The SAT and ACT have long been criticized as weak indicators of a student’s potential performance on the college level. Furthermore, many colleges and universities believe that the SAT is downright discriminatory against certain students, including minorities and those who come from low-income families. In order to attract a more diverse community of scholars, more and more schools are waiving the test requirement in favor of a more holistic application review.

Like other standardized tests, the SAT and ACT were designed to be quantifiable ways for students to prove their mettle for college. However, many students would agree that the only thing these tests do is cause a sense of dread that starts long before they pick up their #2 pencils and remains until the scores are released. Test prep programs can certainly help mitigate anxiety, but what happens if you can’t afford to pay for one? As a result, the daunting SAT and ACT has turned away many students who have poor preparation for the test or who simply do not test well—and many schools have suffered from a lack of diversity on their campuses.

It’s not surprising, then, that schools adopting the test-free policy have enjoyed an increase in application pools. Research has shown that the level of academic performance of incoming classes has increased at public schools that do not require the SAT or ACT. However, this might not happen at some elite private colleges that use high scores as benchmarks for narrowing down the application pool. 

Proponents of the no-test policy, including the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, say that it pushes schools to look more closely at the student’s GPA, school activities, and recommendation letters, which are better assessments of academic prowess. Critics of the no-test policy say that between grade inflation and different curriculum standards, it is impossible to use grades as the only quantifiable aspect of a student’s application.

An interesting note is that the schools enforcing the no-test policy are finding that many of their applicants are still submitting test scores with their applications. This could be because students have to take the test for other schools, and so they just submit another score report. It could also be that students are not ready to back down from the SAT and ACT, which are both steeped in the tradition of being a major part of a competitive application process. Only time will tell how much longer the SAT and ACT will cast a shadow over college-bound students.  

Bummed out by your SAT score? Good news, it's not the end of the world. The College Board, a once formidable institution, has begun to shown cracks in recent years. Critics have attacked the SAT's ability to predict future academic success as well as its overemphasis in college admissions. As a result, there's been a growing number of colleges switching to test-optional admissions requirements, which means that there are more opportunities for students who don't perform well on standardized tests. Though most institutions, including the Ivies, continue to require SAT or ACT scores, many highly regarded liberal arts colleges and private schools have joined the test-optional movement.

The National Center for Fair & Open Testing has a full list of schools that don't require the SAT or ACT. These are just a few we wanted to highlight:

Smith College- This women's college is one of the most respected liberal arts schools in America -- and one of the toughest to get into. Thankfully, they're no longer factoring the SAT into their admissions decisions, so poor test-takers stand a chance at experiencing world-class academics and one-on-one advising at this Northhampton, Massachusetts school. Known for its driven, passionate students, Smith guarantees each undergraduate at least one college-funded internship during their education. You can get a taste of life as a "Smithie" by reading these student blogs.

Pitzer College- One of the seven schools that make up the consortium known as the Claremont Colleges, Pitzer offers small class sizes and individualized attention while the consortium offers students the resources of a large university. An added benefit: students can also take classes or use facilities at the other four undergraduate schools. Known for its interdisciplinary focus and progressive, "alternative" curriculum, Pitzer has strong programs in psychology and media studies.

Wake Forest University- At the most elite of test-optional schools, undergraduates get a free laptop, a free printer, and Division I sports teams. Wake Forest University in North Carolina isn't an Ivy, but it ought to be. Ranked at #28 in the U.S. News and World Report college rankings, Wake Forest offers strong undergraduate programs in pre-med and business and also boasts an impressive study abroad program, in which half of undergraduates participate.

University of Iowa- This Big Ten college has more than athletics to boast about. It's home to 21 top-ten graduate programs (according to the most recent U.S. News and World Report) and the renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop, the first creative writing program of its kind.  A nationally ranked university, this public school also offers one of the best bangs you'll get for your buck in the Midwest.

Bowdoin College- Located in Brunswick, Maine, Bowdoin is a small but noteworthy institution with a commitment to diversity. Despite a modest endowment, it follows a "need-blind" admissions policy and is one of the few schools (among Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and others) with a "no-loans" policy. In 2008, the college announced that it would be replacing all loans with grants and stated that it would meet its students' full demonstrated need for all four years of their education. It's no surprise that the school is one of the most socioeconomically diverse liberal arts schools -- as well as one of the most prestigious.