February 28, 2007

Whitworth Joins Other Selective Liberal-Arts Colleges in De-emphasizing
Standardized Test Scores in Admissions Decisions

Students with excellent grades in rigorous high-school coursework as well as other strong qualifications may be admitted to Whitworth College without submitting SAT or ACT scores beginning with the class enrolling in the fall of 2008.

Students choosing not to submit test scores will be asked to complete an admissions interview. Their test scores, though not considered in the admissions decision, will still be required for registration and placement and to qualify them for most academic scholarships. Whitworth President Bill Robinson said he expects most students will continue to include test scores in their admissions applications, but the new policy should encourage applications from qualified students who may not be strong test-takers and who might be deterred by Whitworth's rising selectivity.

"This isn't the most obvious move to make at a time when the size and quality of Whitworth's applicant pool have never been higher, but it's the right thing to do for both moral and practical reasons," Robinson says. "There is mounting evidence that de-emphasizing standardized test scores in admissions can help us identify the best students for Whitworth. Ultimately, we believe this change will make us more selective but with more reliable selection criteria."

Whitworth will continue to use a holistic approach to evaluate admissions applications, according to Dean of Enrollment Services Fred Pfursich. Admissions decisions will be made based on the academic rigor of high-school coursework, high-school GPA, interviews, recommendations from teachers and counselors, extracurricular activities, personal statements, and SAT/ACT scores, if applicants choose to submit them. Based on the experiences of other selective liberal-arts colleges that have adopted test-optional admissions policies, Pfursich expects 15-20 percent of applicants will choose not to submit test scores.

"Students who feel their test scores accurately reflect their academic abilities are encouraged to submit the scores, and we'll consider them along with other criteria," Pfursich says. "Students who choose not to submit test scores will be evaluated, without prejudice, based on the other components of their application file."

Whitworth's 2007 freshman class is again expected to have an average SAT I score above 1200 (combined math and critical reading), reflecting the college's rising selectivity. Since 2000, freshman applications have quadrupled to more than 5,000, retention and graduation rates have reached record highs well above national averages, and Whitworth has consistently been ranked among the top five master's-level universities in the West by U.S. News & World Report.

"While we never consider SAT and ACT scores alone, the average test scores of our incoming freshmen have climbed significantly as our applicant pool has grown, and that may be discouraging some great students from applying to Whitworth," Pfursich says. "We believe a student's record of accomplishment and involvement over four years in high school is a better indicator of academic achievement and a more reliable predictor of his or her ability to be successful in college than a single standardized test score."

As the first liberal-arts college in Washington to adopt a test-optional admissions policy, Whitworth joins 28 of the top 100 national liberal-arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2007 rankings. Nationwide, more than 700 schools no longer require SAT or ACT scores for admission, including Bates College, Dickinson College, Drew University, Franklin and Marshall College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Mount Holyoke College, Muhlenberg College and Pitzer College.

Many schools cite a 20-year study conducted by Bates College that shows standardized test scores are not necessary to predict academic success in college. Since implementing an SAT/ACT-optional policy in 1984, Bates has found that there are no significant differences in academic performance or graduation rates between those who submit SAT or ACT scores with their admissions application and those who don't. Other research suggests that the SAT significantly under-predicts college performance for women and ethnic minorities. The Bates study report is available online at www.bates.edu/ip-optional-testing-20years.xml.

For more information about Whitworth's test-optional admissions policy, visit www.whitworth.edu/admissions/undergraduate/freshman/satactoptional.htm.

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private, liberal-arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The college, which has an enrollment of 2,500 students, offers 53 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contacts:

Fred Pfursich, dean of enrollment services, Whitworth College, (509) 777-4348 or fpfursich@whitworth.edu.

Greg Orwig, director of communications, Whitworth College, (509) 777-4580 or gorwig@whitworth.edu.