Northwestern test optional 2023

Steps to Apply


High School Students

If you have earned PSEO credits during your high school years, you are considered a high school student.

  1. Complete/Continue the online application.
  2. Submit official transcript(s)
    1. High school transcript*
    2. College transcript (any college attended)*
  3. ACT, SAT, or CLT scores are optional.
    1. Codes: ACT 2138 or SAT 6489

*When requesting delivery of official transcripts, please request that your institution mail your materials in a sealed envelope to the following address or submit them through a secure online portal (Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, etc.).

Admissions Office
3003 Snelling Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55113

Standardized Tests Now Optional for Admission to UNW

University of Northwestern no longer requires prospective students to take the ACT, SAT, or CLT.

We will continue to accept standardized tests. Results of the tests will be considered an additional data point in the student’s application for admission. We will maintain our holistic, thorough process that includes review of the student’s academics, spiritual commitment, and extracurricular involvement.

Our hope is that this change will allow more students access to Northwestern’s Christ-centered, excellent academic education.

Undergraduate Transfer Students

If you have earned college credit after graduating from high school, you are considered a transfer student.

  1. Complete/Continue an Application for Admission.
  2. Request delivery of the following documents:
    1. Official and final High School Transcript*
    2. Official College Transcripts*
    3. Optional:  ACT, SAT, and/or CLT test scores (Codes: ACT 2138 or SAT 6489)

NOTE - Undergraduate applicants who have previously completed a bachelor's degree will be requested to provide official collegiate transcripts prior to admittance; high school transcripts and ACT/SAT/CLT test scores will not be required for admittance.

*When requesting delivery of official transcripts, please request that your institution mail your materials in a sealed envelope to the following address or submit them through a secure online portal (Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, etc.).

Admissions Office
3003 Snelling Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55113

Application Deadlines

  • Spring 2023 Term - Application Deadline December 10, 2022
  • Fall 2023 Term - Application Deadline August 1, 2023

Already Admitted?

Navigate to your admitted student portal to see a list of next steps and important information.

New Student Enrollment Steps

Open Applications


Applications for Fall 2023 are being accepted and reviewed.

Are you in the Class of 2023 or 2024? You may be wondering if you need a test score to apply to college. In this blog, we’ll go over the press releases from colleges and universities regarding their testing policies for the Fall 2022 and Fall 2023 application season.

2022-2023 Admissions Cycle

As of March 2022, we found that 63.5% of the top 200 schools have announced test optional, test flexible, or test suggested policies for the next application round. Though test submission at many of these schools is strongly encouraged or likely to correlate with higher admissions rates, it is not a requirement of application. 5.5% of colleges have announced test required policies. Notable test required schools include Georgetown, UNC Chapel Hill, Georgia Tech, and Florida State University. 8.5% of top 200 universities, including all colleges in the University of California system, are currently test blind, so they will not accept SAT or ACT scores, though some may consider AP scores or other exams such as the TOEFL. Finally, 22.5% of colleges have not announced their testing policies yet.

As schools start to suggest that more students submit test scores, and fewer students have issues accessing the test, we are beginning to enter a phase where we see a difference in admit rates based on whether people submit test scores or not. While in the previous year, many students did not have access to tests, test availability has increased greatly. If you don’t explain why you don’t have a test score, and you’re not from a context where a test score doesn’t make sense, a lack of a test score might start to hurt you. Many schools now discriminate against students without test scores.

2023-2024 Admissions Cycle

Obviously, schools can change their test policies whenever they want. But, 38.5% of the top 200 schools have already announced they will continue their test optional, test blind, or test flexible policies through at least 2024. If you have a phobia of tests, you can still find a school that is test optional or test blind in the top 200 list. However, over half of schools have not announced their policies for the Class of 2024. So if you’re in that class, we still recommend that you prepare. Having a test score is also proving to correlate with much higher acceptance rates at many top 200 universities.

Even though we’ve given the stats, please be careful about the fine print. Some colleges may still require test scores if your GPA is below a certain level. Many schools also still use test scores to determine merit scholarships and placement in an honors college.

