20 Top Colleges That Are Flexible With Test Scores
Test scores aren't everything.
Disruptions to the ACT and SAT, prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, have pushed many colleges to rethink testing requirements. Among the highest-ranked National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges with flexible or optional testing policies, some schools require students to demonstrate their academic abilities in other ways, such as by writing essays, assembling a work portfolio or submitting results from Advanced Placement exams. Others provide that flexibility to only certain types of students, such as those who are interested in specific college majors. The following 20 colleges and universities were identified based on self-reported data from an annual U.S. News survey, and are listed in descending rank order beginning with National Universities followed by National Liberal Arts Colleges. This list was compiled using data submitted in the spring and summer of 2020 and may not include higher-ranked colleges that changed testing policies during or after data collection. Be sure to consult each college's website for more information about admissions policies. For a complete list of test-flexible and test-optional schools, visit the National Center for Fair and Open Testing.