The University of Texas Reinstates Standardized Test Requirement for Admission

Last Updated on March 13, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes

The University of Texas at Austin Reinstates Standardized Test Score Requirement

The University of Texas at Austin has announced that it will be reinstating the policy of requiring standardized test scores in its application process, starting with the Fall freshman class of 2025. The university had made submitting SAT and ACT scores optional in Spring of 2020 due to limited testing availability during the pandemic.

According to U.T., these scores are important indicators of academic success, with 90 percent of last year’s applicants opting to take standardized tests anyway. Freshman student Isaiah Clark, who has already been accepted to U.T., supports the change and believes his above-average SAT score was a good addition to his application.

However, some students have expressed concerns about the equity of standardized tests, particularly those from lower income areas who may not have access to sufficient test preparation. U.T. Austin’s President Jay Hartzell believes that requiring test scores will provide better information about all applicants and help better place them in programs and provide support.

Vice Provost for Admissions Miguel Wasielewski promises that the holistic review of applications will still consider contextual factors and that the university has found that those who submit test scores perform better on average. Other admission changes include an early action deadline, flexibility in the essay topic, and narrowing the scope of recommendation letters, all effective for applications submitted starting in August.

The reinstatement of the standardized test score requirement has sparked a mix of reactions among students, but the university is confident that it will lead to a fairer and more informed admissions process for future applicants to U.T. Austin.