Article by Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz
Copyright (c) 2010 Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz
Students applying to four-year colleges and universities have a number of challenges to face. First is figuring out which colleges you want to apply to; second is completing the application forms themselves (including usually writing a number of essays); and third is gathering letters of recommendation from their counselor, teachers and others. Life is a little easier for students these days because over 400 colleges and universities now use The Common Application. Applicants simply fill out one application and send it off online to any number of schools (Note: for some schools, they also complete individual Common App Supplements that include extra questions and essays).
GOOD NEWS FOR STUDENTS WHO DON’T WANT TO TAKE TESTS
Added to the above challenges is the requirement of taking standardized tests, the SAT or ACT. But there is good news for students as an increasing number of colleges and universities now make standardized testing an option, not a requirement. That is, colleges leave it up to each applicant to determine whether or not they wish to take the SAT I or ACT and report their scores to test optional schools. As of April 2010, there are 830 four year colleges that do not use the SAT or ACT to evaluate their applicants.
PUBLIC COLLEGES THAT ARE TEST OPTIONAL
Among the public colleges that have a test optional policy are Arizona State University, Cal State University Chico, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Sacramento, and San Marcos, Eastern Washington University, Indiana State University (Terra Haute), Kansas State University (Manhattan), Minnesota State University (Mankato), Montana State University (Billings and Bozeman), the University of Arizona, University of Idaho, University of Nevada (Reno), University of Oregon, University of Texas (Austin), and University of Wyoming.
PRIVATE COLLEGES THAT ARE TEST OPTIONAL
There is also an impressive list of well-known private colleges and universities that are test optional, including Bates College, Bard College, Bennington College, Bowdoin College, Bryn Mawr College, Colby College, College of the Holy Cross, Connecticut College, Franklin and Marshall College, George Mason University, Gettysburg College, Goucher College, Hamilton College, Hampshire College, Knox College, Lake Forest College, Lawrence University, Lewis and Clark College, The New School (of New York), Pitzer College, Providence College, Rollins College, Sewanee (The University of the South), Smith College, Susquehanna University, Ursinus College, Wheaton College (Massachusetts, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
For a full listing of test optional colleges, you can go to the Fair Test website at
http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional
With a number of test optional schools, there are some stipulations. For example, some colleges use the SAT/ACT only for placement purposes in college classes or for academic advising; others require test scores from out of state applicants. Still others require test scores when a student’s GPA or class rank does not meet their requirements.
WHY COLLEGES ARE GOING TEST OPTIONAL
There are a number of reasons why colleges become test optional. According to the FairTest website, schools choose not to require test scores of applicants because:
1. Test optional policies promote excellence and equity.
2. Many colleges have decided that classroom performance (rather than test scores) is a much better predictor of academic success a their colleges.
3. Any number of schools report that having a test optional policy leads to greater diversity because “…otherwise qualified minority, low-income, first generation, female and other students…” are more likely to apply.
Even if you only apply to colleges that are test optional, you might consider taking the SAT or ACT, mostly because you have nothing to lose. In other words, if you apply just to test optional schools and don’t score well, you don’t have to report your test scores. If, however, you do score well, reporting your scores to test optional schools might increase your chances of being accepted.
The test optional movement is increasing with each year, resulting in more and more colleges moving away from requiring standardized tests as part of their admissions process. For the moment, though, most students still take the SAT I or ACT because testing remains one of the critical elements of what college admissions office look at in making their decisions about who will attend their colleges.
Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz is founder/director of adMISSIONPOSSIBLE.com and has been involved with college admissions since her days as Director of Re-entry Programs for the University of California, San Diego Extension. The student deserves to have the best, most up-to-date admissions information.