KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri will join other schools across the country in making standardized testing an option, not a requirement, for admission next year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary admission policy will apply to first-time undergraduate applicants applying to any University of Missouri System school for the 2021-22 academic year.
“We recognize COVID-19 and the limited accessibility and availability of standardized tests nationwide present stress and challenges for applicants," UM System President and MU Chancellor Mun Choi said in a news release. "This temporary policy will eliminate a hurdle created by the pandemic."
Students can still choose to submit their ACT or SAT scores, but those who do not will not face a disadvantage, the university system said Wednesday. Instead, their applications will be reviewed for GPA, class rank, rigor of coursework, extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation.
Each UM school will set its own standards for minimum GPA requirements.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City said in January that it would permanently eliminate ACT or SAT scores as part of its admission requirements for applicants with a 2.75 GPA or higher.
Experts say that the coronavirus pandemic, which disrupted testing dates in the spring and summer, has forced some colleges to reevaluate the importance of standardized testing.
