Texas Christian University has announced that it is suspending the requirement of standardized tests for students who are currently high school juniors. For students expected to enter college in Fall 2021, the suspension of SAT and ACT testing due to COVID-19 has created additional complications, and the university is making accommodations to address these challenges.
“We understand the uncertainties high school juniors are currently facing,” Heath Einstein, TCU’s dean of admission, said. “Campus visits are now virtual, the ACT and SAT testing dates are shifting and it has heightened the already high stress these students are facing. TCU wants to do what we can to reduce some of the anxiety, so that students may focus on their safety and successfully shift to a new educational modality.”
With the policy shift, prospective students may decide for themselves whether they wish to include standardized test scores with their application. Students should consider their academic record in addition to their co-curricular experiences when making their decision on whether to include test scores. Other factors considered in the admission process are curriculum rigor, essays, and contributions to school and community.
“TCU has never relied solely on one factor in admission decisions, and that will be reinforced while we are suspending the testing requirement,” Einstein said. “We have always believed that while standardized tests provide some useful information, there is more to a student’s record that indicates how they would contribute in and out of the classroom at TCU. The qualities that matter most to us – personal character and the ability to meaningfully engage with the community – can’t be found by looking at a test score.”
TCU will continue its policy to allow applicants to self-report test scores through the online admission portal. For any of these students who enroll, the university requires official results from the test agency.
For more information: