Northern Illinois University (NIU) will eliminate the use of standardized test scores when making general admission and merit scholarship decisions, beginning with applications for the 2021 fall semester.
The announcement comes as national higher education studies, as well as NIU’s own data, reports that a student’s GPA is a better indicator of college success than an ACT or SAT test score.
“This new policy comes from our deep commitment to making a college education both accessible and equitable for a broad and diverse student population,” said NIU President Dr. Lisa Freeman. “It reflects our efforts campus-wide to eliminate unnecessary and biased barriers throughout a student’s educational path.”