Produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications
The University of Maryland's test-optional undergraduate application process will remain in effect through the Fall 2025 semester, allowing prospective students to continue to determine whether they want standardized test results considered in their application reviews, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management Shannon Gundy announced today.
UMD uses an individualized, holistic application review process in which all available information about students’ educational and co-curricular experiences and performances is considered in the context of opportunities available at the university. A decision not to submit SAT or ACT scores will not harm students’ admission chances, she said, adding that the test-optional review extends to special program, limited enrollment, and merit scholarship review processes.
The university introduced test-optional admissions at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020; the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions; Academic Technology and Innovation; and Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment are currently studying the impact of the test-optional process on student performance, academic success and other factors. Study results will be used to determine the future of the test-optional admission process beyond the 2025 semesters, Gundy said.
“We are confident that this decision will continue to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by their access or ability to fully prepare for these standardized tests,” she said.
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