June 24, 2022

University System of Maryland to End Admission Testing Mandate

B Because of the pandemic, the Maryland system has been test-optional for the past two years. As a result of the coronavirus spreading throughout the country and temporarily shutting down common exam sites, such as K-12 schools, institutions across the United States reduced testing requirements.

Even as the country began to relax COVID-19 restrictions, many colleges-maintained test-optional policies. Prior to the pandemic, only one institution in the Maryland system, Salisbury University, was test-optional. It has used test-optional admissions for about 15 years, according to its president, Charles Wight, who the media spoke to after a meeting.

…the system could use standardised tests to identify academic talent among disadvantaged students whose high school transcripts do not reflect their abilities...

Darryll Pines, president of the University of Maryland, College Park, the state's flagship institution, said that the goal of changing admissions practices is to see how test-optional policies affect incoming classes. Pines announced at the Friday meeting that College Park has decided to keep testing optional until 2027. He cited "cultural bias in the tests," which he claims introduces inequity into the admissions process. Pines also stated that the university uses a 26-factor admissions system to vet applicants, and that the exams are only one of those points.

While the decision to stop testing mandates was welcomed by many, a couple of regents spoke out against eliminating the testing requirement. According to one age, the system could use standardised tests to identify academic talent among disadvantaged students whose high school transcripts do not reflect their abilities. Another agent expressed concerns that relying more heavily on high school GPA in admissions decisions would disadvantage "late bloomers," whose first- and second-year high school report cards were poor.

Posted in News and tagged News, Maryland, University System, USA, Admission Testing Mandate, Salisbury University
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