Many schools don't require SAT scores to apply. How does that impact already disadvantaged students?

Published January 29, 2024 at 8:20 AM EST

A student looks at questions during a college test preparation class. (Alex Brandon/AP)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges dropped their SAT requirements as many kids could not attend the exams. Now, four years after the start of the pandemic, many colleges have decided to not reintroduce standardized tests as part of the application process.

Many see this as a sharp relief from the harsh, stressful exams that can sometimes make or break someone’s college opportunities, but David Leonhardt of the New York Times has a warning; it is not all good news and it does not appear to help those who are disadvantaged.

Citing research from MIT and other institutions that have reintroduced the tests, Leonhardt surmises that the test was more of an equalizing factor than first thought. He joins host Scott Tong to explain his findings.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.