"I'm just not a good test-taker." This, perhaps one of the most frequent of all academic excuses, is on a tragic path toward gaining further validity in the coming years — at least at Wake Forest University.

In an effort to encourage more students to apply, Wake Forest is the first top-30-ranked university to announce that its freshman class of 2009 will have the option of not submitting standardized test scores (SAT, ACT). With less focus on test scores, the admissions office will look to all other traditional considerations such as high school class choices, GPA, extracurriculars, etc. Additionally, it will use interviews to personalize the process and give admissions officers more insight into each student.

The "poor test-taker excuse" gained credibility in 2005 when the SAT was redesigned to more accurately reflect high school curriculums. Among other changes, this renovation did away with the loathed analogies section, and it incorporated written essays, rendering the test less standardized overall. One can expect that making SAT/ACT scores optional will have varying effects on students' strategy when applying to Wake Forest. Will it be beneficial to submit a mediocre score, or is it a wiser decision not to put all one's cards on the table?

If a student does choose to withhold the score, it must be assumed that it is not a score they are proud of. Or perhaps, in these first experimental years, it will be advantageous to hide one's score in order to appear more intriguing.

Universities are constantly seeking ways to diversify their student bodies and to make their particular "college brand" sui generis in an increasingly competitive environment. However, while a student may suffer the plight of being exceptionally sharp while also being an exceptionally poor test taker, there is something to be said for the near-perfect SAT score.

One may argue that a low score simply reflects an off-day or poor standardized test-taking abilities, but it is indisputable that only the brightest of the bright are able to score near perfect.

Ultimately, Wake Forest's new application process is a step in the right direction in theory, but it may be risky in practice by diminishing the school's academic standing. By removing one of the primary criteria for consideration, two applicants with identical high school GPAs and class schedules can only be differentiated by more arbitrary means. Standardized tests should more aptly be called "stigmatized tests" these days, but one should not forget the need for at least some standardization that required them in the first place.

Only time will tell how this change will serve Wake Forest and if it could become a more widespread trend for other higher-caliber academic institutions. For now, it is prime time for high school juniors and seniors who "just aren't good test-takers" to test their mettle.

Stuart Whatley of Atlanta is a 2007 Wake Forest graduate.