By Camille Furst
Editor-in-Chief
In response to the active coronavirus outbreak and its effects on standardized testing for high school students, the College announced on Tuesday, May 19, that it would implement a testing-optional admissions policy for first-year applicants.
Beginning with the 2020-2021 admissions cycle and for the next three years, high school students applying to the College will not be required to submit standardized testing scores, including scores from the ACT and SAT.
The College is only one of many who have implemented a testing-optional policy in the wake of the current pandemic. Over two dozen colleges and universities, including many liberal arts colleges and public universities in California, have made standardized tests optional for the 2020-2021 academic year, according to The New York Times.
According to Luke Sacks, the College’s head media relations officer, a testing-optional policy was considered for the past few years, but the virus pushed the College to implement it immediately.
“Given that coronavirus cancellations made timely testing impossible for hundreds of thousands of students around the country, providing flexibility with the SAT and ACT requirements seemed more than appropriate,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Lisa Angeloni, according to an email from Sacks.
At the end of the three-year period, the College will determine if the policy should end or be extended for future applicants.
