Standardized Testing

Test-Optional Policy

Wesleyan does not require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application for admission. Test optional since 2014, we believe that students should have the power to decide how best to present themselves to the admission committee and whether—or not—their standardized test results accurately reflect their academic ability and potential. Whether or not students share standardized test results, the admission committee will faithfully fulfill its commitments to carefully considering complete applications in their respective contexts and making the most informed decisions possible.

Our process does not disadvantage those who choose not to submit scores. At Wesleyan, we know the best predictor of success in college is a student’s academic record, the track record of day-to-day work in the classroom; the school transcript continues to be the primary focus of our application review, with or without standardized test scores. We will not penalize students for the absence of standardized test scores.

Score Suppression or Choice

Applicants have the option to select which, if any, test results to include on the Common Application or Scoir online as part of their application reviews. For example, a student might elect to include SAT subject tests, but not SAT or ACT. Students cannot select subsections of an SAT or ACT; Wesleyan will consider only a complete score set for either exam and scores may come from different exam dates.  For students who elect to have their scores considered, Wesleyan will accept the self-reported scores documented on the application. Official scores will be required upon matriculation and must be received by July 1st. It’s preferred for scores from tests taken after the submission of the application to be sent directly from the Testing agency; however, we will consider screenshots emailed to: applicant@wesleyan.edu.

Superscoring

The Wesleyan admission committee is interested in considering your best achievement. We will consider only the highest critical reading, math and writing scores submitted, irrespective of SAT test date. Similarly, we will recalculate a new composite ACT score from subsections taken on different dates.

Homeschooled Students, Those Without Traditional Grades or Students in Online High Schools

The admission committee highly recommends applicants from secondary schools that only provide narrative evaluations and applicants schooled either exclusively at home or online to submit SAT or ACT scores. If testing is unavailable or not submitted, we will nonetheless fulfill our commitment to carefully considering applications deemed complete and making informed decisions.

International Applicants

Wesleyan does not require most international applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application for admission.  Please carefully review details about the test-optional policy, English proficiency, and applying from outside the U.S.

Transfer Applicants

SAT or ACT scores are not required of Transfer Applicants. Scores of tests taken during high school are accepted, as are scores of more recent testing, if a candidate elects to submit them.

A Note About Self-Reported Scores Submitted Via the Common Application

Regardless of your answer to the question about the use of your standardized test scores, Wesleyan will suppress any scores you have entered from appearing on the PDF Common Application file. Please be assured that if you choose to have your standardized test scores included with your application, even though the PDF will read "No test scores to submit", we will receive this score data via the data file that is sent to Wesleyan from CommonApp and they will be added to your file.