OPINION: Testing disadvantages international students


Art by Shideh Ghandeharizadeh | Daily Trojan

On Oct. 3, the International Association for College Admission Counseling — an organization composed of nearly 2,000 academic counselors representing over 90 countries — released a report heavily criticizing College Board and ACT, Inc. for their inconsistencies and lack of communication regarding the administration of SAT and ACT exams to overseas students.

The statement in question focused primarily on international students’ lack of access to testing dates, citing that high schoolers in the United States were able to take advantage of twice as many opportunities to take the SAT (eight) than high schoolers outside of the country (four) in 2017. The IACAC also stated that this inequality is worsened by the fact that international administrations of the SAT and ACT are often canceled, and these changes are inefficiently communicated with test-takers and counselors. In response, both the ACT and College Board issued reassuring statements that pointed to improvements in technology and security, with College Board making plans to introduce an International Advisory Committee to handle such problems in the future.

In its report, the IACAC touches upon an important issue that has been largely absent from current discourse on education: U.S. applicants have decisive advantages compared to international students when it comes to American college admissions.

Although the IACAC’s connections between faulty test administrations and student inequality are understandable, the point highlighted in its report is one factor in an already existing problem — international students have difficulty getting into college regardless of the obstacles posed by College Board or ACT. This year, MIT accepted incoming class of 2017 freshmen at an overall rate of 8.4 percent but welcomed only 135 international students for a 2.9 percent admittance rate. A similar case occurred at UC Berkeley, where 8.8 percent of overseas applicants were admitted in 2017 compared to 19.7 percent of California residents.

Opposition to the IACAC may see no wrongdoing in this disparity, believing that American colleges should first and foremost be institutions of the American public. But this argument overlooks the invaluable presence international students hold on college campuses, specifically regarding their distinctive academic accomplishments — most notably in the STEM field — and the variety of cultures they introduce to the campus community.

It is no secret that USC is a strong proponent for the inclusivity of global perspectives, as overseas students composed 24.1 percent of Trojans in 2016 — making the campus home to one of the largest international student populations in the country, second only to NYU. Because the IACAC’s claims concern such an essential piece of their demographics, colleges like USC and NYU have an obligation to at least reconsider how heavily they weigh standardized tests in their admissions practices.

And while solving the overarching issue of the admissions gap beween international and domestic students for acceptance depends on the specific university, finding a resolution to the IACAC’s problem is relatively feasible.

To begin, one obvious solution is to increase the number of testing dates available to international students, which would give them more opportunities to learn from their mistakes and boost their scores. Indeed, the current difference in the number of exams administered to domestic and overseas students can be interpreted as a reflection of unwarranted favoritism toward one side. In turn, the argument that colleges should use the SAT or ACT for the purpose of creating a standardized assessment that can easily compare different students becomes delegitimized, as a common “standard” can never be created if students are not given the same chances to succeed.

On the bright side, overseas students can benefit from the shift universities are making to consider a more holistic approach when evaluating applicants. In fact, more than 800 U.S. colleges are SAT- and ACT-optional, reflecting a greater importance being placed on students’ achievements throughout their high school careers rather than how well they can score on a three-hour exam.

While the aforementioned solutions to the issues brought up by the IACAC may not completely erase the disadvantages experienced by overseas students during the application process, they can help ease some unnecessary anxiety. The real progress comes from the universities themselves: colleges — especially those that celebrate their diverse student bodies — cannot call themselves global leaders if they do not first take into the account the interests of their own international populations.

1 reply
  1. Lance
    Lance says:

    This is yet one more example of why being an international student is difficult, compounded by our complex culture and language. Welcoming and assimilation assistance must come from numerous sources to aid these young people embarking on life’s journey. Most struggle in their efforts and need guidance from schools’ international departments, immigration protection, host families, concerned neighbors and fellow students, and even informative books to extend a cultural helping hand so we all have a win-win situation.
    Something that might help anyone coming to the US is the award-winning worldwide book/ebook “What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A To Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More.” Used in foreign Fulbright student programs and endorsed worldwide by ambassadors, educators, and editors, it identifies how “foreigners” have become successful in the US, including students.
    A chapter on education explains how to cope with a confusing new culture and friendship process, and daunting classroom differences. It explains how US businesses operate and how to get a job (which differs from most countries), a must for those who want to work with/for an American firm here or overseas.
    It also identifies the most common English grammar and speech problems foreigners have and tips for easily overcoming them, the number one stumbling block they say they have to succeeding here.
    Good luck to all at USC or wherever you study or wherever you come from, because that is the TRUE spirit of the American PEOPLE, not a few in government who shout the loudest!

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