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Higher Admissions: The Rise, Decline, and Return of Standardized Testing
How to make American higher education fairer
In the 1930s, American colleges and universities began to screen applications using the SAT, a mass-administered, IQ-descended standardized test. The widespread adoption of the test accompanied the development of the world’s first mass higher education system—and served to promote the idea that the United States was becoming a “meritocracy” in which admission to selective higher education institutions would be granted to those who most deserved it. In Higher Admissions, Nicholas Lemann reflects on the state of America’s aspirational meritocracy and the enduring value and meaning of standardized testing.
Lemann writes that the anticipation of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning affirmative action, plus the Covid pandemic, led hundreds of universities to stop requiring standardized admissions tests; now many colleges and universities are reinstituting test requirements. The country is preoccupied with the admissions policies of the most selective universities, but Lemann redirects our attention to an alternate path that American higher education could have taken, and can still take—one that emphasizes selective admission less and a significant upgrade of the entire higher education system more. Lemann argues that to improve the state of higher education overall, we should focus not on the narrow chokepoint of admission to highly selective colleges, but on efforts to create as much meaningful opportunity for flourishing in our vast higher education system for as many people as possible. The book includes thoughtful and challenging responses from Marvin Krislov, Patricia Gándara, and Prudence Carter.
In the 1930s, American colleges and universities began to screen applications using the SAT, a mass-administered, IQ-descended standardized test. The widespread adoption of the test accompanied the development of the world’s first mass higher education system—and served to promote the idea that the United States was becoming a “meritocracy” in which admission to selective higher education institutions would be granted to those who most deserved it. In Higher Admissions, Nicholas Lemann reflects on the state of America’s aspirational meritocracy and the enduring value and meaning of standardized testing.
Lemann writes that the anticipation of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning affirmative action, plus the Covid pandemic, led hundreds of universities to stop requiring standardized admissions tests; now many colleges and universities are reinstituting test requirements. The country is preoccupied with the admissions policies of the most selective universities, but Lemann redirects our attention to an alternate path that American higher education could have taken, and can still take—one that emphasizes selective admission less and a significant upgrade of the entire higher education system more. Lemann argues that to improve the state of higher education overall, we should focus not on the narrow chokepoint of admission to highly selective colleges, but on efforts to create as much meaningful opportunity for flourishing in our vast higher education system for as many people as possible. The book includes thoughtful and challenging responses from Marvin Krislov, Patricia Gándara, and Prudence Carter.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 7, 2025
Years ago I read Lemann's book "The Big Test" and many of the same problems continue to be discussed decades later. I appreciate the succinct history and analysis of the problems of testing, meritocracy (which is, in fact, aristocracy with a different root), the Ivies, and race.
Discouraging to read this after the 2024 election knowing that the systemic issues will not be addressed by the current political governing bodies. And state-level work is limited.
We need to improve k-12 education to re-work our needs for testing in college but there is even less chance of that happening as I write this than even prior to November 2024.
Discouraging to read this after the 2024 election knowing that the systemic issues will not be addressed by the current political governing bodies. And state-level work is limited.
We need to improve k-12 education to re-work our needs for testing in college but there is even less chance of that happening as I write this than even prior to November 2024.
November 6, 2024
Long form essay/critique on standardized testing in higher education, with two accompanying responses to Lemann in the back of the book. A fairly easy read - like a newspaper magazine piece. Breaks no new ground on the associated criticisms of such tests.
September 29, 2024
Incredibly fascinating & deeply researched book about the development of the SAT & other admissions tools that have inadvertently led to today’s higher ed landscape.
January 30, 2025
A very good book on the current state of standardized testing.
March 16, 2025
Covers much of the same ground as Lemann's "The Big Test," but still a worthy followup 25 years later.
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March 25, 2025I was hoping this would be more of an update or addendum to “The Big Test,” but it doesn’t really add anything and strips out so much nuance that it doesn’t even serve well as a TL;DR version of that book.
No matter what you think about meritocracy, that book will challenge and complicate your perspective. This book parrots stale talking points and affirms one side. I would recommend that book and not this one.
No matter what you think about meritocracy, that book will challenge and complicate your perspective. This book parrots stale talking points and affirms one side. I would recommend that book and not this one.
December 27, 2025
I read this so you don’t have to! This “book” is well researched for the first 20 pages, but then just a biased harangue after that.
Book is in quotes because it’s basically a long essay that they put in small book format to make it look longer AND coupled it with a few essays at the end that were “engaging” with the first essay.
Side note: I have some professional expertise in this area, so this review isn't being written by a crank.
Book is in quotes because it’s basically a long essay that they put in small book format to make it look longer AND coupled it with a few essays at the end that were “engaging” with the first essay.
Side note: I have some professional expertise in this area, so this review isn't being written by a crank.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews