Wake Forest University: now even more extra-special

Nathan O. Hatch, president of Wake Forest Univ., wrote an op-ed explaining why Wake Forest has dropped the SAT or ACT as an entrance requirement, "becoming the only top-30 national university with a test-optional policy".

The main reason offered is that performance on the SAT is correlated with family income. Dropping the requirement means that Wake Forest will, it feels, increase the opportunity of lower-income students to attend.

President Hatch cagily doesn't say exactly what will replace SAT scores in Wake's evaluations. He mentions some things that are "better predictors", such as high school grades, strength of high school coursework, and performance on subject tests. He also states that Wake will be adding "a recommended personal interview and additional opportunities to demonstrate individuality".

First, aren't most, or all, of these things also correlated with family income? If they aren't now, won't the correlations increase if colleges don't require SATs?

Second, and more important, how would Wake's decision--if it's widely imitated--affect incentives? In some high schools, grade inflation has already sharply diminished the information content of grade; removing the SAT would almost surely make that worse. Similarly, strength of coursework is, today, usually judged by AP/IB courses, but College Board and a lot of selective colleges are already concerned that such courses are being watered down. And some students today get "help" with their personal statements; won't they also be similarly assisted to prepare for interviews and demonstrations of individuality?

And then there's this. (I don't fully endorse it, but it offers plenty of food for thought.)

It's a noble intention. Some kids are born without advantages, and they should get opportunities to succeed.

But as we know, the Road to Hell is paved with Noble Intentions.