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Test-Optional: How Latin Prepares Students Amid Evolving Trends (Part 2)


Join director of college counseling Alexandra Fields to learn more about test-optional admissions to colleges and universities.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro - Alexandra Fields (00:14):
There's a lot of anxiety around the move away from standardized testing. This feels like a massive shift in our community. Students who have parents or guardians who went to college, the test scores meant a lot when those parents or guardians applied to college. And so to think about how schools are evaluating students, without that data point can be very overwhelming and mysterious and scary for students and families. Spending months and months preparing to try and bring that ACT score up a point versus really, you know, acing your way through second semester, Junior year, taking the time to write a really thoughtful essay when you're thinking about bang for your buck, it is easier for us now to say that the latter choice of focusing on academics and focusing on your writing is probably going to get you further in the college process. And that is a big relief for many of our students and families. A lot of research has also been done to explore the ways that standardized tests are quite biased. They are very racially biased. They were created for a white student population taking them. And there's an entire fascinating, very upsetting history of how the SAT actually historically has been used to keep underrepresented folks out of education.

Alexandra Fields (01:52):
I'm Alexandra Fields and I am director of college counseling at Latin. Test optional, it's something that has gotten much more press and has been in the news a lot and it has been on people's minds more during the pandemic, but it actually is something that has existed long before the pandemic. And the pandemic has just accelerated and popularized test-optional policies. So basically what a test-optional policy means is that a student does not need to submit standardized test scores to be considered for admission. And so that would be the ACT, the SAT, AP scores. And these don't exist anymore, but they used to, and you might have heard of SAT subject tests or SAT 2s. None of those are required for admission. And schools, there are schools who have been practicing test-optional admissions policies for years, and the reason that many schools have taken this move is because there's a lot of really great research out there that shows that the standardized tests are just simply not the best way of measuring a student's potential to be successful on a college campus.

(03:12):
The transcript is actually the best indicator of that. And a lot of research has also been done to explore the ways that standardized tests are quite biased. They are very racially biased. They were created for a white student population taking them, and there's an entire fascinating, very upsetting history of how the SAT actually historically has been used to keep underrepresented folks out of education. They're also biased in that when we think about resources, Latin is very lucky. We have a test prep course that students can just sign up for and take. And it's a part of their tuition here. Many students and families have the resources to engage in tutoring. Even if they don't, they have a college counselor who's counseling them on when to take the tests and how often to take the tests, and what scores they need for certain institutions.

(04:12):
And so all of this means that those scores aren't just representative of a student's, you know, intellectual capability, they're representative of a lot more than that. And so schools began to realize if we are genuinely interested in creating an equitable admissions process, if we are genuinely interested in building a diverse student body in all senses of that term, we can't rely heavily on the standardized test score. So Latin students are impacted by this change in a few ways. The first, we'll say is that the vast majority of Latin students still sit for the ACT or the SAT at least once. And we recommend that they do. And the reason that we advise this is because many students do very well. And even when a school is test-optional, a strong test score is only going to help them in the process. And so most students take a shot at it.

(05:13):
The difference is students tend to not take the ACT or the SAT quite as many times as they had in the past. Maybe a student who realizes, "This is just not where I shine. I get extremely anxious. I have a terrible time with test taking, and I know no matter what prep I do, this is never going to be the strongest part of my application." A lot of times those students will take it once or twice and say, "I'm done," because they realize that they don't need it necessarily. They realize that they can still be a compelling candidate for an admission without that testing. So we have seen students testing a bit less. We also, some of the pressure is removed because you only have something to gain, right? Yes. It can help you to have a great test score, but you don't have as much to lose, because if you aren't able to achieve that great test score, you don't need to include it in your application.

(06:15):
There's a lot anxiety around the move away from standardized testing. As I kind of spoke to before, this feels like a massive shift in our community. Students who have parents or guardians who went to college, the test scores meant a lot when those parents or guardians applied to college. And so to think about how schools are evaluating students, without that data point can be very overwhelming and mysterious and scary for students and families. I will also say that the testing can be a comfort to some students and families, because it is concrete. You know what a strong test score is. You know what a weaker test score is. You can study. You can retake it. And so I think it feels much more graspable and understandable than some of the other parts of the college application process, like writing a great essay, where you can't, you know, run it through something and say, yes, this is a "36" essay.

