A person's hand holding a pencil eraser next to a filled bubble sheet answer sheet, with some newly erased and corrected bubbles—perfect for students navigating test-optional colleges.

50-50 Highlights: Test Optional Colleges

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Erasing a mistake on a test representing test optional collegesStudents everywhere who struggle with standardized tests appreciate the increasing number of test optional colleges. However, it’s important to understand that there isn’t any one definition of “test optional.” Furthermore, just because a college states that it’s test optional for admissions doesn’t mean that tests aren’t required for scholarships or course placement. So be sure to check out the colleges for their specific requirements.

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Different Types of Test Optional

Of the 441 50-50 schools, at least 102 are some version of test optional. This is an increase from 91 last year. According to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 26 report that the SAT/ACT is “neither required nor recommended, 34 are “considered by not required” and 42 as listed as “recommended.” Some of the “recommended” schools still require tests as part of their scholarship process while other don’t.

What Kind of Schools are Test Optional?

Last year there were 9 test optional schools in the Doctoral/Research Universities category. This year there are 11 including University of Arizona, Temple University, and Montclair State University. The largest category of test optional schools was Liberal Arts Colleges with 43 followed by Masters level with 39. The majority of the colleges are private. Only 17 public 50-50 colleges are test optional according to IPEDS.

New York has the most with 14 schools, followed by Pennsylvania with 12 and Massachusetts with 11 each. A total of 22 states do not have any test optional 50-50 colleges.

Remember, test optional isn’t an option for those looking for athletic scholarships.

The following table lists all 50-50 schools that do not list testing as “required.” This includes some fairly specialized institutions including health, art/design, and maritime schools. As usual, the four-year graduation rate is used for private colleges, the five-year rate for public institutions.

50-50 Test Optional Colleges

 

Name Type State Full-time Under-grads SAT/ACT Required 4/5 yr Grad Rate % Freshman Receiving Pell Grants Avg Net Price After Gift Aid (2015-2016)
Northern Arizona University Public AZ 20,357 Recommended 50 36 $14,678

University of Arizona		 Public AZ 29,597 Recommended 56 26 $16,466
The California Maritime Academy Public CA 1,038 Recommended 56 23 $14,606

California State University-Channel
Islands		 Public CA 5,070 Recommended 53 53 $14,461

Mills College		 Private CA 815 Considered but not req 61 39 $27,647
Otis College of Art and Design Private CA 1,081 Recommended 50 30 $39,413

Whittier University		 Private CA 1,618 Considered but not req 58 32 $25,638
Eastern Connecticut State University Public CT 4,267 Recommended 53 35 $17,014

Fairfield University		 Private CT 3,704 Neither req/rec 78 13 $38,527

Sacred Heart University		 Private CT 4,435 Neither req/rec 54 15 $39,134
University of Saint Joseph Private CT 767 Considered but not req 60 34 $29,251

Catholic University of America		 Private DC 3,331 Neither req/rec 62 14 $36,009
Ringling College of Art and Design Private FL 1,181 Neither req/rec 61 32 $44,386

Rollins College		 Private FL 2,480 Recommended 64 22 $35,726

Stetson University		 Private FL 3,037 Recommended 56 36 $25,265
Agnes Scott College Private GA 876 Recommended 66 39 $21,315

Augustana College, IL		 Private IL 2,460 Recommended 71 25 $23,542
DePaul University Private IL 13,664 Recommended 59 30 $32,084

Illinois College		 Private IL 948 Recommended 60 48 $18,318

Knox College		 Private IL 1,368 Recommended 69 36 $23,301

Lake Forest College		 Private IL 1,553 Recommended 64 45 $24,478

Earlham College		 Private IN 980 Recommended 65 29 $22,567

Cornell College		 Private IA 1,033 Considered but not req 65 26 $27,915

Kansas State University		 Public KS 17,935 Recommended 57 21 $16,431

Transylvania University		 Private KY 1,047 Recommended 68 23 $23,685
Unity College Private ME 638 Recommended 56 36 $25,171

University of Maine at Farmington		 Public ME 1,688 Neither req/rec 54 47 $14,336

Hood College		 Private MD 1,180 Recommended 50 32 $23,888

Loyola University Maryland		 Private MD 4,021 Neither req/rec 80 16 $34,152

Salisbury University		 Public MD 7,148 Recommended 66 21 $17,678

Assumption College		 Private MA 2,007 Neither req/rec 72 20 $29,387

Bay Path College		 Private MA 1,471 Considered but not req 55 58 $22,012

Clark University		 Private MA 2,319 Neither req/rec 71 23 $26,350

Emmanuel College		 Private MA 1,775 Considered but not req 60 28 $31,891

Endicott College		 Private MA 2,692 Recommended 76 15 $34,509

Hampshire College		 Private MA 1,410 Neither req/rec 51 29 $34,154

Merrimack College		 Private MA 3,027 Neither req/rec 68 19 $33,003

Mount Holyoke College		 Private MA 2,095 Neither req/rec 78 16 $27,234

Stonehill College		 Private MA 2,376 Neither req/rec 76 19 $31,010
Wentworth Institute of Technology Private MA 2,578 Considered but not req 54 28 $29,109

