Elon University announced a three-year pilot program for test-optional admissions. Starting this fall for applicants seeking admissions for the class of 2025, prospective students have the option to omit SAT or ACT test scores.
According to a press release, this decision is in response to the coronavirus pandemic as SAT and ACT tests scheduled from March through June were canceled. The release also cites other factors like GPA as “better predictors of college success than standardized test scores.”
In the release, Greg Zaiser, vice president for enrollment, said this change “eases the anxieties” of applicants as they navigate the college application process during the pandemic.
“By becoming test-optional, the university is eliminating a barrier that many qualified students now face because of not being able to take the SAT,” Zaiser said. “Making this change will accommodate students during a period of considerable uncertainty. Further, it refines the dynamic process the university uses to select students who are best positioned for success.”
At the end of the pilot program, admissions will reevaluate test-optional applications, looking at the success of students while at Elon. The university’s Office of Institutional Research has gathered data in the past on student performance in high school courses and their academic success at Elon.