Profiles of "Test Optional" Colleges

More than 700 colleges and universities in the United States admit a substantial number of students without regard to test scores. This list includes both large, public university systems, as well as small, private liberal arts colleges. Regardless of size, selectivity, or geographic location, "test-score optional" schools are widely pleased with the results, reporting a more diverse student body and a high level of academic quality. The institutions profiled below offer a view of the path to test-score optional admissions. The profiles are taken from FairTest's 70-plus page report Test Scores Do Not Equal Merit.

Bates College - a highly selective liberal arts college in Maine with 1,700 undergraduates

California State University System - a large, public university system with 22 campuses

Muhlenberg College - a highly selective liberal arts college in Pennsylvania with 1,900 undergraduates

Texas Public University System - a large, public university system with more than 30 campuses