Starting next fall, students seeking to apply to Marquette University will not be required to take a standardized test to get in.
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Brian Troyer says they want to take a more holistic approach to admissions that looks at a student’s four years in high school, what they’ve done, and other factors.
“Because we also know for many students, test anxiety or being anxious about their performance on one four hour test on a Saturday is often not really reflective of what a student can bring to our community.”
Acting Provost Kimo Ah Yun says that strong coursework through high school has been the predominant factor for admissions for years, and that this change will cement that. “Requiring standardized tests was never intended to dissuade individuals from applying who felt they had the capacity to succeed here. We acknowledge, however, that requiring the SAT or ACT may have led to this unintended consequence and aim to address that now.”
Troyer says students have a lot of options once they leave high school and that a test score shouldn’t shackle them to one choice. “But for those who are considering Marquette University or a four year degree, we want to represent in our admissions process the very best about who we are as an institution.”
The change will be going into effect for the 2020 school year.
