Make wishtv.com your home page

Purdue University will now require SAT, ACT scores for 2024 admissions

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Purdue University announced a reversal in admissions requirements, going back to resuming SAT and ACT scores for admissions applications. Beginning with students who apply for Fall 2024 admissions, the instatement of requirements was recommended by university administration and endorsed by the board of trustees.

The announcement comes now so current high school juniors can register for and schedule their exams to submit the test results with their applications. 

In a release, Purdue said they have been “test flexible” since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented many students from having access to a testing site. For the last two years, Purdue has recommended test scores. Nearly three-fourths of applicants have provided them. 

Purdue accepts SAT or ACT scores and has no preference on which test is taken. Students may report the best scores from across different tests on their admissions application.

“Over 1800 colleges in America are maintaining their testing optional policies and Purdue by the way, they were on the fence about going test optional at all,” said Harry Feder with the National Center for Fair and Open testing.

He feels that SAT and ACT scores shouldn’t be an academic standard for higher education.

“I don’t think they tell universities really anything. By the time students graduate, it just absolutely doesn’t matter once they’re admitted what their SAT scores was, and I will tell you nobody at a job will ask you what your SAT scores were,” Feder said.

Purdue vice provost, Kris Wong Davis said:

“The evidence is clear that test scores provide essential information in a comprehensive admissions evaluation that enables us to ensure the optimal chance of success for each admitted student,” said Kris Wong Davis, Purdue vice provost for enrollment management.

In September 2022, Purdue announced an all-time enrollment record. For Fall 2022, the average new student had a 3.74 GPA, an average SAT total of 1317 and an average ACT composite of 29.8. For Fall 2022, 82.4% of admitted students submitted either an SAT or ACT score.

Purdue will begin accepting 2024 applications on Aug. 1, 2023.