The University of Connecticut on Wednesday dropped the requirement that students submit their SAT or ACT scores to be considered for admission.
This three-year trial means the state’s flagship public university will be joining a record number of colleges who have already eliminated the requirement. While many made the move before the pandemic, the cancellation of standardized tests in March and April made the decision even easier for dozens of additional schools.
The list of of colleges where no standardized test is required include both those in-state – Eastern Connecticut State University, Connecticut College, and Fairfield University – and numerous Ivy League schools, including Harvard and Cornell.
“We feel that applicants will now have the confidence to present themselves in the best way possible, without the fear of misevaluation due to not performing as well as they hoped on the SAT or ACT,” said UConn Director of Undergraduate Admissions Vern Granger. “As we look to bring together the next great class of Huskies, this shift will allow us to review important personal qualities and characteristics, along with academic and personal accomplishments in even greater detail.”
When announcing the move, UConn said it studied the issue for years and found that high-scoring students tend to be successful, but that doesn’t mean those who struggle on the test won’t also do well.
“Many low-scoring applicants also had successful academic careers, though judging them only on their standardized test scores wouldn’t have predicted it,” UConn said.
Research has shown that these test scores are highly correlated to income, and there are huge disparities between black and Hispanic test-takers and their white peers.
“Ultimately, it is our hope this move will result in an even more diverse and inclusive applicant pool, which provide us a greater opportunity to build a community of students that reflect the breadth and depth of our institution,” Granger said.