Joelle Lang-Fredman
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) George Washington University says it is pleased with a new policy that allows applicants to opt out of submitting standardized test scores as part of the application process.
The initiative was introduced to students in the summer of 2015 to benefit freshmen who started at GW this fall.
The University was hoping to increase the diversity of its freshman class, and it saw a 33 percent increase in students from underrepresented minority groups.
GWU had noticed that many students, mostly from those groups, were not applying there because they didn’t think their test scores were up to par.
“We looked at what other schools had done, and felt that there were a lot of really great students who may be opting out of our applicant pool because they didn’t feel that their testing reflected their academic abilities,” said Laurie Koehler, GW’s Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. By removing the test score requirement, students no longer have to fear about poor marks holding them back.
“Our approach to reviewing applications has always been holistic,” said Koehler, “It’s never been driven by a test score.”
Minority groups now represent about 20 percent of GWU’s freshman class, up from about 15 percent in 2015.
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