(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)August 26, 2020

MAHWAH, N.J. – As the state’s premier public liberal arts college, Ramapo College of New Jersey is dedicated to student success. The College will implement a test-optional admissions policy, effective for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. First-year students who apply to Ramapo for the 2021–2022 academic year will be able to choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their undergraduate admission application to the College.

“Ramapo College has found that a student’s high school grade point average is a far more reliable predictor of student success in College than is the student’s score on a standardized test. Our decision to shift to an SAT/ACT optional admissions practice recognizes this fact and furthers our long-held practice of considering the whole student (academic performance, extracurricular activity, lived experiences, civic engagement, etc.) when making admissions decisions,” said Peter P. Mercer, College President. Mercer, who is completing his 15^th year as President of the College, added that the College has long used a holistic model for review of all applicants and the new test-optional admissions policy will further enhance that model.

“The College has been looking at this data for several years and the indicators are strong that high school GPA is a better predictor of student success than standardized test scores,” said Christopher Romano, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “This data, coupled with the many known challenges and limitations of standardized testing, led us to move in this direction for the fall 2021 recruitment cycle.”

Ramapo College will still require all first-year applicants to submit a high school diploma, letter of recommendation and an essay to be considered for undergraduate admission. The test-optional policy will not apply to the College’s nursing or articulation programs.

The College, which offers more than 40 undergraduate academic programs within its five schools, boasts small class sizes which allow its dedicated faculty to commit to developing each student on a personal level, pushing students outside of their comfort zone and engaging them through curricular and co-curricular activities.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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