U. of Chicago Will No Longer Require ACT or SAT Tests

The University of Chicago will no longer require domestic applicants to submit standardized-test scores for admission, the institution announced on Thursday. Just like that, Chicago becomes the most selective university yet to drop the ACT/SAT requirement.

As The Washington Post first reported, the university’s test-optional policy is part of the UChicago Empower Initiative, a new push to increase access for low-income and first-generation applicants. As part of the initiative, Chicago has pledged to to give full-tuition scholarships to students whose families earn less than $125,000 a year, as well as to select applicants who are children of police officers and firefighters.

For more on this story, see an updated analysis here.

In a news release, James G. Nondorf, Chicago’s vice president for enrollment, described the change as a way to level the playing field for underserved applicants: “We want students to understand the application does not define you – you define the application.”

Eric Hoover writes about admissions trends, enrollment-management challenges, and the meaning of Animal House, among other issues. He’s on Twitter @erichoov, and his email address is eric.hoover@chronicle.com.