COLUMBIA, Mo. — The four-campus University of Missouri system won't require incoming students to take admission exams again this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MU Faculty Council voted Thursday to extend the pilot test-optional admissions policy for an additional year, the Columbia Daily Tribune reports. Because it’s a pilot program and temporary, it doesn’t require further approval by the UM System Board of Curators, spokesman Christian Basi wrote in an email.
“We know there are still a lot of students who won’t have the opportunity to test,” said Kim Humphrey, MU vice provost for enrollment management.
Under the pilot program, all first-time students who apply for fall 2021 will be allowed to have their applications reviewed with or without test scores.
“It is essential that the UM System adopt a test-optional admission policy for the class of 2021 to provide access to prospective students who may not have access to take standardized tests due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the proposal reads. “Each campus will establish a minimum GPA requirement that allows us to be competitive while also maintaining institutional standards.
Staying competitive was another reason listed in the proposal for the action. Many universities across the country have dropped the testing requirement amid the pandemic.
A group called the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) came out with a report in 2019 saying "relying on those scores could lead to inequities," and it might be time for a change.
Many organizations like the NACAC are pushing to make this a permanent change.
