The College of New Jersey is implementing a test-optional admissions policy for first-year applicants, beginning with the 2020–2021 admission cycle.
The move comes in response to the challenges high school students are having scheduling standardized tests due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said a TCNJ news release.
The test-optional policy will be for a three-year period, during which first-year applicants can choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered for undergraduate admission to the college. The test-optional policy will not apply to the college’s seven-year medical program or the optometry program.
“Given that coronavirus cancellations made timely testing impossible for hundreds of thousands of students around the country, providing flexibility with the SAT and ACT requirements seemed more than appropriate,” said Lisa Angeloni, vice president for enrollment management
A test-optional policy had been under consideration for several years already as part of ongoing efforts to promote maximum access to a TCNJ education to students of all backgrounds.
“When a college announces a test-optional policy, it also conveys to students that the college is aware of and sensitive to issues that impact low-income and underrepresented students and this awareness can signal to applicants an aware and inviting institutional culture,” Angeloni said.
TCNJ has always taken a holistic approach in evaluating each application, considering student abilities and involvement beyond academics.
“Our admissions staff members examine every component of a student’s application, but we do emphasize the high school transcript,” Angeloni said. “The record of course selection, grades, GPA, class rank, and the strength of the curriculum provides the most accurate predictor of a student’s chance for success in college.”
At the end of the three-year period, TCNJ will determine whether to reinstate a testing requirement for undergraduate applicants or to extend the test-optional policy.
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