Though nearly three-quarters of four-year colleges have stopped requiring the ACT and SAT, an age-old belief system nourishes the notion that scores on those exams have great meaning. 

Anyone hoping to make sense of this transitional moment in admissions must acknowledge that the enduring will to test (and retest), and the drive to snag the highest-possible score, remains a powerful force among many college-bound students. 

The bipartisan infrastructure bill inching toward congressional approval is estimated to create 11 million jobs over 10 years—mostly meaningful, family-sustaining work in construction and skilled trades. 

The investment presents a unique opportunity to capitalize on a recent jump in women’s participation in construction jobs—and to systematically change an industry that has historically excluded women and people of color.