Arizona State’s honors college drops SAT, ACT requirement

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College has announced that incoming freshmen for the 2021-2022 school year will no longer be required to submit standardized testing scores from the SAT or ACT for admission into the school.

The college, designed for highly motivated students, made the announcement to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and avoid students being gathered in one room for hours to take a required test during the pandemic, KTVK-TV reported.

Other undergraduate programs at the university have not required applicants take the tests. The university will continue to have other requirements to apply including four years of math and English, three years of lab sciences, two years of social sciences and a second language and one year of fine arts or career and technical education.

The Tempe-based university requires incoming students to be in the top 25% of their high school graduating class and have at least a 3.0 GPA.

The priority admission deadline is Nov. 1.

“The earlier you apply, the sooner you’ll get an admission decision and the more financial aid you might receive,” the university said in its announcement.