Colorado College will adopt an alternate testing policy beginning with the Class of 2015 (fall first-year class entering August 2011) and transfer students entering in January 2011.
The current policy for Colorado College states that all applicants are required to submit one of the following:
- The SAT Reasoning Test; OR
- The American College Testing assessment test (ACT)
The new policy will add a third option for all applicants:
- Three exams of the applicant’s choice chosen from a list of acceptable SAT or ACT sub scores, SAT II Subject tests, AP or IB exams, or the TOEFL test for international students. Students choosing this new option must include at least one quantitative test and one verbal or writing test.
The new testing policy will allow students greater flexibility in demonstrating their unique strengths and mastery of subjects, while allowing the Admission Committee to remain committed to focusing on both objective and subjective criteria.
More students in the United States and across the world have access to AP and IB classes, and a growing number of students are choosing to take these tests. This group also includes many underrepresented students – including first-generation to college students and American ethnic minorities.
“While we recognize that standardized test scores have a place in our evaluation of applicants, we are most interested in making sure that we continue to have a diverse range of students who bring with them diverse perspectives on the liberal arts and sciences along with that all-important excitement for learning and an appetite for engagement,” says Michael Grace, chair of the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid. “This new policy encourages applications from a wider range of high-school students. We hope this will aid our Admissions staff in finding and enrolling the best possible student body for CC.”
“This is an exciting step for Colorado College,” says Mark Hatch, vice president for enrollment. “The college carefully assesses the strengths of each applicant using a detailed evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative measures. Beyond traditional numbers such as grades, class rank and test scores, the Admission Committee values the sometimes more elusive qualities of passion for learning, freshness of mind and intellectual curiosity. It is these attributes that often transfer to success in our innovative Block Plan curriculum.”
Colorado College, founded two years before Colorado became a state, has a pioneering history of innovation exhibited by its unique Block Plan, wherein students take, and professors teach, one course at a time.
After three years of conversation and an extensive review of internal and external reports and data on alternate and optional testing policies and the role of standardized tests in college admission, members of the Committee on Admission and Financial Aid at Colorado College decided to adopt the new policy. For more information, go to: http://www.coloradocollege.edu/admission/firstyear/testingFAQ.asp
