Michigan High School Students No Longer Required to Write Essays for Standardized Tests
In a significant change for Michigan high school students, new legislation has eliminated the need for an essay component in the Michigan Merit Examination. This test, typically administered to juniors, also includes the SAT and a work readiness assessment.
State Representative Tom Kunse, a Republican from Clare, played a pivotal role in co-sponsoring the legislation. Kunse highlighted that the essay scores were deemed redundant, as Michigan’s public universities do not consider standardized writing test scores for admissions. “The information doesn’t get back. It doesn’t get back to the students, it doesn’t get back to the teachers, and so I struggle to see any redeeming qualities,” Kunse remarked.
Enacted in mid-May, the laws also remove the obligation for schools to record these test scores in each subject area on students’ high school transcripts. Kunse argued that this previous requirement placed Michigan students at a disadvantage when compared to peers from other states, who might opt not to disclose such scores during college applications.
Kunse further explained the impact of the essay scores on college admissions by stating, “Everybody knows that it doesn’t matter. So they’re not putting their best effort forward. They’re throwing something down, they just want to be done.” He added that these scores could unduly influence an admissions office’s decision, noting, “You can’t unsee it. You can’t say, ‘Well, I know that they did poor on the essay but I’m going to ignore it because they didn’t have to do it.”
Support for this legislative change came from several educational organizations, including the Michigan Association of School Boards, the Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling, and the Michigan College Access Network. The measures received unanimous backing in the state House and were approved by the state Senate with a 24-9 vote, with seven Republican senators joining Democrats in favor of the legislation.
