PULLMAN, Wash. – The ��voted today to stop requiring and using the SAT and ACT tests in the admissions process.

��approved by regents also recommended that WSU no longer use SAT or ACT scores in the selection process for scholarships as well as tuition waivers.

“This is the trend,” Provost and Executive Vice President Elizabeth Chilton said. “I think COVID just sort of pushed a number of colleges and universities a little further along because we saw that we were able to make informed decisions without those scores.”

Chilton noted that years of scholarship has demonstrated significant issues of bias with standardized testing. Instead of using these scores, admissions officers will rely on metrics, including grade point average, that better reflect a potential student’s ability to succeed.��

In response to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the����allowed public universities to waive or make optional SAT and ACT for students applying during the 2020 and 2021 admission cycles. The Board of Regents decision makes the waiver permanent for the WSU system.

As part of her presentation to the Board of Regents, Chilton shared data from the university showing that GPA is a better predictor of success at WSU than standardized test scores. Both 6-year graduation and first year retention rates are higher for students with a high school GPA above 3.5 than for a student that scores above 1200 on the SAT.

The move to eliminate consideration of the SAT and ACT is part of a national movement away from standardized tests due to concerns about implicit cultural bias and persistent inequalities among racial and ethnic groups. With the Board of Regents approval, WSU joins several of its peers in moving away from standardized tests as a means of evaluating potential students.

No longer requiring prospective students to submit SAT and ACT scores eliminates the ambiguity that can persist when universities make tests optional. It also alleviates the financial and structural barrier to taking the testing in an effort to make WSU a more supportive and inclusive environment.

The move is overwhelmingly supported by WSU chancellors, deans, vice presidents, as well as leaders in Enrollment Management, Academic Engagement and Student Achievement and other campus partners.

“I just want to applaud the efforts here,” Regent Lisa Schauer said. “I do think that this is leadership and I think it’s the right way to go. It lives our values and centers equity and I think that’s what we want to continue to do.”

The regents meeting in its entirety can be viewed on��.

Media contact:

Phil Weiler, vice president of marketing and communication, 509-595-1708,��phil.weiler@wsu.edu

Still taking applications through the summer, extending confirmation deadline

 

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – ��In an effort to ease the minds of incoming college students, Washington State University Tri-Cities will not require SAT or ACT scores for fall admission and will continue to take applications and confirmations throughout the summer.

“We realize this is an incredibly difficult time for many high school and transfer students,” ���سԹ� Chancellor Sandra Haynes said. “Applying for college is already stressful and prospective students worry about submitting their materials on time. Now, they have the added worry caused by the unknowns of the global pandemic. We are here for our incoming students and want to help them succeed and still realize their college dreams.”

���سԹ� normally requires first-year students to submit SAT and ACT scores, which are used in combination with grade-point average to make an admissions decision. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many SAT and ACT exams have been canceled.

Jana Kay Lunstad, ���سԹ� director of enrollment, said the temporary removal of the SAT and ACT requirement will allow students to get their applications processed based on GPA and other factors normally submitted with their application.

“We know this is an uncertain time for many, and we want to do all we can to support our high school and transfer students by removing barriers so they can realize their goal of a college education,” Lunstad said. “We are here to support all prospective students and will walk them through the admissions application, answer questions on financial aid, and talk about pathways for success because we truly care about the wellbeing of both our current and incoming students.”

Lunstad said ���سԹ� and local students are also fortunate to live in a state that offers the College Bound Scholarship and the Washington College Grant, which help cover full and partial costs of tuition and living expenses for students attending college.

“We accept both of those programs and want to communicate to incoming students that although their lives have been disrupted, they have an affordable option that is close to home,” Lunstad said. “���سԹ� faculty are committed to their students and the campus provides a strong support network for students and families during these unprecedented times.”

The ���سԹ� Running Start program is also still processing applications as usual. The program allows high school juniors and seniors to complete college courses at ���سԹ� at no cost for tuition. For program requirements and more information, visit tricities.wsu.edu/running-start.

All university programs are continuing to operate virtually and most student resources remain available online.

To connect virtually with an admissions counselor, to apply and for more information about the admissions process, visit , or contact the admissions office at tricities.admissions@wsu.edu.

“���سԹ� is here to support our local students and make the college admissions process easier,” Haynes said. “We are here for our community, we are here for our students. We want to make their college experience and their lives better.”

 

Media contacts:

Jana Kay Lunstad, ���سԹ� director of enrollment, 509-372-7450, janakay.lunstad@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu