In the fall of 2019, staff in the Texas Wesleyan University Office of Admissions started research on becoming a test-optional university. Test-optional schools allow undergraduate students to apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores; typically they must submit some additional documents instead of test scores.

On Wednesday, March 25, Texas Wesleyan University officially approved and instituted a test-optional route for our undergraduate applicants. One of our primary motivations for this option is how it will increase accessibility to TXWES. We understand that standardized tests don’t always capture students’ full abilities. Allowing an alternate pathway into TXWES will allow more students to become part of the Smaller. Smarter. experience. 

Our research showed that going test optional is a growing trend across colleges and universities in the country. However, not many of our peer institutions in our region have developed a test-optional route. We are excited to be ahead of the curve in this part of the country and develop this pathway that we know will help more students have access to a quality college education.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students have found themselves unable to take the SAT or ACT in March and April. While our test-optional admissions route was not developed as a response to COVID-19, we are grateful that the implementation has coincided with a critical time where students need additional ways to finish their applications to TXWES.