Benjamin Shappee

Ivy League schools rediscover, sometimes as if for the first time, that standardized tests predict success in college: 1. Dartmouth (Feb 5, 2024): “Several key findings guided our decision: First, standardized test scores are an important predictor of a student's success in Dartmouth's curriculum, and this is true regardless of a student's background or family income.” “Research shows that standardized test scores can be an important predictor of academic success at a place like Dartmouth and beyond—more so even than just grades or recommendations, for example.” 2. Yale (Feb 22, 2024): “Yale’s research from before and after the pandemic has consistently demonstrated that, among all application components, test scores are the single greatest predictor of a student’s future Yale grades. This is true even after controlling for family income and other demographic variables, and it is true for subject-based exams such as AP and IB, in addition to the ACT and SAT.” 3. Brown (March 5, 2024): “Our analysis made clear that SAT and ACT scores are among the key indicators that help predict a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in Brown’s demanding academic environment.” 4. Harvard (April 11, 2024): “Research by Opportunity Insights has shown that SAT and ACT scores are the single strongest predictors of academic success at selective colleges like Harvard... Standardized tests provide a common benchmark that can help us evaluate applicants’ readiness for the academic challenges at Harvard in a way that is more fair and equitable than high school grades alone.” 5. Cornell (April 22, 2024): “After a multi-year study conducted by the university’s Task Force on Standardized Testing in Admissions, data showed that when reviewed in context with other application materials—such as GPA, academic rigor, extracurricular engagement, essays, and letters of recommendation—test scores help to create a more complete picture of an individual applicant.” 6. Penn (Feb 14, 2025): “Penn’s practice has been, and continues to be, considering a student’s school-based academic record on its own merit, with testing as part of Admission’s broad and comprehensive assessment. With this approach, testing complements a student’s existing accomplishments and can offer additional relevant information in our comprehensive and holistic admission process.” 7. Princeton (Oct 9, 2025): “The decision to resume testing requirements follows a review of five years of data from the test-optional period, which found that academic performance at Princeton was stronger for students who chose to submit test scores than for students who did not.”