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Creighton and Ferris State Universities -- the former private and the latter public -- are the latest colleges to announce that they will no longer require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. At Ferris State, the program is billed as a pilot.
Creighton's announcement said that its test-optional policy would apply to all applicants except those who are homeschooled, from outside the United States or planning to study nursing.
University officials said that they believed Creighton, as has been the case with other colleges that have gone test optional, would attract a more diverse applicant pool. “We believe our application review process should reflect our values as a Catholic, Jesuit institution,” said a statement from Mary Chase, vice provost for enrollment management and strategic planning. “We maintain and value a holistic review of all submitted application materials. We also believe the full evaluation of a high school record to be of critical importance to demonstrate a student’s preparedness and academic abilities over time. By eliminating required test scores, students applying for admission to Creighton will have the freedom to decide which information best represents their skills and college readiness.”
The Ferris State announcement says, "While the ACT and SAT continue to be valuable tools for assessing some students’ college readiness, performance patterns indicate that test content and/or processes do not serve students of all backgrounds equally well -- meaning that requiring them for admission consideration potentially creates another barrier to higher education for students who are already facing challenges."
