Texas A&M University will not require ACT or SAT scores from undergraduate applicants in fall 2021, the university announced Wednesday.
Concerns about COVID-19, the disease linked to the coronavirus, have caused ACT and the College Board, which runs the SAT, to cancel testing dates and reduce capacity at testing centers, making it more difficult for high school students to take the standardized tests.
In early June, the College Board also announced it was no longer planning to offer virtual SAT testing his year, citing concerns over unequal access to the necessary technology. Taking the test online would have required three hours of uninterrupted internet access, which the company acknowledged is not possible for all students.
Chris Reed, the executive director of admissions at Texas A&M, said his office had been monitoring the situation around testing for some time. Not requiring test scores for 2021 applicants is a step toward supporting students and in being fair and equitable in admissions decisions, he said.
“Given the continued restrictions on in-person testing opportunities and in light of recent announcements regarding halted plans for virtual testing, we recognize that action needs to be taken,” Reed said in a written statement. “Students may continue to submit standardized scores from their SAT and/or ACT tests for consideration for admission. Submission of tests scores will not create any unfair advantage or disadvantage for those students who provide them.”
Many other schools in Texas and around the country have made similar announcements recently, including the University of Texas on Tuesday. By the end of May, more than two dozen schools had opted to forgo the standardized tests.
Texas A&M said they are evaluating the application review processes in light of this new testing policy, and the university will provide more details soon.
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