SAT-Only Admission: How Would It Change College Campuses?

The competition to get into America’s most selective colleges and universities is fierce. Some top universities admit as few as 5 percent of applicants. Judging from how much high school students and their parents worry about standardized test scores, one might presume that an SAT or ACT score is the primary factor in college admissions—and that those admitted with lower scores are an exception to the rule. But a look at the numbers reveals a different reality. This report finds that this admissions policy would replace 53% of incoming students, creating a less racially diverse and slightly more affluent student body.