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We analyze data from one elite institution and find that test score optional policies
harm the likelihood of admission for high achieving applicants from
disadvantaged backgrounds. Under test optional policies, these applicants submit
test scores at too low a rate; they more than double their admissions probability
(from 2.9 percent to 7.2 percent) by reporting scores. Our findings suggest that,
more than commonly understood, elite institutions interpret test scores in the
context of an applicant’s background. Thus, availability of test scores on an
application can promote rather than hinder social mobility.
