Education
Preparing for College Admissions Changes: Tips for MBA Students
Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes
The UNC System considers reinstating standardized test requirements for college admissions
As the pandemic forced colleges nationwide to waive standardized test requirements for admissions, the University of North Carolina (UNC) System is now contemplating going back to the traditional system of requiring all applicants to submit test scores.
The waiver period began in July 2020 and has been extended twice to accommodate the challenges brought on by the pandemic. However, the Board of Governors now has the option to mandate scores from all applicants or only from those who don’t meet a certain GPA requirement.
In anticipation of this possible change, some students, such as sophomore Annalise Rich, are taking proactive measures by taking the SAT a year earlier than most to secure a competitive edge in the application process.
Professor Stephen Porter argues that standardized tests like the SAT were initially designed to provide equal opportunities for students from all backgrounds to access higher education and serve as reliable predictors of college success.
The UNC System is weighing two options for the future: reverting to the pre-pandemic standards or requiring test scores if a student’s weighted GPA falls between 2.5 and 2.8.
The decision to potentially shift away from test-optional admission is supported by research from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, which has highlighted a concerning trend of grade inflation and the efficacy of ACT scores as reliable indicators of future student achievements.
Students who take the initiative to prepare early for standardized tests stand a better chance of reaching their target scores amid the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming admissions process. Stay tuned to ‘My MBA Career’ for updates on this developing story.