(07:24):
No, that is much, much more subjective. And so this has been very scary and alarming for students and families. We get a lot of questions on: What are they looking at? How is this, how is my student going to do in this process? Or how am I going to do in this process without the standardized test scores? So the thing that is really wonderful to see is that so many of the initiatives and, and the direction that Latin is moving in, actually aligns perfectly with this test-optional world. If a student is not submitting standardized test scores, what are colleges looking at? They are looking at the transcript, which includes the courses that a student has opted to take and how they've done in those courses. They're learning more about their academic performance from the recommendation letters, where teachers are speaking more in-depth about how they've done. And they're reading their writing.

(08:28):
And that is an essay that students write for colleges. And then some colleges also have some additional questions that they ask. Everything about standards-based assessment is actually working toward creating students who would thrive under that type of an assessment. Because it is not about just earning the score. It is not about showing up and having a great day and acing that test. It really is about on a more macro level, a depth of understanding and a mastery. In the simplest of terms, it's moving away from very clear-cut labels, Honors level, AP level, 36, A+, whatever it is, and it's moving toward: Is this student intellectually curious? Is this student having kind of deep probing thoughts about what it is that they're studying? Is this student making connections across disciplines? All of those types of things are much more compelling to colleges and universities, and they cannot be measured in a test score.

Podcast
 

 

  • Academics
  • College Counseling
  • Podcast
  • upper school
Test-Optional: How Latin Prepares Students Amid Evolving Trends (Part 2)


Join director of college counseling Alexandra Fields to learn more about test-optional admissions to colleges and universities.

TRANSCRIPT

Intro - Alexandra Fields (00:14):
There's a lot of anxiety around the move away from standardized testing. This feels like a massive shift in our community. Students who have parents or guardians who went to college, the test scores meant a lot when those parents or guardians applied to college. And so to think about how schools are evaluating students, without that data point can be very overwhelming and mysterious and scary for students and families. Spending months and months preparing to try and bring that ACT score up a point versus really, you know, acing your way through second semester, Junior year, taking the time to write a really thoughtful essay when you're thinking about bang for your buck, it is easier for us now to say that the latter choice of focusing on academics and focusing on your writing is probably going to get you further in the college process. And that is a big relief for many of our students and families. A lot of research has also been done to explore the ways that standardized tests are quite biased. They are very racially biased. They were created for a white student population taking them. And there's an entire fascinating, very upsetting history of how the SAT actually historically has been used to keep underrepresented folks out of education.

Alexandra Fields (01:52):
I'm Alexandra Fields and I am director of college counseling at Latin. Test optional, it's something that has gotten much more press and has been in the news a lot and it has been on people's minds more during the pandemic, but it actually is something that has existed long before the pandemic. And the pandemic has just accelerated and popularized test-optional policies. So basically what a test-optional policy means is that a student does not need to submit standardized test scores to be considered for admission. And so that would be the ACT, the SAT, AP scores. And these don't exist anymore, but they used to, and you might have heard of SAT subject tests or SAT 2s. None of those are required for admission. And schools, there are schools who have been practicing test-optional admissions policies for years, and the reason that many schools have taken this move is because there's a lot of really great research out there that shows that the standardized tests are just simply not the best way of measuring a student's potential to be successful on a college campus.

(03:12):
The transcript is actually the best indicator of that. And a lot of research has also been done to explore the ways that standardized tests are quite biased. They are very racially biased. They were created for a white student population taking them, and there's an entire fascinating, very upsetting history of how the SAT actually historically has been used to keep underrepresented folks out of education. They're also biased in that when we think about resources, Latin is very lucky. We have a test prep course that students can just sign up for and take. And it's a part of their tuition here. Many students and families have the resources to engage in tutoring. Even if they don't, they have a college counselor who's counseling them on when to take the tests and how often to take the tests, and what scores they need for certain institutions.

(04:12):
And so all of this means that those scores aren't just representative of a student's, you know, intellectual capability, they're representative of a lot more than that. And so schools began to realize if we are genuinely interested in creating an equitable admissions process, if we are genuinely interested in building a diverse student body in all senses of that term, we can't rely heavily on the standardized test score. So Latin students are impacted by this change in a few ways. The first, we'll say is that the vast majority of Latin students still sit for the ACT or the SAT at least once. And we recommend that they do. And the reason that we advise this is because many students do very well. And even when a school is test-optional, a strong test score is only going to help them in the process. And so most students take a shot at it.

