Graphic by Bell Jackson By Harrison Neville
The University of Montevallo announced on April 20 that it will be waiving all ACT and SAT testing requirements for incoming freshmen through fall 2024. This is the extension of a policy originally made in September 2020 to assist students who had difficulty participating in ACT and SAT testing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, students would need anywhere between a 21 or 30 on the ACT or a 1060 to 1360 on the SAT in order to qualify for the various freshmen scholarships.
According to a press release from UM, “The University extended the policy for an additional two years after seeing its benefit to the diversity of enrollment and the alleviation of test anxiety among current and prospective students.”
Director of Admissions, Audrey Crawford, explained that part of the reasoning behind this policy was that it would allow the admissions committee a chance to examine the data in two years and decide if they should waive test scores indefinitely.
Crawford said that, “The continuation of Montevallo’s test optional policy gives the university a chance to attract a diverse group of students who may not perform well on the ACT or SAT due to a variety of factors.”
Crawford also pointed out that UM is not the only institute of higher education choosing to continue to waive ACT and SAT testing for admissions, citing data from the National Center for Fair and Open Testing showing over 1,400 institutions were implementing similar policies.
Harrison Neville is the previous Editor in chief for The Alabamian. He is a fourth-year English major whose hobbies include reading, hiking, cooking and writing. He has previously worked for The Alabamian as a managing editor, distribution manager, copy editor and SGA columnist.