CollegeSAT/ACT Required for freshman entering Fall 2023?SAT/ACT Required for freshman entering Fall 2024?Test Optional, Test Blind, or Test Flexible?Notes
Princeton University No Not Announced Test Optional
Harvard University No No Test Optional Extending Test Optional policy through Fall 2026
Columbia University No No Test Optional Extending Test Optional policy through Fall 2024
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Yes Yes 2023 Policy has CHANGED to required (previously was stated as not required), Test Required in 2024 *Test Required in 2024
Yale University No Not Announced Test Optional* *Applicants who have successfully completed one or more ACT or SAT exams should consider including scores, even if those scores are below the middle 50% ranges listed below.
Stanford University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Chicago No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2018
University of Pennsylvania No Not Announced Test Optional
California Institute of Technology No Test Blind Caltech is in their last year of a moratorium on the requirement and consideration of SAT and ACT scores.
Johns Hopkins University No No Test Optional Extending Test Optional policy through 2026
Northwestern University No Not Announced Test Optional
Duke University No Not Announced Test Optional
Dartmouth College No Not Announced Test Optional
Brown University No Not Announced Test Optional
Vanderbilt University No No Test Optional Extending Test Optional policy through Fall 2024
Rice University No Not Announced Test Optional
Washington University in St. Louis No No Test Optional Test Optional policy extended through Fall 2024
Cornell University No No Test Optional Test Optional policy extended through Fall 2024
University of Notre Dame No Not Announced Test Optional
University of California, Los Angeles No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
Emory University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of California, Berkeley No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
Georgetown University Yes Yes Test Required Students who cannot access a testing center will be sent a form to expalin why they did not submit test scores.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor No Not Announced Test Flexible* "Students who do not wish to have SAT or ACT scores considered as part of their application review can still submit other optional forms of testing (such as AP exam scores or IB exam scores)"
University of Southern California No Not Announced Test Optional
Carnegie Mellon University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Virginia No Not Announced Test Optional
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill No No Policy changed April 7, 2022; previously announced as test required
Wake Forest University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2008
New York University No Not Announced Test Optional
Tufts University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of California, Santa Barbara No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
University of Florida Yes Yes Test Required
University of Rochester No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2019
Boston College No Not Announced Test Optional
Georgia Institute of Technology Yes Yes Test Required
University of California, Irvine No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
University of California, San Diego No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
University of California, Davis No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
William & Mary No Not Announced Test Optional 2023 is the third year in a 3 year test optional pilot program
Tulane University No Not Announced Test Optional
Boston University No Not Announced Test Optional
Brandeis University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2013
Case Western Reserve University No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2024
University of Texas at Austin No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Wisconsin–Madison No No Test Optional Test Optional through Spring 2025
University of Georgia Yes Yes Test Required
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign No Not Announced Test Optional
Lehigh University No Not Announced Test Optional
Northeastern University No Not Announced Test Optional
Pepperdine University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Miami No Not Announced Test Optional
Ohio State University No Not Announced Test Optional
Purdue University Yes, unless test is cancelled due to pandemic Yes, unless test is cancelled due to pandemic Test Flexible* *If you can take the SAT or the ACT, Purdue prefers you do so.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute No Not Announced Test Optional
Santa Clara University No Not Announced Test Optional
Villanova University No Not Announced Test Optional
Florida State University Yes Yes Test Required
Syracuse University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Maryland, College Park No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Pittsburgh No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Washington No No Test Optional Permanent since 2021 *"However, high test scores (1400 SAT/31 ACT or above) may be considered for a handful of students who may not otherwise be admitted. "
Pennsylvania State University No Not Announced Test Optional
Rutgers University–New Brunswick No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2024
University of Connecticut No Not Announced Test Optional
Fordham University No Not Announced Test Optional
George Washington University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2015
Loyola Marymount University No Not Announced Test Optional
Southern Methodist University No Not Announced Test Optional Test Optional through spring 2024
Texas A&M University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Massachusetts Amherst No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities No Not Announced Test Optional
Worcester Polytechnic Institute No No Test Blind The Institute's Test Blind policy is an eight-year pilot program, beginning in 2020.
Clemson University No Not Announced Test Optional
Virginia Tech No No Test Optional Test Optional through Fall 2025
American University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2010
Baylor University No Not Announced Test Optional Will review policy after 2023
Indiana University Bloomington No Not Announced Test Optional "For future terms, some students may be required to provide SAT or ACT scores."
Yeshiva University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
Brigham Young University No Not Announced Test Optional
Gonzaga University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Howard University Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
Michigan State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
North Carolina State University No No Policy changed in April 2022 (previously required)
Stevens Institute of Technology No Not Announced Test Optional
Texas Christian University No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Denver No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2019
State University of New York at Binghamton No Not Announced Test Optional SUNY is Test Optional through summer 2024
Colorado School of Mines No No Test Optional
Permanently Test Optional.
Elon University No Not Announced Test Optional
Marquette University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2020
State University of New York at Stony Brook No Not Announced Test Optional SUNY is Test Optional through summer 2024
State University of New York at Buffalo No Not Announced Test Optional SUNY is Test Optional through summer 2024
University of California, Riverside No No Test Blind The UCs are Test Blind through 2024
University of Iowa No Not Announced Test Optional
University of San Diego No Not Announced Test Blind
Auburn University No, unless GPA is less than 3.6 Not Announced Test Flexible* *Applicants with less than a 3.6 GPA are ineligible to apply as Test Optional.
University of Arizona No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of California, Merced No No Test Blind Test Optional through 2024
University of California, Santa Cruz No No Test Blind Test Optional through 2024
University of Delaware No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2015
University of Utah No Not Announced Test Optional
Arizona State University No Not Announced Test Optional
Clark University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2011
Miami University, Oxford No Not Announced Test Optional Test Optional through Spring 2024
