2 Public Universities Are Latest to Go Test Optional

This calendar year has seen an upsurge in colleges going test optional.

The last week saw two more. Notably, they are medium-size public universities, not the small private colleges that made up many of the early colleges to reject SAT/ACT requirements.

The University of New Hampshire announced that it will go test optional in admissions for the next three years to test the idea. More colleges in recent years have gone test optional, including institutions like New Hampshire that are large public universities. (Many of the early adopters were small liberal arts colleges.) The university cited numerous studies saying that the best way to predict student success in the first year of college is an examination of applicants' high school grades and the rigor of their high school curriculum.

On Friday, Indiana State University announced that it would go test optional.

"Test-optional admissions criteria are increasingly the standard for both colleges and universities of similar size and mission as ISU and flagship institutions," said a statement from Mike Licari, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Making test scores optional at Indiana State removes what can be an obstacle for many of the students we are proud to serve."