蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
The Test-Optional Puzzle
蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
vol. 115,
May 2025
(pp. 669–75)
Abstract
US colleges often justify test-optional admissions policies as promoting diversity by reducing their reliance on standardized test scores. But a college that mandates test scores can decide how to use those scores. Wouldn't more information allow a college to make decisions it prefers? Indeed, this paper identifies a broad set of assumptions under which test-mandatory policies are always weakly better for colleges. We then discuss how alternative assumptions might rationalize test-optional policies.Citation
Dessein, Wouter, Alex Frankel, and Navin Kartik. 2025. "The Test-Optional Puzzle." 蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings 115: 669–75. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20251055Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
- I26 Returns to Education
- I28 Education: Government Policy