Standardized tests are one way that colleges can learn more about an applicant — but they're no longer the make-or-break moments they once were. That's why some schools, including Bucknell, decided to make SAT and ACT scores optional when applying.

It's called a "test-optional" admissions policy, and it shifts the power away from the companies that make these standardized tests and back to where it belongs: in the hands of students themselves.

In this episode of College Admissions Insider, brought to you by Bucknell University, Brooke Thames and Bryan Wendell take a closer look at "test-optional" policies. Why do schools go test-optional? Does applying test-optional hurt an applicant's chances of being admitted? And if they're not requiring test scores, what do test-optional schools look for?

Our guest is Kevin Mathes, Bucknell's Dean of Admissions who spearheaded the University's shift to a test-optional policy back in 2019.

Read a transcript for this episode

If you have a question, comment or idea for a future episode, email [email protected].

Please note: Information presented in this episode was accurate at the time of recording, but may have since changed. Participants may have changed roles or no longer hold positions at Bucknell University.

Links:

• Bucknell undergraduate admissions requirements
• Information about applying to Bucknell
• Bucknell admissions dates & deadlines
• Information for prospective students
• Bucknell Virtual Welcome Center
• More about what test-optional means

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