Davidson College makes standardized testing change permanent for applicants
Davidson College is making permanent its test-optional policy that allows students to apply without SAT or ACT scores.
The move announced this week turns a pilot program into policy and adds Davidson College to other Charlotte-area institutions that do not require standardized tests for admission.
Chris Gruber, vice president for admission and financial aid and dean of admissions, said standardized tests create barriers for some students. Test scores also show only a fraction of academic potential, Gruber said.
“What we didn’t know was the impact of test-optional on the overall class,” Gruber said. “Two years later, we have the answer: This shift allows students to present themselves fully and the caliber of our incoming classes has not only remained stable, it has increased — in grades, life experiences and even test scores.”
Davidson College joins Queens University of Charlotte, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Catawba College and Belmont Abbey College as local institutions that are permanently test-optional.
While Belmont Abbey College is test score optional, students who submit a test score will have a greater advantage for scholarship opportunities, according to the school.
Adrienne Oddi, a spokesperson for Queens University, told The Charlotte Observer the college moved to its test-optional status in August 2019.
‘No single factor rules the day’
Davidson first made test scores optional on March 30, 2020, when the pandemic forced testing centers to close and most students could not take the ACT or SAT.
Gruber said in a news release the following two years showed the college can evaluate applicants effectively without standardized testing.
“Standardized testing still provides some useful information, but other aspects of an applicant’s academic journey better demonstrate how they will perform and thrive here,” Gruber said. “We make a holistic review of our applicants so we can appreciate their different backgrounds and no single factor rules the day.”
Jay Pfeifer, Davidson’s director of media relations, said campus officials want to know what kind of person a student is, not just what kind of student they are.
“We also know that those tests can be an obstacle for students without access to test preparation or Advanced Placement classes in high school,” Pfeifer said. “The Admission team found that other parts of the application better demonstrate how a prospective student will thrive on campus.”
Will other universities follow?
The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors voted last week to waive the standardized test requirement at the universities through fall 2024 due to learning disruptions during the pandemic. The system includes colleges such as UNC Charlotte, Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University and Winston-Salem State University.
Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte also is waving the ACT/SAT requirement for first-year undergraduate applicants who meet other admission requirements, according to its website.
Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer says on its website, “Pfeiffer considers the student’s entire application for admissions decisions and does not disqualify for admittance based on standardized test scores.”
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