Wheaton College-MA		 Private MA 1,567 Recommended 76 24 $32,821

Kalamazoo College		 Private MI 1,434 Neither req/rec 73 19 $27,958

Concordia College at Moorhead		 Private MN 2,125 Recommended 66 23 $23,529
Dunwoody College of Technology Private MN 898 Recommended 67 42 $23,816

Gustavus Adolphus College		 Private MN 2,342 Recommended 78 27 $24,293

Keene State College		 Public NH 4,097 Considered but not req 62 26 $18,647

Plymouth State University		 Public NH 3,820 Neither req/rec 53 32 $20,844

Saint Anselm College		 Private NH 1,878 Considered but not req 69 13 $32,148

Drew University		 Private NJ 1,412 Recommended 57 36 $25,167

Montclair State University		 Public NJ 14,433 Considered but not req 61 46 $15,131
Bard College Private NY 1,965 Neither req/rec 69 21 $29,356

Elmira College		 Private NY 1,123 Neither req/rec 56 35 $26,024

Hobart and William Smith Colleges		 Private NY 2,270 Considered but not req 72 17 $38,805
Hofstra University Private NY 6,417 Considered but not req 53 21 $32,169

Houghton College		 Private NY 994 Considered but not req 61 43 $21,518

Ithaca College		 Private NY 6,206 Neither req/rec 66 21 $35,049
Keuka College Private NY 1,335 Considered but not req 52 56 $24,126

Le Moyne College		 Private NY 2,495 Considered but not req 58 32 $23,361

Nazareth College		 Private NY 1,974 Neither req/rec 58 30 $28,379

Sarah Lawrence College		 Private NY 1,327 Considered but not req 74 23 $32,897

Siena College		 Private NY 3,006 Recommended 70 25 $26,816
SUNY College at Cortland Public NY 6,179 Considered but not req 73 30 $17,422
The New School Private NY 6,045 Considered but not req 53 26 $45,504

Wagner College		 Private NY 1,715 Recommended 64 27 $27,217

Baldwin Wallace University		 Private OH 3,043 Neither req/rec 54 37 $22,326
Columbus College of Art and Design Private OH 1,064 Recommended 52 49 $23,486

Hiram College		 Private OH 912 Considered but not req 54 47 $26,257

Ohio Wesleyan University		 Private OH 1,655 Recommended 62 32 $27,967

Wittenberg University		 Private OH 1,760 Neither req/rec 62 30 $25,325

Lewis & Clark College		 Private OR 2,177 Considered but not req 74 16 $35,849

Willamette University		 Private OR 1,961 Recommended 70 25 $32,628

Allegheny College		 Private PA 1,890 Recommended 70 31 $26,517
Cabrini College Private PA 1,310 Considered but not req 51 52 $24,958

East Stroudsburg University of
Pennsylvania		 Public PA 5,648 Considered but not req 55 40 $16,377

Juniata College		 Private PA 1,512 Recommended 72 22 $28,142

King College		 Private PA 1,801 Recommended 59 31 $25,914

Lebanon Valley College		 Private PA 1,608 Considered but not req 72 27 $26,335

Mercyhurst University		 Private PA 2,402 Neither req/rec 60 27 $21,648
Saint Joseph’s University Private PA 4,623 Considered but not req 72 12 $36,058

Susquehanna University		 Private PA 2,118 Recommended 69 26 $26,561

Temple University		 Public PA 25,318 Neither req/rec 66 28 $21,237
The University of the Arts Private PA 1,664 Considered but not req 55 29 $33,394

Ursinus College		 Private PA 1,632 Recommended 73 22 $31,537

Bryant University		 Private RI 3,379 Neither req/rec 73 15 $36,490

Providence College		 Private RI 3,746 Considered but not req 81 14 $35,238
Roger Williams University Private RI 3,956 Neither req/rec 55 15 $35,275

Salve Regina University		 Private RI 1,994 Recommended 64 25 $30,905

Furman University		 Private SC 2,624 Recommended 78 13 $31,050

Presbyterian College		 Private SC 990 Considered but not req 57 34 $19,777
Southern Wesleyan University Private SC 1,249 Recommended 50 51 $14,914
University of South Dakota Public SD 4,961 Considered but not req 52 28 $16,502

Bennington College		 Private VT 680 Neither req/rec 65 18 $37,087

Saint Michael’s College		 Private VT 1,971 Recommended 73 14 $31,264

Christopher Newport University		 Public VA 4,961 Considered but not req 74 15 $22,637

Radford University		 Public VA 8,522 Recommended 56 33 $14,084

University of Puget Sound		 Private WA 2,459 Neither req/rec 70 13 $40,416
Whitman College Private WA 1,430 Considered but not req 83 13 $34,272

Whitworth University		 Private WA 2,303 Considered but not req 63 31 $27,826

Beloit College		 Private WI 1,296 Considered but not req 64 26 $25,790

Carthage College		 Private WI 2,636 Considered but not req 55 27 $27,564

Lawrence University		 Private WI 1,515 Considered but not req 64 16 $29,230
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Private WI 609 Recommended 58 48 $24,954

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50-50 Highlights: Test Optional Colleges
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