The Daily Tar Heel
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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter to the Editor: UNC should adopt test-optional admissions

Every year, countless American high school students go through the college application process, the long slog that you are all too familiar with. Over time, college applications have become more complex as spots get increasingly competitive. 

Currently, it’s difficult to even be considered, much less accepted, with many potential Will Huntings kept out because of arbitrary cut offs. While many of us have been fortunate enough to have the resources and support necessary to make it through the process, millions of Americans do not have those advantages, such as SAT prep classes or the ability to retake exam. 

Here at UNC, the emphasis is on the value of individuality, of the unique potential for each students and of the value of a varied liberal arts education. Why are we using a one-size-fits-all metric for an education intended to be exactly the opposite? This is even more nonsensical considering that research has shown that standardized test scores do not correlate with college performance, while things such as GPA, college essays and extracurriculars serve as much better indicators. UNC should take the lead by using a more holistic test-optional approach, giving students the options to submit additional essays or participate in an alumni interview to truly embrace the philosophy that students are not just a number.


Oliver McCann

First year

Biomedical engineering

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