CLEVELAND — Several colleges across the state and country are dropping ACT and SAT testing requirements for admissions.

What You Need To Know

  • Several colleges across the state and country are dropping ACT and SAT testing requirements for admissions

  • Kent State implemented this policy during the height of the pandemic

  • University officials said the test optional policy allows for a more holistic approach to the application review process

Kent State University is one of those schools, and they said it gives the university a chance to take a more in-depth look when reviewing student applications.

Collin Palmer, the associate vice president for enrollment management for admissions at KSU, said the university first implemented the test optional policy during the height of the pandemic.

“First and foremost, we are going to look at the grades that they received and the courses that they took and their overall GPA that is a result of those grades, but we are also interested in grade trends,” Palmer explained. “We are looking at the rigor of their schedule and the courses that they took.”

He said not only does the test optional policy make the application process easier and less stressful for students, it can also help them finically and academically.

“Through scholarship awarding processes at Kent State and otherwise, students may be eligible for scholarships that they may not have been eligible for should their test scores have been included and so that might make college more affordable to them,” he said. “It might open up opportunities for an honors college experience, which is an academically rigorous experience, that if you didn’t have a certain test score, might have kept you from that experience.”

Although not required, students can still submit their test scores with their applications if they believe it will benefit them.

“So, if a student believes that their test score will benefit them or is a strong representation of their academic ability, they can submit that as part of the admission process,” he said. “If they do not believe that their test score is representative of their academic ability or may not provide useful information for an admissions office, they can choose not to submit that.”

Jenna Jackwerth, a sophomore at Kent State, said she took into consideration which colleges had test optional policies when she was applying to schools.

“Some people are better test takers than others. I honestly think test taking is a skill rather than based on studying habits,” Jackwerth said. “So I think it definitely took the anxiety off of me being like, ok they are not accepting me based on how well I take tests, they are accepting me based on how well I did in school and who I am as a person.”

Palmer said the university plans to keep their current test-optional policy for the foreseeable future.