Education
Texas University Reinstates Standardized Testing for Admissions
Last Updated on March 16, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes
In a recent announcement, UT Austin has decided to reinstate its standardized testing requirement for undergraduate admissions. President Jay Hartzell stated that standardized test scores, when combined with high school GPAs, help identify students who demonstrate academic achievement and potential.
The university had suspended ACT/SAT score requirements in Spring 2020 due to limited testing availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, UT believes that standardized test scores are a proven differentiator among the plethora of high school GPAs around 4.0. Data from the university shows that students who submitted standardized test scores tend to perform better academically and have higher graduation rates.
UT Austin is not the only institution to reinstate standardized test requirements in their admissions process. Brown University and Dartmouth College are among the latest schools to make this decision. Dartmouth College became the first Ivy League institution to reinstate the standardized testing requirement for the next application cycle. Additionally, other prestigious institutions like MIT and Georgetown University have also reinstated the requirement in their admissions process.
Many universities had dropped the requirement during the pandemic but have since decided to reinstate it. UT Austin, located in Austin, Texas, is home to over 50,000 students and remains focused on identifying and admitting students who demonstrate academic potential and achievement through a combination of standardized test scores and high school GPAs.