Harvard is the latest Ivy to ditch standardized testing for entrance into their hallowed halls this year following the footsteps of other big-name colleges like Yale and Columbia, according to CNN.

You can thank COVID-19 for this earth-shattering development, as it impacted the college admissions process by canceling most SATs this spring and through June. As a result, most Ivies are waiving their standardized testing admissions requirement for the first time ever.

Ivy League colleges set an example for other colleges in America, and right now Princeton is the only one still asking for standardized test scores. In fact, according to The New York Times, all schools in the University of California system are planning on being entirely test-free in the next four years. Even super-selective schools like Amherst and Tufts are foregoing standardized testing this year.

This is a major win for fairer college admissions as multiple studies have shown a link between standardized test scores and class privilege.

As more and more colleges become test optional, students will have more time to develop their passions rather than learning the best way to appease a scantron machine.

For 2020 applicants, your essays, extracurriculars, and recommendation letters are going to matter more than ever before. With all the added time you’re going to have to perfect your application now that you won’t be doing mindless SAT prep, admissions counselors are gonna find it hard to forgive typos or shallow reflections.

Take time this summer to explore yourself and your passions. Start up that project you were thinking about and see where it goes. Try to get a head start on your admissions essay this summer, journal every day, and see which stories you want to tell.

Dedicate some time every day to the things you love, whether its running or painting with acrylics. If you work on knowing yourself, explaining who you are to your dream school is going to be much easier.