UT will bring back the requirement for standardized test scores for admission, the University announced in a press release last week. 

The decision ends four years of test-optional admissions, as the University suspended the requirement in Spring 2020 due to pandemic-related concerns, according to the press release.

Standardized test scores, alongside high school GPA, are early indicators in identifying academically successful students in their first semester on campus and students that would benefit from the University’s student success programs, President Jay Hartzell said in the press release. Scores are also used to place students into majors. 

“With an abundance of high school GPAs surrounding 4.0, especially among our auto-admits, an SAT or ACT score is a proven differentiator that is in each student’s and the University’s best interest,” Hartzell said.  

The University will also implement further modifications to the application process. These include the introduction of a new early action program and waitlist, changes to the required essay and a decrease in the number of short answer responses.