The University of Rochester’s undergraduate admissions process is test optional. Applicants choosing not to submit standardized tests will not be at a disadvantage, nor will it negatively impact their application review or scholarship consideration. At the University of Rochester test optional truly does mean test optional – for all applications through all phases of the application process.
As an undergraduate applicant to Rochester, you have the choice on whether or not to include testing as part of your application. We encourage you to choose which standardized tests (including, but not limited to, SAT, ACT, AP, IB, A-level exams) to include for admission, or elect to omit test scores altogether if you believe that other elements of your application represent you better. Testing is not used as a factor for merit-based scholarships.
At the University of Rochester, admission and scholarship consideration for Arts, Sciences & Engineering are based on a holistic review process that includes many academic and non-academic indicators. As we seek to enroll a diverse and talented class each year, our review procedures incorporate a variety of factors, including many kinds of academic records, and we realize that testing is not always the best reflection of a student’s academic abilities and potential for success.
Through our test-optional approach, applicants may decide for themselves which exam, if any, is an accurate representation of their ability and potential for future success. The University will continue to review and consider test scores for those applicants who decide to submit them. Applicants choosing to not submit standardized tests will not be at a disadvantage, nor will it negatively impact their application review or scholarship consideration. At the University of Rochester test option truly does mean test optional – for all applicants and through all phases of the application process.
At the time of application submission, applicants will be asked to indicate if they wish to apply as test-optional or test-flexible (indicating which form of testing they wish to include). These questions are located in the University of Rochester-specific question section of the Common Application and Coalition for College Application. Students who indicated they wish to include testing as part of their application at the time of submission have until the application deadline to decide to switch their testing approach. Please note that once scores become associated with an applicant’s record, they will not be removed from the record.
For non-native speakers, familiarity with academic spoken and written English matters here. We will continue to require English-language testing (TOEFL or IELTS) for some students. Learn more.
Is testing part of your merit scholarship review?No. Our merit scholarship review process does not include testing for any of our applicants, even for those who wish to have testing included in their application review.
If I still want to submit my tests, will that hurt my application?No. We encourage you to put forward what you feel best represents your academic abilities and potential for success moving forward.
Do I have to submit test results to any of Rochester’s competitive programs, such as REMS, or if I want to earn a scholarship?
The REMS admission rate is about two percent. If you believe that your test results help reinforce the strength of your overall application to REMS, you should submit them. However, all candidates with an interest in REMS will receive the same thorough review, whether they submit test scores or not.
If I do want to include tests, how do I submit them?Rochester will accept self-reported exam scores for admissions review. Applicants who self-report scores, earn admission, and choose to attend Rochester will have to send their official scores via the testing agency or on an official school document before they can enroll.
Can I still submit results from AP, IB, A-levels, WASSCE, CAPE, etc., instead of the SAT or ACT? Is Rochester still “test flexible?”
Yes. Rochester will continue to review test submissions other than the SAT or ACT and expects to continue offering admission to students whose “other” test results reinforce the overall strength of their application.
What if my test scores appear on my transcript or I send them accidentally? Can I still be a “test-optional” applicant?
I f you tell us on your application that you prefer not to submit test scores, we will not use them in our review, even if we have them. Our experienced application readers are trained to not include testing in their review for applicants who have stated they wish to be reviewed without testing.
What if I apply without tests but send them later?You can try, but our file review process is linear and reading timelines vary. Therefore, if the committee doesn’t see your test scores (at your request), they will not re-review your file just because test scores arrive later. Students whose initial application result in a deferral (from early decision to regular decision review) or an invitation to the waitlist can choose to submit test scores for the later reviews.
What if I submit a test at first but I want to switch to “test optional” later?Students who, at the time of application submission, indicated they wish to include testing as part of their application may not switch their application to test-optional after the associated application deadline. Please note that once scores become associated with an applicant’s record, they will not be removed from the record.
