Test optional admissions has become a popular alternative in recent years, but it has been in practice for nearly 50 years. Rockhurst went to test optional prior to the 2019-2020 academic year.
What is Test Optional?
Test optional means the University does not require standardized test scores when students are filling out college applications. While some majors and special academic programs may require ACT/SAT scores, the majority do not.
There are some requirements, such as the student must be graduating from a U.S.-based, accredited high school. This gives universities a greater understanding of the high school curriculum studied by students, and subsequently their GPA.
In addition, if a student sends in their ACT/SAT test score, Rockhurst will only use the score in admission and scholarship decisions if the score helps the student, i.e. if the inclusion of a test score increases the student’s overall admission criteria and/or scholarship level. If the ACT or SAT score does not benefit the student, it is not included/considered in admission and scholarship decisions. An ACT or SAT test score will never reduce the general admissibility or scholarship eligibility of a student who meets criteria based on their high school performance from their official transcript.
The Decision to Be Test Optional
Rockhurst, like many other universities, implemented test optional admissions to give an alternative to the sole emphasis on good ACT or SAT scores. Having a broader range of factors to consider means the University can make more informed decisions when it comes to determining student readiness, predicting college success, and identifying students with unique academic talents that are not evident through test scores.
Those test scores are often aided by the student’s ability to access or afford preparation services, which ultimately puts many students at a disadvantage to get into college. Furthermore, standardized tests may not account for enough of the student’s performance outside of that single test experience and the tests themselves have been accused of reinforcing inherent biases.
Providing this admissions alternative gives potential students another option to consider when comparing colleges, opens the University doors to more students, more diverse students, more information about students (such as more robust transcripts), and highlights an individual’s high school performance as a more accurate indicator of college success.
