As a part of Princeton University Press’s Our Compelling Interests book series, Nicholas Lemann’s recently released Higher Admissions: The Rise, Decline, and Return of Standardized Testing is a critical examination of efforts to make American higher education more equitable. This book series, which analyzes diversity’s principal role in a thriving democracy, consistently engages with the work of leading scholars, intellectuals, and writers to explore and find solutions to these issues.


From the birth of “intelligence measure” tests as far back as 1900 and arguments against them, American society has largely disagreed on the necessity of accounting for the various racial, socioeconomic, and regional disparities that standardized testing fails to call in. In Lemann’s new book, his critical understanding of the essential nature of diversity allows him to argue that a standardized test like the SAT is, “–a predictive test, an aptitude test, and a norm-referenced test– designed to help elite colleges select a small handful of students.” and such tests therefore fail to account for the unequal educational backgrounds of the majority Black, Hispanic and Native American students scoring the lowest, in contrast with their White and Asian peers. Financial factors, including affluent families' access to schools with enhanced educational resources, private academic coaching, and familial background are also not considered when analyzing the disproportionate test results of Black, Hispanic, and Native students.


With the Supreme Court's decision to end Affirmative Action this past year, Lemann's continuous emphasis on the importance of diverse racial presence within higher education institutions is of no surprise. The majority rule by the Supreme Court has eliminated race-conscious considerations within college admissions, reversing years of policies and methods designed to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion on university and college campuses. Lemman adds, “The battle over affirmative action really boils down to whether race is the one and only offensive admissions preference out of all the preferences,” a direct address of other preferential admission methods used by elite universities, such as legacy and athletic admissions often influenced by favorable funding rationales. 


Additionally, Lemann highlights the importance of considering environment, background, and experiences in childhood as factors that influence measurable performance test results. He states, “The more that life-determining decisions can be pushed back into adulthood, rather than taking place during childhood and adolescence, the fairer and more democratic the system will be” pointing out that the ideal of equal opportunity most Americans align themselves with, is much different from the reality most marginalized communities live in today, and must be continuously worked towards. He also considers alternatives to standardized testing that may build a better meritocracy, such as corporations investing in a wider range of schools, larger investments in K-12 education, and direct reinstatements of higher education laws such as affirmative action that acknowledge and address the diverse inequalities and privileges in student backgrounds. 


According to Lemann, “Moving in the direction of assessment that considers a whole person, including their background and experiences as well as their cultural and linguistic strengths, can probably bring us closer to that goal and hopefully dispel the myth of test score meritocracy.” An equitable future in higher education is possible, if we commit ourselves to integrating diverse backgrounds and creating educational frameworks that honor every individual’s experience. 


Nicholas Lemann’s thought-provoking Higher Admissions will be available on shelves this upcoming Tuesday, September 17th, 2024. Digital copies may also be purchased here at Princeton University Press.