The University of San Diego (USD) has joined hundreds of higher education institutions around the country and adopted an optional-testing admissions process. Beginning with the entering class of 2021, first-year applicants will be able to choose whether to have the results of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) considered in their application.
If students choose not to have their SAT or ACT scores considered, USD Admissions will rely on other components of the student’s application which includes a high school transcript, essay, personal statements, activities, accomplishments and letters of recommendations.
The optional-testing decision comes after a university committee studied the impact that standardized testing has on admissions decisions, and whether the standardized tests added value to those decisions. In their report, the committee felt that “ standardized tests do not measure for a wide variety of other skills and behaviors that are necessary for college success and readiness.”
“This is another example of USD aligning its admissions practices with its mission and enrollment goals. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community of students who want to make a difference in the world and we want our applicants to be able to showcase their gifts and talents in a variety of ways,” said Stephen Pultz, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment.
The optional-testing decision was not based on the current pandemic nor its impact on the availability of testing. This decision, however, is timely in that it will help ease the concern of high school students who have been unable to adequately prepare for their exams.
The university will follow recommended guidelines to ensure the success of this new process is in line with the university’s mission.
Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.
This week marks 50 years since the first classes at the University of San Diego’s (USD) Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science (HSON) began. …
The University of San Diego (USD) will observe the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Wednesday, September 11 from 8 a.m. -&n…
The University of San Diego (USD) ranked 47 in the nation in The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking of the best colleges in the United States. …
