On Friday, January 24th, the Claremont McKenna College faculty voted to approve a recommendation to the Board of Trustees that “CMC allow its COVID-era test-optional policy to expire, and return to its usual practice of requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores.” The recommendation passed 53-24, with three abstentions. This vote comes only a month after the faculty approved a previous recommendation to maintain the test-optional policy for the next two years.
CMC initially adopted a test-optional policy for fall 2021 applicants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns around test cancellations. The announcement noted that it was a temporary “one-year policy change,” but it was extended due to continuing concerns around testing availability. CMC’s decision mirrored a widely popular trend in college admissions.
In the 2023-24 admissions cycle, only 29 percent of enrolled students submitted SAT scores, and 16 percent submitted ACT scores.
Currently, CMC requires applicants to submit a high school transcript, a school report, and recommendations from a counselor and teacher. Prospective students must also fill out the Common Application or Coalition Application, which requires a personal statement, supplemental essays, and a list of extracurricular activities.
CMC’s admissions page states that “Admission to CMC is based on a holistic review process that considers a broad range of factors, including a prospective student’s academic and leadership achievements, commitment to CMC’s values, and potential to benefit from and contribute to CMC’s mission.”
In recent months, test scores’ role in the admissions process has been an ongoing discussion topic among faculty, administrators, and the Board of Trustees. In fall 2024, a confidential report examining the relationship between admitted students’ test scores and CMC grades was presented to the faculty.
The final decision on ending the test-optional policy will be made by the Board of Trustees this spring. If the Board accepts the faculty’s recommendation, Associate Vice President for Admission & Financial Aid Jennifer Sandoval-Dancs estimated that the earliest application cycle CMC could implement the test-required policy would be fall 2027.