At UMass Amherst, prospective first-year students will have the option not to submit scores from tests like the SAT for the next three years when they apply to the university.
The move was made over concerns for high school students being able to take the tests in a safe fashion, given the pandemic.
"When we saw that things didn't seem to be getting that much better, especially in other states where we also do business, and other countries where we also do business, we just decided to that it was time to say, 'Test optional is the way to go,'" said Jim Roche, UMass Amherst vice provost for enrollment management.
Those not submitting test scores will have more weight placed on their high school grade-point averages when their applications are reviewed. For all applicants, UMass also considers items such as previous course loads, academic achievements and letters of recommendation.
Roche said the move will also give UMass an opportunity to further research how certain metrics can predict a prospective student's academic performance.
"What we're going to do is use the next three years to see how much more we can learn about GPA and test scores and student success," he said.
Other schools in the Five College Consortium have varying policies for handling applicants' test scores. Amherst College is making test scores optional for the 2020-21 admission cycle, due to the pandemic. Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges are test-optional for most prospective students. And for several years, Hampshire College has had a policy not to use test scores at all when considering applications.