Saint Louis University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Temple University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of Colorado Boulder No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of Oregon No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of San Francisco No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of South Florida Yes Yes Test Required
Creighton University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Loyola University Chicago Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
Rochester Institute of Technology No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of Illinois at Chicago No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Tennessee Yes Yes Test Required University of Tennessee System will now require tests
Iowa State University No Not Announced Test Optional
New Jersey Institute of Technology Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022 *Does not apply to Honors College or accelerated program students
Rutgers University-Newark No No Test Optional Permanently test optional
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry No Not Announced Test Optional SUNY is Test Optional through summer 2024
University of South Carolina No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Vermont No Not Announced Test Optional
Chapman University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Clarkson University Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
DePaul University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Drake University No Not Announced Test Optional If you choose not to submit test scores, you will be required to either submit an essay or schedule an interview.
Gallaudet University Yes Yes Test Required
Illinois Institute of Technology Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
Seattle University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of Kansas No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Missouri No Not Announced Test Optional *If you choose to go Test Optional, you will need to submit 3 short essays
Drexel University No Not Announced Test Optional
The New School No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Seton Hall University No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2026
Simmons University Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
University of Dayton No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of Kentucky No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2024
University of Nebraska-Lincoln No Not Announced Test Optional* *All first-year applicants under the age of 23 are encouraged to submit an official ACT or SAT score.
University of Oklahoma No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2025
University of St. Thomas - Minnesota No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of the Pacific No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
The Catholic University of America No No Test Blind Permanently Test Blind.
Duquesne University No Not Announced Test Optional
George Mason University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Samford University No Not Announced Test Optional
San Diego State University No Not Announced Test Blind
University of Alabama No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Cincinnati No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2024
University of New Hampshire No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
University of Texas at Dallas No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Tulsa No Not Announced Test Optional
Colorado State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge No Not Announced Test Optional
Michigan Technological University Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
Oregon State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
Quinnipiac University No* No* Test Optional* *Permanently Test Optional. However, for certain dual degree programs and the School of Nursing, test scores are recommended or even required.
Rutgers University–Camden No No Test Optional Test Optional through 2024
University of Alabama at Birmingham No Not Announced Test Optional
Belmont University No Not Announced Test Optional
Hofstra University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
Mercer University No Not Announced Test Optional
State University of New York at Albany No Not Announced Test Optional SUNY is Test Optional through summer 2024
University of Arkansas No Not Announced Test Optional/Flexible Test optional for students with a GPA of 3.2 or higher. All admitted students are encouraged to provide test scores.
University of Central Florida Yes Yes Test Required
University of Maryland, Baltimore County No Not Announced Test Optional
University of Mississippi No Not Announced Test Optional* *"Although we are not requiring a standardized test score for admission for the 2022-2023 academic year, ACT/SAT scores are still very important for scholarships, some aid programs, and for academic placement."
Valparaiso University No No Test Optional
Virginia Commonwealth University No Not Announced Test Optional
Adelphi University No Not Announced Test Optional in 2022 test optional through Spring 2023
Kansas State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional.
St. John's University Queens Campus No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional only for first-time freshman applicants. International students must submit test scores
University of Hawaii at Manoa Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
University of Idaho Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022 *Students with a GPA of 2.6 or higher don't need to submit a test score.
University of Rhode Island No Not Announced Test Optional
City College of New York Not Announced Not Announced Test Blind in 2022 The City University of New York system is Test Blind through the Spring 2023 admission cycle.
Missouri University of Science and Technology Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
Montclair State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2015
Ohio University No No Test Optional* Permanently Test Optional for applicants to Athens campus
St. John Fisher College No Not Announced Test Optional
Thomas Jefferson University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
University of Houston Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
University of Louisville Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
University of Massachusetts Lowell No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
University of St. Joseph No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
Washington State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
Biola University Not Announced Not Announced Test Optional in 2022
Chatham University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional
Florida International University Yes Yes Test Required
Oklahoma State University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional. Students are still encouraged to submit scores.
Pacific University No No Test Optional Test Optional policy is extended indefinitely
Rowan University No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional. However, certain groups of students are still required to submit test scores
University of Detroit Mercy No Not Announced Test Optional
University of New Mexico No Not Announced Test Optional
University of North Carolina Wilmington No No Policy changed April 2022
Bethel University No Not Announced Test Optional* *Test Optional for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
California State University, Fresno No Not Announced Test Blind
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional since 2021
Loyola University New Orleans No No Test Blind Permanently Test Blind
Maryville University of St. Louis No No Test Optional Permanently Test Optional, except for a select few groups
Robert Morris University No Not Announced Test Optional

Is northeastern test optional for fall 2023?

Optional Standardized Testing For the 2022-2023 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require applicants to submit standardized testing to be considered for admission.

Is Class of 2023 SAT optional?

More than 1,700 colleges and universities so far are not requiring students to submit SAT and ACT scores when they apply for admission for fall 2023, only a slightly lower number of institutions than the previous admissions cycle.

Is Northwestern truly test optional?

Northwestern University ACT Requirements 2022 As a result of the test-optional policy, Northwestern University does not require students to submit their ACT scores, and the university has chosen not to publish the official scores for the class of 2025.

Does Northwestern require SAT for 2024?

As students navigate challenges to testing and college access during the pandemic, we have adopted a test-optional policy through the 2022–23 admission cycles. Applicants may submit an SAT or ACT score if they wish, but these scores are not required.