<p>Are there any universities in the United States with:</p>
<p>(1) minimum test score requirements for all applicants without exception; or</p>
<p>(2) minimum test score requirements for all applicants outside of specified categories (disability etc)?</p>
<p>Here “applicant” means US domestic applicants (not international students subject to TOEFL requirements) and “minimum test score requirement” means a published objective formula that can be calculated by people outside the admissions office.</p>
<p>I am asking because I wonder whether there is legal exposure to (e.g.) discrimination lawsuits associated with such requirements.</p>
<p>Edit: probably I should clarify that by “test” I primarily mean nationally available examinations such as SAT, ACT, GED, and by “admission” I mean undergraduate admission.</p>
<p>I don’t think they have set minimum score requirements. But that being said, it seems to be a trend that the most highly selective colleges tend to accept students who receive above a 2200 on the SAT. I guess there are tacit score requirements unless factors other than the SAT are truly remarkable. But I think the fact that it’s unspoken and not demanded serves as a safety zone to dispel such lawsuits.</p>
<p>I have heard, however, that colleges discriminate based on ethnicity and the public is aware of it. In order to maintain ethnic diversity it is a well-known fact that, for example, Asian students have a harder time gaining entrance into the universities of their choice.</p>
<p>To clarify further, I am asking specifically about the rarely discussed and possibly nonexistent phenomenon of officially published and objective minimum requirements, not any informal or de facto requirements. (It is easy for the topic to drift precisely because of the sorts of issues you mention.)</p>
<p>It would also be very interesting if admissions officers had made unofficial remarks about unpublished but objective requirements, along lines such as “applications below X on the SAT [or academic index calculation, etc] are thrown in the Reject pile with no further reading unless they are children of major sugar daddies to the university”.</p>
<p>That is for eligibility in a statewide context which applies to most applicants. They also have a top 4% local context rule where someone in the top 4% of his class is automatically admitted to a UC (although not necessarily one of his choice or major of his choice) regardless of test scores. They also have a third way to become eligible by simply having very high test scores.</p>
<p>FSU has a minimum 500 M 500CR 500W to even have an application considered. This is listed on their website. They have similar ACT minimums as well. Now if you are a recruited athlete, no such minimums. And there is a CARE program that accepts a few with scores lower (Welcome to …the Florida State University Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement. C.A.R.E. provides preparation, orientation and academic support programming for students who are among the first in their family to attend college, and for those who otherwise may face unique challenges in college because of economic, cultural or educational circumstances.) FSU enrolls 5000 freshman, and about 50-60 via CARE. </p>
<p>The state of Florida requires minimums of 440 in each SAT section to apply to any state U.</p>
<p>That’s an interesting case, because (if I’m reading their charts correctly) a GPA above 3.44 nullifies the test scoring requirement. There is still a test taking requirement, but randomly guessing on every question of the SATs will, with probability extremely close to 100 percent, produce a high enough set of scores: </p>
<p>UC also has an “Admission by Exception” category, wherein applicants not meeting the ordinary requirements can petition for ad hoc consideration.</p>
<p>FSU seems not to have any exceptions, which I find surprising due to the potential for lawsuits.</p>
<p>Are there any private universities with test score requirements?</p>