Same Policy, No Standardized Outcome: How Admissions Values and Institutional Priorities Shape the Effect of Test-Optional Policies on Campus Diversity

Standardized tests were introduced to U.S. higher education as systematic, neutral measures of students’ intellect. Over time, they became central gatekeeping tools in the college admissions process. However, these tests have faced growing criticism for reinforcing inequality and privileging structurally advantaged students, leading many colleges to eliminate them as admissions requirements. In this study, we extend insights from institutional theory and the study of higher education to develop