Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Syracuse University Waives SAT, ACT Scores for 2021 Admission amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Wednesday, June 24, 2020, By News Staff
Share

Responding to the extraordinary circumstances facing high school students and families due to COVID-19, Syracuse University has announced that SAT and ACT test scores will not be required for submission in the application process for fall 2021 admission.

“The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of countless college-bound students and introduced tremendous stress and uncertainty into the college admission process,” says Maurice A. Harris, dean of admissions. “Test dates have been canceled. Social distancing requirements and other issues have constrained testing capacity. By making the submission of test scores optional, we hope to alleviate some of the stress on applicants to Syracuse University.”

Harris says the option will also help applicants from around the nation and the globe whose access to testing facilities is limited. “While we cannot change the realities of these unprecedented circumstances, we can change our processes to help first-year applicants in the 2020-21 application cycle,” says Harris.

Students who are unable to submit standardized test results, or who choose not to, will not be disadvantaged, Harris says. “As they have always been, standardized test scores are just one component of our holistic review process. Now, we will place greater emphasis on other required application credentials, including academic performance, the rigor of coursework and co-curricular engagement.” Students who do not submit test scores will remain eligible for merit scholarships.

Standardized test scores, along with the high school grade point average (GPA), are used by many universities to predict student performance in the first year of college, but Harris says high school performance is the most powerful indicator of academic success.

“It’s important that we continue to evaluate the best ways to assess a student’s readiness for the rigors of a university education,” says Harris. “But standardized test scores are just a piece of a much larger picture. They remain useful.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with more than 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Activities for the Weekend of March 4-7: Get Involved, Stay Safe, Have Fun!
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Message From Chancellor Kent Syverud
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Final Report of the Board Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • Stadium to Reopen to Fans Saturday, March 6
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff
  • University’s Service of Commemoration to Be Held Virtually on March 16
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff

More In Campus & Community

Activities for the Weekend of March 4-7: Get Involved, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Dear Students and Families: Welcome to the first weekend of March! It’s hard to believe we’ve already been on campus for a full month. I hope that despite the unusual nature of this semester, you are finding ways to enjoy…

Message From Chancellor Kent Syverud

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff: Today you received a message from University Trustees Richard Alexander and Jeffrey Scruggs, co-leads of the Board of Trustees Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion. The committee has completed its comprehensive review and…

Final Report of the Board Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion

Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community: We are writing today to share the final report of the Board of Trustees Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion. This committee was convened in December 2019 with the goal of…

Stadium to Reopen to Fans Saturday, March 6

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff: There are very few things more uniquely Orange than attending an event at our iconic stadium. This is an experience many of us have been missing throughout the pandemic. For that reason, we are pleased…

University’s Service of Commemoration to Be Held Virtually on March 16

Syracuse University will hold its fourth Service of Commemoration—honoring students, faculty, staff, retirees and trustees of Syracuse University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) who passed during the period of Jan. 1, 2019, to the present—with…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2021 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.