Home » Blog » Shenandoah University is test-unnecessary

Shenandoah University is test-unnecessary

Not having test scores is not a disadvantage

“Uncertain times,” “unprecedented,” & “the new normal”

Over the past nine months, it’s been nearly impossible to avoid these words/terms. They’ve become part of our societal lexicon to the point that they’re now cliche. Despite how overused these phrases and words have become, they are effective in describing what we’ve all been experiencing. Using the exact phrasing that accurately describes something is critical to effective communication.

This is the reason why Shenandoah University is introducing a new term to the conversation about testing in the college admissions process: test-unnecessary. Testing in the college admissions process has been the subject of many conversations and debates within higher education for quite a while now. Every year since the mid-1980s, colleges and universities made the decision to become test-optional, which means they gave applicants the choice to submit SAT/ACT scores. This movement was driven in large part by several studies that demonstrated that standardized testing was not an accurate measurement of a student’s potential for success. As more schools moved in this direction, other schools made the same decision.

At Shenandoah, we reviewed and researched our own data to determine if testing helped to predict student success. In November 2019, it was determined that for undergraduate applicants to Shenandoah, SAT/ACT scores both by themselves and when combined with high school GPA, did not predict success at SU. They were entirely unnecessary.

Enter COVID-19. Today, many college applicants are not able to safely spend a Saturday morning in a room taking an exam with 20 other students. And, out of necessity, many other schools have made decisions similar to Shenandoah’s. Despite the fact that more than 70% of colleges and universities have some form of a test-optional admissions policy, we still hear from concerned parents and students that not having test scores somehow disadvantages them.

This is not the case. The National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC) recently published a list of more than 565 colleges that have signed on to express that test-optional means just that. Please do not put your life or the life of your student at risk in order to take a test. It’s for this reason that we want to be totally clear — at Shenandoah tests are not needed and we are test-unnecessary.

Andy Woodall | Assistant Vice President of Recruitment & Admissions

Categories: , ,

Recent News

Headshots of Dr. Yunita Anwar (left) and Dr. John Winn (right), both of the Shenandoah University School of Business

WalletHub Taps Two SU Professors for Insight and Advice

Drs. Winn and Anwar Talk Insurance and Improving Credit

Shenandoah Pharmacy Graduates Secure Competitive PGY2 Residency Matches

Four pharmacy graduates advance into competitive PGY2 residencies in pediatric, psychiatric pharmacy, oncology, and investigational drugs and research

Professor explains content on a screen in a Shenandoah University educational leadership doctoral class.

New Higher Ed Concentration Offered in Shenandoah University’s Educational Leadership Doctoral Programs

Course topics delve into the primary responsibilities of higher education leaders

Headshot of J. Robert "Bobby" Spencer

Shenandoah University To Hold Special Performance To Benefit SSMT Living Legacy Endowment Fund

Original ‘Jersey Boy’ J. Robert Spencer headlines ensemble cast of Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre alumni

Shenandoah OT Programs Recognize Students & Educators of Distinction

2024-25 Awardees Hail From Four Occupational Therapy Programs

Students walk on campus with Sarah's Glen in the background.

Shenandoah University Participating In 2025 Virginia Private College Week

Prospective students who visit from July 21-26 will be entered to win an Amazon gift card and are eligible for an application fee waiver

Monthly Archives