Wake Forest University, New York University, University of Rochester, University of Texas, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, American University, Clark University, University of Colorado (Boulder), University of Arizona, New School, DePaul University, Arizona State University, George Mason University, Kansas State University, University of Mississippi, and University of Nevada. This is the list of schools that no longer REQUIRE prospective students to take the ACT or SAT for admissions, however, you can still take them if you want.

More and more colleges are deciding to go to this each year, and the idea of this is exciting many students. Many students and parents believe that the ACT and SAT are “just a dumb way for them to make more money.” I still don’t know who “they” are, but we’ll go with it. I believe that it is a good idea, but I just don’t see it being plausible. How in the world could the college’s admissions teams look through thousands upon thousands of applications without some definite factor to pull off some of the dead weight? To me, it just doesn’t seem like a possible system. However, many people will continue to pull for it because they don’t like the idea of their one test score determining how much money they get for scholarships or even if they can get into the college in the first place.

Austin James, who has a pretty solid test score now told me, “I wouldn’t base my college process on who accepts what and who doesn’t, but I do think that the testing system is flawed. I’ve known some people who are smarter than most and end up with a low score even though they have high academic potential.” I think what Austin would like is to have the ACT or SAT have less of an impact on the college admissions even though his score is already good. I think that this could be another good idea.

However, while, to me, this method is flawed, the number of college going to to a new admission system is growing year after year. Universities all across the country are deciding to join the list. Some students are very happy about this. My neighbor, historically a bad test taker, and St. Xavier student (my neighbors and I always give him a hard time about it), Nick, is extremely happy about these turn of events for college admissions.

Nick told me, “Yes, because everyone is not good at taking tests, and therefore they have a disadvantage on the ACT [SAT]. They should mostly look at grades and only slightly at the ACT [SAT] score.” Even though he isn’t a good test taker, Nick understands that it would be a goliath of a task to admit people solely based on grades and activities. However, these schools are still doing it. So, if you are a bad test taker, take a list of these schools.