(05:13):
The difference is students tend to not take the ACT or the SAT quite as many times as they had in the past. Maybe a student who realizes, "This is just not where I shine. I get extremely anxious. I have a terrible time with test taking, and I know no matter what prep I do, this is never going to be the strongest part of my application." A lot of times those students will take it once or twice and say, "I'm done," because they realize that they don't need it necessarily. They realize that they can still be a compelling candidate for an admission without that testing. So we have seen students testing a bit less. We also, some of the pressure is removed because you only have something to gain, right? Yes. It can help you to have a great test score, but you don't have as much to lose, because if you aren't able to achieve that great test score, you don't need to include it in your application.

(06:15):
There's a lot anxiety around the move away from standardized testing. As I kind of spoke to before, this feels like a massive shift in our community. Students who have parents or guardians who went to college, the test scores meant a lot when those parents or guardians applied to college. And so to think about how schools are evaluating students, without that data point can be very overwhelming and mysterious and scary for students and families. I will also say that the testing can be a comfort to some students and families, because it is concrete. You know what a strong test score is. You know what a weaker test score is. You can study. You can retake it. And so I think it feels much more graspable and understandable than some of the other parts of the college application process, like writing a great essay, where you can't, you know, run it through something and say, yes, this is a "36" essay.

(07:24):
No, that is much, much more subjective. And so this has been very scary and alarming for students and families. We get a lot of questions on: What are they looking at? How is this, how is my student going to do in this process? Or how am I going to do in this process without the standardized test scores? So the thing that is really wonderful to see is that so many of the initiatives and, and the direction that Latin is moving in, actually aligns perfectly with this test-optional world. If a student is not submitting standardized test scores, what are colleges looking at? They are looking at the transcript, which includes the courses that a student has opted to take and how they've done in those courses. They're learning more about their academic performance from the recommendation letters, where teachers are speaking more in-depth about how they've done. And they're reading their writing.

(08:28):
And that is an essay that students write for colleges. And then some colleges also have some additional questions that they ask. Everything about standards-based assessment is actually working toward creating students who would thrive under that type of an assessment. Because it is not about just earning the score. It is not about showing up and having a great day and acing that test. It really is about on a more macro level, a depth of understanding and a mastery. In the simplest of terms, it's moving away from very clear-cut labels, Honors level, AP level, 36, A+, whatever it is, and it's moving toward: Is this student intellectually curious? Is this student having kind of deep probing thoughts about what it is that they're studying? Is this student making connections across disciplines? All of those types of things are much more compelling to colleges and universities, and they cannot be measured in a test score.

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Middle School Builder Day - Experience, Explore, Engage
Middle School Builder Day - Experience, Explore, Engage

What is Builder Day, you ask?  
The middle school held an event in '17, '18, and '19 called "Builder Day." On that day, all middle school students signed up for 3 "not typically offered in school" classes during the first 3 blocks of the day. During these classes, students experience school in a different way, explore topics they're interested in, and engage in hands-on activities. Some classes offered in the past were "Intro to DJ'ing," 'String Art," "Button Design," and more. Classes were taught by 8th graders, US students, and fellow faculty members.

There are so many aspects of the Portrait of a Latin Learner that Builder Day embodies. Statements like, "Develop resilience by taking on new challenges and using mistakes to further their learning", or, "Use a variety of methods to creatively express themself to others" perfectly embody the work of Builder Day. I hope that events like Builder Day give life to the Portrait of a Latin Learner. 

What did Builder Day look like this year? 
This year, Builder Day was held on Friday, February 10. Students choose 2 classes from 21 different courses offered this year! Take a look at the offerings & descriptions here: 

5th grade
6th grade
7th grade
8th grade

 

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  • Features
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Graphic representation of the Portrait of a Latin Learner
The Evolution of the Portrait of a Latin Learner

Curious explorers. Inclusive collaborators. Creative communicators. Critical thinkers. These four core competencies make up the pillars of what is called the Portrait of a Latin Learner. The project is a result of a multi-year process that involved teachers, administrators, students, parents and alumni. How did this project develop, what is its significance and how it will it be used in the future?

Every piece of data was examined and became part of the portrait
-Max Rouse

The History

The portrait was identified as a concept in the 2019 Latin Leads Strategic Design. That document laid out the mission, vision, values and strategy in order to create the best conditions for the growth, wellness, and achievement of every Latin learner. The project began pre-pandemic, when a group of Latin teachers began exploring how they could flesh out the strategic plan, according to Ash Hansberry, the Computer Science Department Chair. The project took a back seat during the pandemic but then was revitalized by the former Head of School, Randall Dunn, who asked Hansberry to be the point person and lead the team which would draft the portrait. Hansberry recruited faculty members, Fiona Deeney, Lower School Computer Science and Technology Integration Specialist, Adriana Durant, Upper School Dance, and Kelly Wyatt, Middle School French to join the Portrait team and the group set to work with ideas. 

