Let's face it -- some strong students just don't do well on standardized tests. More and more schools are recognizing this fact, and the list of test-optional colleges continues to grow. Other excellent colleges require standardized test scores, but their average scores are well below what we see for the Ivy League and elite liberal arts colleges.
Of the 20 colleges and universities in the list below, many are highly selective schools with test-optional admissions policies. Others are colleges that offer top-notch academics, but are likely to admit students with mid-range SAT scores.
Arcadia UniversityLocated just 25 minutes from Center City, Philadelphia, Arcadia University features small classes and one of the best study abroad programs in the country. Visitors can't miss the stunning historic landmark, Gray Towers Castle.
- Location: Glenside, Pennsylvania
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 500 / 610
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 490 / 590
- Test-Optional? No
Bowdoin is the most selective college on this list, so applicants will need an impressive academic and extra-curricular record. The school was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its excellent in the liberal arts and sciences, and the school recently changed its financial aid practices so that all new students will graduate debt free.
- Location: Brunswick, Maine
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 650 / 740
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 650 / 730
- Test-Optional? Yes
COA features a beautiful location on the Maine coast, a carbon-neutral campus with impressive environmental initiatives, a 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum with a Human Ecology focus.
- Location: Bar Harbor, Maine
- SAT Reading (average score): 647
- SAT Math (average score): 589
- Test-Optional? Yes
Holy Cross has an impressive retention and graduation rate, with well over 90% of entering students earning a degree within six years. The college was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, and the school's 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio means that students will have a lot of personal interaction with their professors.
- Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 580 / 670
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 600 / 680
- Test-Optional? Yes
- Location: Fairfax, Virginia
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 500 / 600
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 520 / 610
- Test-Optional? Yes
- Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 610 / 700
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 540 / 660
- Test-Optional? Yes
Founded in 1837, Mount Holyoke College is the oldest of the "seven sister" colleges, and it consistently ranks as one of the top women's colleges in the country. Mount Holyoke features a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and a beautiful campus where students can enjoy the college's botanic gardens, two lakes, waterfalls, and horseback-riding trails.
- Location: South Hadley, Massachusetts
- Test-Optional? Yes
Don't be fooled by Pitzer's small size -- students can easily take courses at any of the Claremont Colleges. The college places a strong emphasis on study abroad and community service, and students can expect lots of student/faculty interaction. Pitzer is particularly strong in the social sciences.
- Location: Claremont, California
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 580 / 680
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 560 / 650
- Test-Optional? Yes
Ripon has much to be proud of: Phi Beta Kappa membership; high retention and graduation rates; generous financial aid; excellent value; and a Collaborative Learning Center that provides valuable support for students who need a little extra help
- Location: Ripon, Wisconsin
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 440 / 610
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 480 / 650
- Test-Optional? No
Sewanee can boast of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, small classes, and an 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio. The university has a particularly strong English program that is home to The Sewanee Review and Sewanee Writers Conference.
- Location: Sewanee, Tennessee
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 570 / 680
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 580 / 670
Smith is one of the top women's collegesin the country, and it also features test-optional admissions. Smith is a member of the five college consortium along with Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst. Students at any of these five colleges can easily take classes at the other member institutions. Smith has a beautiful and historic campus that includes the 12,000 square foot Lyman Conservatory and the Botanic Garden.
- Location: Northampton, Massachusetts
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 590 / 710
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 560 / 670
- Test-Optional? Yes
If you are a Texas resident in the top 10% of your high school class, you will beassured admission without SAT or ACT scores. The university has many strengths in engineering and agriculture, but the liberal arts and sciences are also extremely popular among undergraduates. In athletics, the Texas A&M Aggies compete in the Division I SEC Conference.
- Location: College Station, Texas
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 520 / 630
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 560 / 670
- Test-Optional? See Above
Manoa's strengths are many, including highly ranked programs in astronomy, oceanography, cancer research, and Pacific Island and Asian studies. The university has a diverse student body representing all 50 states and 103 countries. UH at Manoa is the only college in Hawaii to have a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
- Location: Manoa, Hawaii
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 480 / 580
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 510 / 610
- Test-Optional? No
Iowa has strong programs in nursing, creative writing and art, to name just a few. Some of the University of Iowa's graduate programs are consistently ranked among the top in the country. The Iowa Hawkeyes compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference, and historically the football, basketball and wrestling teams have enjoyed great success.
- Location: Iowa City, Iowa
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 520 / 650
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 550 / 670
- Test-Optional? Yes
- ACT Composite (middle 50%): 19 / 24
- ACT English (middle 50%): 19 / 25
- ACT Math (middle 50%): 17 / 23
- Test Optional? No
UT Austin requires SAT or ACT scores all applicants, but students who are Texas residents in the top 7% of their high school class will be guaranteed admission (note that scores are used to place students in majors). The university is one of the top public universities in the country. It has numerous selling points including a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a top business school, and membership in the Division I Big 12 Athletic Conference.
- Location: Austin, Texas
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 530 / 660
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 560 / 690
- Test-Optional? See Above
- Location: Collegeville, Pennsylvania
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 550 / 660
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 560 / 660
- Test-Optional? Yes
Wake Forest is one of the most selective colleges to move to test-optional admissions. The university combines the small classes and low student/faculty ratio of a private liberal arts college with the excitement of Division I athletics as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 610 / 700
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 630 / 710
- Test-Optional? Yes
Founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, Washington College has a long and rich history. The college was recently awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its many strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. The college's scenic location provides students with opportunities to explore the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the Chester River.
- Location: Chestertown, Maryland
- SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 520 / 630
- SAT Math (Middle 50%): 520 / 610
- Test-Optional? Yes
