Western Kentucky University has announced that it will no longer require standardized test scores, like the ACT and SAT, from most applicants for admission.
That change goes into effect beginning with the spring 2021 semester.
The university said it began considering such a change last year, and in the meantime has consulted “internal constituencies” that endorsed the move.
WKU Vice President for Enrollment and Student Experience Ethan Logan said in a statement Friday the school looked at multiple national studies indicating that a student’s high school grade point average is a better predictor of collegiate success than standardized testing scores.
Logan also said standardized tests contain what he called “inherent bias” against underrepresented, first-generation, and low-income students.
“While we have taken significant action to limit the influence of the ACT and SAT in our internal admission and scholarship processes over the past few years, this change represents another important step toward ensuring that WKU is accessible to students who have demonstrated hard work over four years of high school, regardless of their performance on a single test,” Logan said.
WKU is also citing concerns that a number of high school seniors have missed opportunities to take the ACT and SAT due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students with an unweighted GPA of 2.0 to 2.49 will still need to submit standardized test results to be considered for admission.
WKU last yeareliminated the need to submit ACT scores for most of its scholarships.
