Greenwood Pushes to Make SAT and ACT Score Requirement in College Applications Optional

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As a new legislative session begins, state Rep. LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, is championing efforts to lessen the need for public universities to use standardized test scores, such as those from the SAT and ACT, as a requirement for their admissions process.

“Recent studies show that when we remove the need for SAT and ACT scores for application, the institution is more likely to attract a student body that is more racially and ethnically diverse,” Greenwood said. “By allowing for a greater admittance of underrepresented populations and low-income students, we can make a positive impact across the state and help people from all backgrounds achieve the education and career they want.”

Greenwood introduced House Bill 4064, which would create the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act and give state universities the option of requiring standardized college admissions tests to be submitted as part of a student’s application. Students who wish to submit their scores would always have the option to do so. Greenwood argues that the application process should more heavily consider GPA, extracurricular actives and references, which should lead to a more diverse pool of applicants. She also recognizes that paid tutoring and access to other resources can impact SAT and ACT scores.

When the University of Chicago transitioned to no longer requiring standardized test scores, the institution reported record enrollments of first-generation, low-income and rural students. It is estimated that one in four universities in the country no longer requires standardized scores.

“There is tremendous value in having more first-generation college students receiving the 21st Century skills our state universities teach,” Greenwood said. “Every single resident in this state should have the opportunity to earn a degree. This legislation can help make that a reality.”