The Case for Standardized Testing: Lessons from Harvard’s Foundational Skills Gap

Some Harvard students are currently enrolled in a year-long remedial math course, aimed at addressing gaps in foundational skills that have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, opinions are divided on the cause of these skill deficiencies. New York Post opinion columnist Rikki Schlott argues that the root issue lies not in the pandemic but in the reduction or removal of standardized testing, which she believes has allowed students without basic skills to graduate high school and enter college campuses..

In a recent column, Schlott criticized the lack of SAT and ACT scores in college applications, writing, “Without any SAT or ACT scores, no wonder kids without basic math skills were able to slip through the cracks. The school should have seen this coming.” She emphasized that college readiness exams like the SAT are essential tools for predicting "college and career success," a view supported by the College Board, which administers the SAT.

Schlott further argued that if students’ abilities had been measured using these key tests, there would be less need for remedial courses to reinforce basic skills.

Her critique also extends to a growing narrative within the academic community, which contends that standardized tests are outdated and rooted in racial biases. This perspective suggests that eliminating such tests could lower barriers to higher education for historically marginalized groups.

For instance, a 2021 article by the National Education Association (NEA) highlighted the controversial history of standardized testing. Activist and author Ibram X. Kendi was quoted as saying, “Standardized tests have become the most effective racist weapon ever devised to objectively degrade Black and Brown minds and legally exclude their bodies from prestigious schools.”

This ongoing debate raises important questions about the role of standardized testing in education and whether its removal could help or hinder students' overall preparedness for college and beyond.

Regardless of colleges’ test-blind, test-optional, or test-required policies (which continue to change), Vault Prep aims to equip all students with the necessary skillsets to open more doors of possibility and ultimately thrive at their best-fit choices. Using the ACT/SAT as a proxy for critical literacy development, our teachers help students become their own best teachers to be able to handle the rigors of high school, college, and beyond. Contact us at info@vault-prep.com if you’re interested in learning more!

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