UMSL is suspending the standardized testing requirement for first-time undergraduate applicants seeking admission for the 2021-22 academic year. (Photo by August Jennewein)
First-year students applying for admission to the University of Missouri–St. Louis for the 2021-2022 academic year have the choice of whether to submit their standardized test scores to the university.
UMSL is joining other University of Missouri System universities in a pilot program that suspends the standardized testing requirement for all first-time undergraduate applicants.
The university had previously implemented a test-optional admissions process for applicants for the current academic year, a decision that was made because of the cancelation of the ACT exam in April and SAT exam in May and the uncertainty of testing options this summer. This pilot program continues that.
“We recognize COVID-19 and the limited accessibility and availability of standardized tests nationwide present stress and challenges for applicants. This temporary policy will eliminate a hurdle created by the pandemic,” UM System President Mun Choi said. “Applications will still be thoroughly reviewed and must meet our institutional standards for academic excellence.”
Students may still choose to submit ACT or SAT scores, and the admissions requirements and review process for those applicants will remain unchanged. But Alan Byrd, UMSL’s vice provost for enrollment management, said students who choose not to submit a standardized test score will not be at a disadvantage in the application process. Their admission decisions will be made based on core GPA, class rank, rigor of academic course load and a personal statement.
“We are committed to providing students of all backgrounds access to high quality education, and we’re always working to remove barriers that might get in the way of those opportunities,” Byrd said. “This pilot program will ease the burden on applicants but not sacrifice our standards, and we hope to use it as a way to gather meaningful data we can use to inform our admissions policy in the future.”
Students seeking more information on the admission process or who want to submit an application can visit the Office of Admissions at admissions.umsl.edu or call 1-314-516-5451 or 1-888-GO-2-UMSL.
