Point Park University in Pennsylvania has adopted a test-optional admissions policy for all applicants seeking undergraduate admission, The Pittsburgh Business Times reported.
After years of requiring standardized scores for admission, the Pittsburgh-based institution has decided to embrace the emerging policy beginning with students enrolling in the fall of 2016.
"National research and empirical evidence has indicated that standardized tests are not always reliable predictors of academic success at the college level. Rather, a more holistic review is often more predictive based on a student's academic achievements in a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and his or her contributions to school and community through activities that demonstrate leadership potential and community engagement," according to Point Park University's website.
The test-optional policy is reserved for students who have a high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. Students whose high school GPA is lower than a 3.0 or are homeschooled, are required to submit standardized test scores, Inside Higher Ed reported.
"Point Park University's adoption of a test optional policy in no way diminishes the careful attention to the evaluation of student credentials in the admission review process. To the contrary, this holistic review requires an even more thorough evaluation of a student's performance in all areas of high school performance and community contributions," school officials said.
Students who are eligible for the test-optional policy may submit their scores if they believe that the scores will reflect positively on the admissions decision.
