The State University of New York has decided to permanently eliminate standardized testing requirements for college admissions. The SUNY board of trustees unanimously voted to remove the SAT and ACT requirements for applications to undergraduate programs across its 64 schools in New York state. The decision extends the temporary suspension of these requirements, which was initially implemented from 2020 through 2023 in response to the Covid pandemic.
SUNY Chancellor King said in a resolution that campuses will retain the flexibility to accept standardized test scores from students who choose to submit them, while maintaining a test-optional policy in line with national trends at peer institutions.
According to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, more than 80% of U.S. colleges did not require ACT or SAT exam scores for fall 2023 admissions.
Despite a 20% decline in SUNY’s enrollment over the past decade, Chancellor King did not attribute the removal of standardized testing scores from admission requirements to this trend. He emphasized that SUNY campuses will maintain their commitment to a holistic review of student applications, taking into account grades, program of study, academic and non-academic achievements, and other activities that help evaluate a candidate’s potential for success in college.
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