Is it fair to use tests for some applicants and not for others? Why not just ignore all tests?We believe this question obscures a dangerous premise. For many decades, the fact that “everyone” applying to Rochester could in theory take an ACT or SAT exam hid a deeper and important truth that some of our applicants can afford to take the test only one time, or see it for the first time in actual testing conditions, while some of our applicants have seen this kind of test many times, taken it multiple times, and can afford to spend many hours and funds preparing for it. That means the test conditions can’t be “fair.” Some of our applicants take the test untimed, based on a diagnosis of learning differences. While we value and honor those students having that opportunity, we expect that many other students whose learning differences have never been diagnosed take it as a timed test. That’s also not “fair.” Since the life circumstances prior to the test vary in uncountable ways, using the test results as a common yardstick, even in context, creates an illusion of fairness that causes more problems than it solves.
Meanwhile, students who prepare for the test and believe the results convey something helpful about their preparation for college can submit those results to Rochester, just as others might choose to submit an extra letter of recommendation, a longer list of activities, complete an interview with us, or submit a video or portfolio.
We look forward to a time when applicants won’t take any extra test for their Rochester application, since we don’t need them. In the real world for now, as students apply to Rochester along with many other places who do require specific tests, we will continue assigning value to that effort.
We’re here to help
If you need guidance about our testing policies—or are wondering how to make your application to Rochester as strong as possible—give us a call at (585) 275-3221 or send an email to admit@admissions.rochester.edu.
For students who choose to apply using test scores, a wide variety of testing can fulfill Rochester’s test-flexible application option. Testing that will fulfill our test-flexible application option includes any of the following exams:
*For IB, submission of test results should come as a signed and dated letter of predicted IB scores from the IBO coordinator on campus. The more detail included, the more helpful the results are to us.
For admission review, the University of Rochester will accept scores from the SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject Test, ACT, or completed AP examinations that you report on your application. We are not able to accept student self-reported test scores via email, phone, or postal mail.
If you earn admission based on records including self-reported scores, our office will require you to submit the official test scores shortly after submitting your enrollment deposit and prior to your arrival on campus. Any significant discrepancies between the actual scores and the self-reported values may jeopardize a student’s place in the incoming class.
The University of Rochester will also accept some projected exam scores (e.g., IB, A-Levels) from school officials. Please note that the school official must affix a signature verifying that they are providing a reasonable and accurate estimate of scores that the applicant is expected to earn at some future date less than one calendar year away. The more detail included, the more helpful the projected results can be.
If you earn admission based on records including projected scores, our office will require you to submit the official test scores shortly after submitting your enrollment deposit and prior to your arrival on campus. Any significant discrepancies between the actual scores and the predicted values may jeopardize a student’s place in the incoming class.
We encourage applicants to submit test scores in advance of the application deadline. However, in some cases applicants may elect to send scores from additional exams. For applicants applying early decision we will accept October ACT scores and November SAT scores to be included in your application review. For applicants applying regular decision we will accept December ACT and SAT scores to be included in your application.
| Application Plan | Latest Testing (ACT) | Latest Testing (SAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | October | November |
| Early Decision II | October | November |
| Regular Decision | December | December |
We superscore testing, meaning we use your highest SAT or ACT subscores in our final decision, even if they are from different test dates. However, we do not combine SAT and ACT for a hybrid superscore.
Enrolling students who have chosen to include testing as part of their application for admission will need to submit official test scores that mirror their self-reported and/or projected (if used for review); scores must be submitted either directly from the testing agency (preferred), included on an official secondary school transcript sent directly from the secondary school, or submitted by a school counselor (or designated official) when that counselor/official has been indicated as the student’s counselor on the application.
The list below indicates, by country, which examinations will fulfill our test-flexible application option. The list is not comprehensive and will be updated as new examinations are approved.
Please email admissions with questions regarding examinations that are not included in this list.
Students may submit their Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) or Overall Position (OP) positioning and one of the following:
