The University of Notre Dame announced its remaining test-optional through 2024. It is an addition to the long list of popular colleges and universities that have extended their test-optional status which means that they do not require standardised test scores for the ACT or SAT. The trend of doing away with the scores has seen an upward movement during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At present, the University of Notre Dame is test-optional for Fall 2023. The recent announcement will apply to the current high school juniors. Also, transfer applicants to Notre Dame will not be required to submit their test scores as part of their undergraduate application for admission for the next academic cycle.
According to the officials of Notre Dame, one-third of the students who got admitted in 2022 chose not to submit their test scores. A recent national survey of the class of 2022 graduating high school seniors shows nearly similar statistics.
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Senior Enrollment Survey conducted by Niche found that while 75% of respondents took the tests while in high school, only 46% submitted the test scores to all colleges in spite of the fact that whether the scores were needed or not. 22% of the students did not submit their scores to any college.
As per the survey, underrepresented minorities, low-income students and first-generation learners were less likely to take the standardised tests and submit their scores.
Notre Dames vice president for undergraduate enrollment, Micki Kidder said that the university is committed to a holistic evaluation process. Though the test scores provide helpful information about students, there are other factors such as the rigours of coursework in high schools, intellectual curiosity and engagement both in and out of the classroom that plays an important role.
Notre Dame will continue similar practices for another year to study its impact and give the students the ability to choose to submit test scores or not to make a strong and best application.
The test-optional policy is applicable to both restrictive early decisions and regular decisions and for being considered for scholarships.
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The university will continue to evaluate the students based on academic performance in high school, written essays, letters of recommendation and extra-curricular activities.
National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) has revealed that more than 1,800 institutions have either eliminated or done away with the standardised scores for 2023.
Source: Forbes
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