required testing model after going test-blind during the pandemic. How did they arrive at similar testing philosophies?

"I believe admissions testing is important because it adds to the holistic composition of a student profile," Elledge said. "So I say that as we look at all different aspects of a student, what they're bringing in in terms of character and academics, and it's that one piece that is common among all of our applicants."

Choice also cited the role standardized testing plays in holistic admissions. 

"We use it as one data point," he said. "We don't use it as the end-all, be-all, and I think that's a really important piece to understand when you're using admissions testing. Because it really supplements all the other academic pieces like the academic reports and the teacher evaluations.

"So it really helps our admissions committee have [a more] complete and full understanding of a student's academic background. That's really important and helpful for our committees to make a decision that makes sense and ensure that we're bringing in mission-aligned students."

Those hesitant to incorporate standardized testing into candidate review often question the fairness of admissions testing. Elledge sees it differently.

"We believe that using standardized testing to be a more equitable review process is really important to us," Elledge said. "It does put everybody on the same playing field, so to speak, when we're reviewing applications."

While every student taking an admissions test comes from a different background and educational experience, Elledge sees standardized testing as putting them on the same playing field by providing an objective measure that, when viewed in context with other aspects of a candidate's application, helps committees identify students from all walks of life with a pathway for success in the school's programs.

"So if a student didn't have that piece, it would be hard to look at the entire application," she said. "It would not be as strong as if they had taken it. And we just look at [standardized testing] as another piece to the puzzle."

Choice agrees.

"I think, in a way, it does create a more equitable process for us because it's standardized, right? So all the students are taking a test that has gone through a lot of vetting around the questions and providing students the opportunity to kind of show their understanding of [their] academic experience. 

"I think on the other side, too, is our schools are doing a really good job to ensure that there is an equitable experience in terms of access to the test—so providing waiver codes for families who need it. I think equity can be at the forefront of that process and is really important for all of our schools and for the families."

Elledge and Choice both see additional benefits from having all prospective students test beyond admissions decisions.

"Once a student enrolls at [Marist School]," Elledge said, "we then use the testing to do placement and to kind of evaluate where they are and where they should be within our curriculum and our programs. 

"And we also use it to see what are the strengths of the class as it comes in as a whole. And also maybe what are some of the challenges or the gaps that a student or a class in its entire composition brings to the school?"

With The Bush School returning to testing this year, Choice is excited about the potential uses.

"So it may be able to support placement into certain classes," he said. "It could support college counseling as they prepare to bring in a new group of students and understanding where they might fall in the college prep process. 

"So I think it's just another data point for every department within our schools to use to get a better understanding of each kid and help them prepare for what's beyond our school."