Spelman College will suspend the standardized testing requirement for students applying for the class of 2028. This policy applies to all new first-time application cycles, including early decision, early notification, and regular decision.
Students who choose to apply to Spelman without test scores will not be disadvantaged in the review process. Students are not required to disclose why they have chosen to apply without test scores. Instead, we encourage students to highlight other impressive elements of their high school careers. This could include curricular rigor, volunteer work, social justice involvement, internships or employment opportunities.
We understand that some students will still have access to standardized tests and would like for their scores to be considered. For these applicants, we will continue to accept SAT and ACT scores and review them as part of our holistic application review. We will continue to super score both the SAT and ACT to provide students who choose to submit test scores with the most favorable composite score.
We understand that access to traditional extracurricular activities may be limited this year. Students will not be at a disadvantage. There are many other areas of your academic career that may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These scenarios may include cancellation of IB exams, Pass/Fail grading systems, and interruption in AP testing. Students will not be disadvantaged by these scenarios.
This year, the Common Application provides a designated space for students to provide additional information on how circumstances related to the pandemic may have impacted you. We encourage you to share any information that may help us better review your application.
Admissions
350 Spelman Lane, S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30314
404-270-5193, 1-800-982-2411 (toll-free)
admiss@spelman.edu
Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Any applicant who has never attended college as a full-time, degree-seeking student is considered a new first-time student.
As we have always done, we will complete a holistic review of the application materials. The Office of Admissions will review the Common Application, personal essay, and recommendation letters. During this review, we are looking for applicants who have taken challenging high school courses, displayed progressive leadership and civic involvement, and have interests and abilities in line with the Spelman mission.
Many schools across the country do not assign GPAs or class rank. We will continue to conduct an internal GPA calculation to best review each student’s unique academic coursework.
All applicants will receive a Test Score Consideration Form via email. This is your opportunity to let us know if you would like your scores included in the review process. Should you not return this form before the published deadline, your application will default to test-optional, and we will not include test scores in our review process.
If you feel as though your application would be enhanced by submitting test scores, please choose to do so. Keep in mind that high grade point averages and rigorous coursework can often paint a favorable academic picture for an applicant who tests poorly or decides not to test at all. However, very rarely do high test scores hold more weight than the academic performance displayed through the high school transcript.
Yes, all students will be considered for merit scholarships with or without test scores.
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