Data Examined

The Portrait Team wanted their work to be informed by data. Max Rouse, Assistant Middle School Director, and leader of the Learn Team indicated that all constituencies (parents and families, students, alumni, faculty and staff) provided data. For example, parents were surveyed and asked what skills their students were learning that would prepare them for the future. Middle school students were invited to create a billboard indicating what made Latin special to them. “Every piece of data was examined and became part of the portrait,” said Rouse. “We were looking for themes.” Additionally, the team looked at other organizations including data from colleges, other K-12 schools and workplaces to be sure that the portrait compared well with what other organizations expect from young people. 

These themes eventually morphed into the competencies. In early summer of 2022, the Learn Team began drafting a prototype which provided descriptors and examples of ways that students demonstrate the competencies. After numerous drafts, the portrait was presented to teachers and staff in August of 2022.  

Portrait Value and Next Steps

The portrait is meant to be the cornerstone for any type of learning that takes place at Latin. “We are trying to unify the language we use with students,” said Rouse. “The document provides somewhat of a road map of how to construct and refine programming and learning.” Adds Hansberry, “Long term, we want to be able to use this portrait and competencies as a through-line between all of our programs and curriculum.” Additionally, the portrait is meant to be applicable to all age groups, explained Rouse. “Students can be Latin learners anywhere along their experience.” 

The next step involves implementation. Hansberry indicated that certain departments and teachers are experimenting with the portrait already. For example, in the Upper School, the college counseling department analyzed their goals and then created a document that comports with the portrait. Professional development for faculty and staff is planned for the spring. 

...we want to be able to use this portrait and competencies as a through-line between all of our programs and curriculum.
-Ash Hansberry

Given the multi-year development of the portrait, Hansberry points out that the portrait should not be viewed as one-and-done. “Instead, the way I think about it, is that this is an alignment, a reflection and a goal setting process.” Hansberry noted that as implementation occurs, faculty and staff may identify more needs. The portrait team is open to the resulting revisions that may occur.  

Rouse is eager to see how the portrait informs programming in the future. “For new programs, the portrait will help them become mission-aligned,” he said. He envisions that the portrait will help develop programs, and that the language of new programs will be tweaked to conform with the portrait. “It will become part of the process to get new programs off the ground.”

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LS Book Awards
Lower School Book Awards

Each year, students in 1st through 4th grades explore different book awards in the Lower School Library. Readers learn how committees work together toward a common goal, how to analyze literature with a critical eye and how the voting process works. Award units culminate in the Latin Book Awards assembly where winners are announced to the entire Lower School. View the 2023 mock book awards list. 

First graders studied the Monarch Book Award, Illinois’ readers' choice award for students in grades K-3. The Monarch butterfly was chosen to “symbolize the growth, change and freedom that becoming a reader brings.” We read many selected books, challenging students to think critically and familiarize themselves with a variety of books and their creators, ultimately voting on the book they like the best. This year, we had a tie with Friday Night Wrestlefest by J.F. Fox and Micah Player and Lift by Minh Lê and Dan Santat both taking the award!

Second grade explored the Caldecott Award, given annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. We read six contenders for the 2023 Caldecott Award and discussed ways in which the books are excellent in quality, distinct in their design, and a singular achievement by the artists to create a complete “Oh wow!” contribution to our bookshelves. Readers flex their critical muscles as they look beyond the surface, choosing not only the book they like the best but one that meets the parameters of the award most fully. This year students chose Knight Owl by Christopher Denise as their Caldecott winner!

Third grade celebrated the Coretta Scott King Award, presented to authors and illustrators of African American descent whose works promote an understanding and appreciation of the "true worth and value of all beings." We read 6 distinct fiction and/or nonfiction picture books highlighting African American culture or history looking for excellence, information and inspiration as our criteria for “Oh wow!” CSK Award winners. After reading, discussing, and debating, the Third Grade Committee chose Bessie the Motorcycle Queen by Charles R. Smith, Jr. and Charlot Kristensen as the winner of the Latin CSK Award.

Fourth grade dove deep into nonfiction books for the Sibert Award. Students read 6 books featuring distinguished writing and illustration with a clear and accurate presentation in both text and illustration. Readers look closely at the informational contenders and vote using criteria that make them say, “Oh wow!” Ultimately, the Fourth Grade Committee chose Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and Daniel Minter as the winner. 

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