[DC 86]

I think the absence of standardized tests will allow universities to do whatever the hell they want to do on admissions and still claim to be getting the cream of the cream (assuming high gpas are endless).  I guess where we disagree is WHY universities want to do away with standardized testing.  You believe it is to allow them to admit more privileged kids from great high schools; my belief is the opposite - it will allow them to more easily check their multi-faceted diversity boxes, which will include factors like poor/wealthy, rural/urban, historically disadvantaged races (i.e., non White, non-Asian), historically disadvantaged religions, etc., etc., etc. And they can do that and claim they are getting "best and brightest" without having those pesky standardized tests potentially undermining their claims.

100% this. The Harvard lawsuit exposed the biases in elite university admissions, both if favor of wealthy donors and legacies, and in favor of certain cohorts at the expense of others. Standardized tests are the objective criteria that support questions being asked that universities don't want to answer. Harvard doesn't want Jared Kushner's SAT score to be public knowledge just as it doesn't want their complete standardized test statistics to be broken down by ethnic group or otherwise. No university wants to be SFFA's next target and have SAT/ACT information entered into evidence against them or leaked to the media.

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Or, since this thread is about the NCAA and standardized tests,

I suspect that dropping standardized tests will allow colleges to admit athletically privileged 18 year-olds without regard as to whether their high school grades represent classroom performance.

It isn't just athletics.  Just imagine how easier it would have been for Singer not to have needed "special" standardized testing sessions for the kids of rich parents.

It will allow universities far more latitude in admitting whoever they want for whatever reason, whether to strengthen athletic teams, cater to wealthy parents or achieve diversity goals however they define them.

[DC 86]

I think the absence of standardized tests will allow universities to do whatever the hell they want to do on admissions and still claim to be getting the cream of the cream (assuming high gpas are endless).  I guess where we disagree is WHY universities want to do away with standardized testing.  You believe it is to allow them to admit more privileged kids from great high schools; my belief is the opposite - it will allow them to more easily check their multi-faceted diversity boxes, which will include factors like poor/wealthy, rural/urban, historically disadvantaged races (i.e., non White, non-Asian), historically disadvantaged religions, etc., etc., etc. And they can do that and claim they are getting "best and brightest" without having those pesky standardized tests potentially undermining their claims.

100% this. The Harvard lawsuit exposed the biases in elite university admissions, both if favor of wealthy donors and legacies, and in favor of certain cohorts at the expense of others. Standardized tests are the objective criteria that support questions being asked that universities don't want to answer. Harvard doesn't want Jared Kushner's SAT score to be public knowledge just as it doesn't want their complete standardized test statistics to be broken down by ethnic group or otherwise. No university wants to be SFFA's next target and have SAT/ACT information entered into evidence against them or leaked to the media.

---

Or, since this thread is about the NCAA and standardized tests,

I suspect that dropping standardized tests will allow colleges to admit athletically privileged 18 year-olds without regard as to whether their high school grades represent classroom performance.

It isn't just athletics.  Just imagine how easier it would have been for Singer not to have needed "special" standardized testing sessions for the kids of rich parents.

It will allow universities far more latitude in admitting whoever they want for whatever reason, whether to strengthen athletic teams, cater to wealthy parents or achieve diversity goals however they define them.