Universities waving SAT/ACT for Fall 2023
Standardized test requirements have been completely modified with an alteration in the admission landscape due to the pernicious impacts of the pandemic. Academic institutions have been forced to waive the test requirements due to the difficulties that high school students are facing related to the testing opportunities.
A majority of Ivy League universities, including the most celebrated Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Penn, are currently test blind; that is, they have decided to waive the SAT requirement for Fall 2023. However, Cornell went a step ahead and thrilled everyone by staying test-optional for the class of Fall 2024. Is that all? No! Harvard took the lead by announcing that it will remain test-optional through the class of 2026. On the contrary, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently announced that their application process will NOT be test-optional for the session 2023. Hence, we can expect more institutions to follow the same as spring goes on.
Nevertheless, we are to prop up the No SAT moment! Here is a list of universities waiving SAT requirements through the class of Fall 2023. Since the universities can modify their test requirements at any moment, we keep updating the list often. Therefore, we recommend our readers sign up for regular updates.
Here is the list of universities that have confirmed the test score relaxation for the class of Fall and Spring 2023!
1. Harvard University
This private Ivy League university in Cambridge that focuses on avant-garde research has gone a step further by waiving the SAT requirement until the Spring 2026 term.
However, SAT scores will be considered upon submission, so applicants who have taken the SAT are encouraged to submit their scores.
2. Indiana University Bloomington
America's one of the leading universities, Indiana University - Bloomington, states that the test-optional admits are provided to candidates who do not feel that their test scores reflect their actual competence and potential.
The university gives full admission consideration even if the candidates do not submit standardized test scores.
3. Cornell University
Cornell has dropped the SAT requirement for undergraduate students till Fall 2024, requesting them not to burden themselves if there are no local centers available or they do not feel safe going to the examination centers due to the pandemic.
4. Dartmouth College
The highly selective Dartmouth College has kept the SAT requirement optional.
Dartmouth's Undergraduate Admission portal cites that profiles without SAT/ACT test scores will be considered for a complete review by the Admissions Committee. However, the Admission Team will take into consideration the subject test scores if any candidate is planning to submit.
5. George Washington University
The fresher or transfer students can have a sigh of relief as the university has gone test-optional for most of the courses. However, the university website mentions that students from the following categories need to submit their test scores:
- Students applying to the accelerated Seven-Year B.A./M.D. Program.
- Students who are homeschooled.
- Those who have attended secondary schools that offer only narrative evaluations rather than any form of the grading scale.
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6. Michigan State University
SAT or ACT scores are no longer required as a part of the application process. However, they will accept the scores from students who wish to submit them to meet English proficiency requirements or scholarship consideration. Also, international applicants who will not be providing an SAT or ACT score will have to submit an alternative score for the English Proficiency test.
7. Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University has decided to remain test-optional as a response to the global pandemic, which has impacted test availability and access. Students who are applying to the university for onboarding the class in the fall of 2023 to 2024 will not be required to submit test scores for admission consideration.
8. Penn State University
Penn State is welcoming those students as well who are planning to skip SAT or ACT for admission to the class of Summer or Fall 2023. However, they have specified that if a student feels that the test scores can supplement their overall academic achievements, the SAT scores will be well-received by the university.
9. Syracuse University
SAT/ACT scores are no longer required for students applying for the class of Fall 2023 through Spring 2024. Applicants who can not submit test scores or opt for not submitting the scores will not face any disadvantages. In fact, these applicants will be eligible for merit scholarships as well.
10. University of Southern California
USC has always been holistic; hence, it will not penalize the students who are not submitting their SAT scores. Moreover, students will be asked whether they will be presenting the scores for Fall 2023 to assess their profiles.
In fact, the university has stated that over the next two years, they will review the impact of their test-optional policies and decide by Spring 2023 on their long-term position on standardized testing.
11. The University of Texas at Austin
The UTA website highlights that it is not mandatory for students who are applying for Fall 2023 to submit ACT or SAT scores for undergraduate admission.
The university had initially decided to waive the SAT requirement in Fall 2021 to better serve potential students by ensuring that the limited accessibility to test centers does not affect candidates' ability to apply. However, the university encourages students to submit their SAT/ACT scores, but it is not mandatory. The submitted scores will serve as one of the elements that are assessed to determine a student's potential to contribute to and benefit from the university's academic experience.
12. Yale University
Yale has extended the test-optional policy for high school students who are applying for the undergraduate program in the class of Fall 2023. The test scores submission remains optional as the students can apply with or without SAT or ACT scores.
The university website states that Yale assesses each applicant as an individual; hence the SAT/ACT scores are only one of many factors the institution may consider when reviewing applications.
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