ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University’s Board of Trustees voted Sept. 25 to extend the temporary suspension of the use of standardized test results as an admissions requirement for students entering the university in the 2021-22 academic year.
High school students have not been able to take SAT and ACT standardized tests this spring or summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Eduardo Prieto, vice president for access and enrollment management. "This important action by the board will help some prospective students who are experiencing difficulties in completing standardized testing but who otherwise are viable candidates for admission. Many colleges and universities across the nation are implementing similar suspensions to SAT/ACT scores in order to provide flexibility in evaluating admission based on alternative criteria," said Prieto.
The university started using alternative methods of evaluation in April for this fall’s freshmen and will continue using it for those who will make up the Class of 2025. Prieto said the remaining admissions criteria that will be used will ensure a high-caliber, high-achieving student body.
The lack of test scores will not affect eligibility for financial aid, subject to any future State of South Carolina directives, and prospective students will be evaluated with the same amount of due diligence that has served over time to uphold the university’s academic standards, he added.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
