Assumption College

Assumption College has announced test-score-optional admissions for students applying to enroll in fall 2010. Prospective students no longer are required to provide SAT or ACT standardized scores when applying to Assumption.

The board of trustees recently approved the new admissions policy following extended discussions with the college’s key governing bodies, including administrators, academic deans and faculty leaders. The new admissions policy will be in place for the 2009-10 recruiting season. Nationwide, the evidence is mounting that standardized testing scores are not the best predictors of success in college, said Evan Lipp, vice president for enrollment management.

“In recent years, more than 800 other colleges and universities from around the nation have adopted test-optional admissions,” Lipp said. “In 2008, our enrollment management division, in conjunction with Eduventures, a research and consulting firm, analyzed four years of Assumption’s admissions data and academic records to examine standardized testing’s ability to predict academic success specifically for the students we admit. The study found that high school GPA (cumulative grade point average) is, in fact, a better predictor of academic success at Assumption. Our conclusions mirror those of the national studies.”

In light of the findings on and beyond campus, the College no longer will require applicants to submit standardized testing scores. This change will strengthen Assumption’s ability to increase its success rate in attracting prospective students who may be considering other educational institutions within its competitive set, Lipp explained.

“The change to test-score-optional status will not affect Assumption’s rigorous admissions standards,” Lipp added. “We will continue to hand-select only those students best qualified for entry. By focusing on a more holistic approach, Assumption will be able to assemble the best possible incoming class.”