College Admissions Testing

The purpose of standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT has been to assess students' general educational development and preparedness for college-level coursework. Because these are national tests, colleges are able to compare scores from students around the country. 

DeLaSalle’s school code number to use when registering for testing is 241600.

Definitions

• Test Optional: Students decide if they want to submit a test score along with their college application. Test optional schools consider ACT or SAT scores if submitted though applicants are not viewed unfavorably if no test score is submitted.

• Test Flexible: Students who don’t want to submit an ACT or SAT score, but also don’t want to submit no test score, choose which type of test score to submit. They may submit ACT, SAT, AP, or IB test scores.

• Test Blind: Whether or not a student submits a test score, it will not be considered in the application evaluation.

Pre-Pandemic

Most 4-year colleges and universities required students to take and submit scores from one of the standardized tests (ACT or SAT). 

Changes Due to the Pandemic

Beginning with the graduating class of 2021, almost all colleges and universities adopted a test optional admissions policy due to the interruptions to testing as a result of the pandemic. Many of those colleges have since announced a permanent change and will remain test optional. At many others, though they have only committed to a temporary test optional admissions process, test optional admissions are still in place for the current graduating class of 2024. That said, a small minority of 4-year colleges do require applicants to submit a standardized test score for admission, so it’s important to research the standardized testing admission requirements for the colleges you are interested in.

Testing Accommodations

Both ACT and SAT allow students with professionally diagnosed and documented disabilities who currently receive testing accommodations in school to apply for special accommodations for testing. ACT also allows students who qualify for English Learner (EL) services in school to apply for special testing accommodations. Students will be asked to provide documentation of their disability or EL status upon registering for the test and requesting accommodations, and each test company will decide as to whether the students qualify for accommodations.

Additional information can be found at the following links:

ACT Accommodations

SAT Accommodations