In preparing for the admissions cycle this fall, the University has decided to join the ranks of a growing cadre of schools in piloting a test-flexible admissions policy starting in the Fall 2014 semester.

Undergraduate applicants for the Classes of 2018 and 2019 will now have the option to, in lieu of reporting their SAT and ACT scores, submit a combination of SAT II scores, Advanced Placement grades, and an "enhanced academic portfolio" which may encompass a graded academic writing sample as well as an additional recommendation.

Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel discussed the timing of the new admission policy in a July 19 BrandeisNOW article. Mr. Flagel indicated it was the ideal time to consider this additional admission policy in part due to the "robust application pool" and Brandeis' continued "commitment to high intellectual standards and strong moral conscience ... [which] includes a belief that education is enhanced through the diversity of our student body."

Brandeis has consistently endorsed a holistic, individualized examination of each prospective student's application and we commend the Office of Admissions' efforts to pilot a program that serves to bolster that mission statement.

However, we question if the program will truly achieve the desired diversity purported by Mr. Flagel. While theoretically students of different backgrounds and academic disciplines may be encouraged to apply, we are curious to see if this policy will have a significant effect on the type of applicant interested in the University.

It is also important to note the potential positive externalities this program could have on the University statistics often used in national rankings. We anticipate Brandeis' applicant pool will grow and will result in a lowered acceptance rate. Average test scores will naturally increase as applicants with scores on the lower end of the spectrum may choose not to submit them. With a lower acceptance rate, higher applicant pool and higher test scores, there will be a corresponding effect on the University's national standing.

As of 2012, after instituting a text-flexible option, Claremont McKenna College recorded the lowest admit rate in school history with 12.4 percent. Similarly, Pitzer College experienced a nine percent drop in its acceptance rate while increasing its application pool by over 13 percent. Other comparable institutions such as Bates College and Wake Forest University have experienced similar trends after implementing the admission policy.

This board wishes to add that it is pleased with the decision to issue a two-year trial run for this program. Students who utilize the test-flexible program will be asked, upon matriculating, to submit their test scores for continual review and approval by the Faculty Senate.

As the Senate evaluates this pilot, we would also like to advise the University to consider the role of such a policy in shaping its self-image. The test-flexible pilot program reinforces Brandeis' legacy as a premier historical liberal arts college, and yet, may greatly affect its appearance as a research institution.

With these considerations in mind, we hope that the Office of Admissions will critically and rigorously scrutinize the pilot's impact on its academic diversity, admissions standards and, especially, its long-term vision as a university.
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