Elon University won't require ACT, SAT scores for fall applicants

Elon University announced Monday it won't require high school students applying to its undergraduate program to include scores from their SAT or ACT tests as part of their applications.

The three-year pilot test-optional program is a response to testing cancelations due to the pandemic and applies to applicants seeking to enter Elon in fall 2021. Students will continue to submit other materials, including academic records and essays, even if they don't submit test scores.

Students who want to submit their ACT or SAT scores are encouraged to do so. After three years, the university will evaluate student success and determine if the change will become permanent, officials said.

In a press release, the university said, in addition to the pandemic being a factor, it recognizes "that other factors such as high school GPA serve as better predictors of college success than standardized test scores."

According to Elon, the statewide stay-at-home order issued in March led to the cancellation of SAT and ACT tests scheduled from March through June, which are a popular time for high school juniors to take the test.

“This is an opportunity to ease the anxieties many prospective students and families are experiencing during this time of disruption while continuing to enhance Elon’s admissions process,” said Greg Zaiser, vice president for enrollment.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a different approach, requiring the ACT/SAT scores but modifying the minimum eligibility standards for admission.

According to UNC, "A student who earns at least a 2.5 weighted high school grade point average or a minimum test score on either the ACT (19) or the SAT (1010) is now eligible for review by any of the 16 UNC System universities. A student must still take either the ACT or the SAT to be considered for admission."