MCAS not critical to some colleges

State test failure
won't necessarily
bar students
from private schools

By DINA GERDEMAN
The Patriot Ledger

or the 10,500 high school seniors statewide who have not passed the MCAS exam, getting into college is not out of the question, but it is bound to be more difficult.

Some local private colleges say they will still consider admitting students who fail the MCAS, but officials are likely to scrutinize them more closely than students who meet their graduation requirements.

“Failing the MCAS will not automatically rule someone out, but it is one more thing to consider,’’ said Rick Stephens, vice president for academic affairs at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy.

Since this is the first year the MCAS graduation requirement kicks in, college officials are still grappling with how to handle applicants who don’t have high school diplomas because they have failed the MCAS.

Lesley University will not cross students off its acceptance list if they don’t pass the exam, but the students may have some explaining to do.

“Students who are denied diplomas for this reason will have to make a special effort in the college application process to explain the situation and emphasize the qualifications they do bring,’’ spokesman Paul Karoff said.

Even if students without diplomas are admitted to college, they may have a hard time finding money to pay their way. Students are required to have high school diplomas or equivalency degrees to receive federally guaranteed loans or grants at most colleges.

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Some high schools are considering awarding seniors with certificates of achievement if they do not pass the MCAS, but meet all other graduation requirements. State Education Commissioner David Driscoll has sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, asking that he consider students with local certificates of achievement eligible for Pell Grants, which unlike loans, don’t have to be repaid. Driscoll has not received an answer yet.

The state has not attempted to secure other kinds of federal financial aid for students who do not pass. Students attending community colleges can often qualify for federal aid by passing an Ability to Benefit test, but students without diplomas who want to attend four-year schools are likely to have a problem getting federal money, education officials said.

“Community colleges use the Ability to Benefit test, but I don’t know anyone else who does,’’ said Maureen Budetti, director of student aid policy at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Private schools have the option of accepting students without certified diplomas, but state colleges do not. Officials at the University of Massachusetts and Bridgewater State College say they will not admit students unless they have passed the MCAS.

“We’re governed by the (Board of Higher Education), so we will be accepting students who have passed the MCAS,’’ said Marian Spencer, acting director of admissions at Bridgewater State College. “We need to know these students have graduated.”

Some private schools say they will not bend their requirement for students to obtain high school diplomas, even if a student who fails the MCAS has an otherwise sparkling academic record.

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“Acceptance is contingent on the student fulfilling his or her high school graduation requirements,’’ Boston University spokesman Colin Riley said. “The majority of our students are certainly of a caliber that they will not have an issue passing the MCAS.”

“The majority of our students are certainly of a caliber that they will not have an issue passing the MCAS.” Colin Riley, Boston University

Colleges typically accept high school students in the spring of their senior year before getting the student’s final grades. Most colleges admit students under the condition that they complete their high school requirements and earn diplomas.

MCAS scores are not being included on high school transcripts, but the state Board of Education has not made a final decision about whether to include the scores on transcripts in the future.

College officials say that even if scores are included on transcripts down the road, they doubt that a high MCAS score will boost a student’s shot at getting accepted, or that a low score will hinder a student’s chances.

“Some kids test really well and others don’t,’’ Karoff said. “It’s interesting that this issue arises at a time when higher education institutions across the country are placing decreasing emphasis on SAT scores. Many are moving in the direction of not looking at them at all. The MCAS has nowhere near the kind of research base behind it that the SAT does.”

A student who cannot pass the MCAS and can’t get into a four-year college without it has three options:

In addition to having a tougher time getting into college, students without high school diplomas are bound to find other doors closing for them. Although students without diplomas are not likely to be blocked from joining the Army or Navy, it is unclear whether other military branches will take students who do not graduate.

Local school officials worry that students who lack a diploma will have a tough time even if they intend to head straight into the working world. Many jobs, even menial ones, often require high school diplomas.

“There are a whole host of employment opportunities that need that ticket of a diploma,’’ said Bob Sherman, director of pupil personnel services in Plymouth. “Even if you’re managing a small store or sub shop, and you’re not tapping into higher-level thinking skills, they want someone who has graduated from high school. The diploma is a passport.”

Dina Gerdeman may be reached at dgerdeman@ledger.com.

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