College is a place where high school graduates go to find themselves and figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but college admissions standards can make it difficult for some high school students to succeed.

Some students breeze through standardized tests like the ACT, while others struggle to stay awake and focused on the task at hand. Alabama high school students have mixed feelings about the value of taking standardized tests. And many Alabama colleges have responded, especially since the pandemic, by making tests optional.

Addison Jeffries, a senior at Ramsay High School in Birmingham, said, “I think test-optional schools are ideal for students who struggle with standardized tests.” [Editor’s note: Reporter Jamarean Heard is a current Ramsay High School student.]

Amani Muhammad, a senior, said she thinks everyone should try applying to college.

“Applying to college is crucial, even if you’re not sure what you want to do with your life,” she said.

Jarin Heard, a senior at Holy Family Cristo Rey in Birmingham, believes the ACT isn’t for everyone and that it shouldn’t determine whether or not a student is admitted to college.

“The ACT is hard, and challenging, but I don’t think it should be the reason you are rejected from entering college,” he said.

Taylyn Tolbert, another senior at Ramsay, noted that standardized tests cost money, and some students who take them and get low scores may not be able to afford to take them again.

Some research has shown that test-optional policies encourage more students to apply for college, especially if they are from an underrepresented group. A recent survey of almost 5,000 students who graduated high school in 2021 found that 15% of respondents applied to a college specifically because it was test-optional.

Some organizations, and schools that have chosen to keep standardized test policies, though, say test scores are still a useful predictor of student success.

Hueytown High School senior Nakyah Hubbard said that even straight A students may not be good test takers, and it’s important for colleges to consider people from different backgrounds.

“A person with straight A’s could have test anxiety which could set them at a lower standard of what they are trying to fulfill,” Hubbard said.

Many Alabama colleges promote test-optional policies, but some still ask that students send in test scores and some still use test scores to determine academic and financial aid policies. Some test-optional schools, like the University of Montevallo, do not require test scores for students with a certain GPA, but want to see them if a student has struggled in class..

The University of Alabama, for example, is not requiring test scores for students applying through fall 2024. It calls its admissions process “holistic,” with review of both academic and non-academic criteria.

Auburn University doesn’t require test scores either, but says they are preferred. Students, especially those with low GPAs, should try to take and submit a score, according to its admissions office.

Some test-optional schools in Alabama include the following:

• University of Alabama
• The University of Alabama at Birmingham
• The University of Alabama in Huntsville
• University of South Alabama
• Troy University
• University of North Alabama
• Jacksonville State University
• Spring Hill College
• Birmingham-Southern College
• Stillman College
• Miles College