Northern Illinois University Eliminates Use of Standardized Test Scores in Admissions

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.

As a result of the new, test-blind policy, the school says any high school graduate who applies with a cumulative GPA or 3.0 or above will be granted admission. Meanwhile, applicants with a GPA below 3.0 will be considered on a “holistic review” which will evaluate the student’s academic preparation, performance, motivation, resilience and resourcefulness.

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.”