SAT, ACT only part of MU's admission policy
MU looks at high school curriculum before test scores.
Published Sept. 26, 2008
A panel led by a top official at Harvard University recommended colleges stop basing admission requirements almost exclusively on SAT and ACT scores, an idea that MU already follows.
In a report released to The New York Times, a panel headed by William Fitzsimmons, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard University, claimed colleges place far too much emphasis on the ACT and SAT standardized tests. The panel proposes using achievement tests for admissions that will encourage students to concentrate on classes that matter and not test preparatory courses. Roughly 280 colleges and universities in the United States do not require standardized test scores.
Director of Admissions Barbara Rupp said MU's admissions requirements are different from those of private institutions like Harvard. Because MU is a public university with published admission requirements and no cap on enrollment, most students who apply are admitted.
"What they took in high school is at least as important or more important than test scores," she said.
MU spokesman Christian Basi said MU looks at an applicant's high school curriculum together with his or her ACT or SAT score. The panel's recommendations would thus have little, if any, effect on MU's admissions policy.
"We judge you on your academic achievements, and if you meet our standards, you're admitted," Basi said.
He said the decision to stop accepting freshmen this year was a reaction to an abnormally large freshman class. It was meant only to preserve the quality of education at MU and in no way represents a change in admissions policy.
The university received 14,000 freshman applications for the fall 2008 semester alone, of which 12,000 were admitted and 5,800 enrolled. Rupp said with so many applications every season, there is no way MU could ask for essays or letters of recommendation as private schools do.
The admissions office looks at an applicant's high school curriculum before anything else.
Rupp said in those cases when a student is on the fence and does not meet the published requirements the admissions office personnel look beyond the test scores and consider coursework taken, grades and letters of recommendation. High school academic records satisfy almost all questions regarding whether to admit a student.
