Students applying to the University of Notre Dame will once again have to take the SAT or ACT.
The university says it’ll reinstate its standardized testing requirement for first-year and transfer applicants, seeking to enroll as undergraduates in fall 2028. Standardized test scores were made optional in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and increased focus on other parts of students’ applications.
But since then, the university says it’s been reviewing its admissions data, and it’s found a strong correlation between test scores and how students perform in the classroom once they enroll. It also says that students from certain backgrounds, like first-generation and rural students, are more likely to be overlooked without a test requirement.
In a press release, the university says there won’t be a fixed threshold when it comes to test scores. They’ll be considered along with dozens of data points, including essays, letters of recommendation and extracurricular activities.
The University of Notre Dame is a financial supporter of WVPE.
