‘They Weren’t Faring As Well’: Red State University Reinstates Standardized Testing Requirement

The University of Texas (UT) Austin announced Monday it will require applicants to submit standardized test scores to boost student success.

UT Austin will require standardized testing scores as part of applications to the fall 2025 semester after having suspended the policy due to limited testing options during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the university news release. The university asserted that standardized testing scores are associated with higher graduation rates, and that submitted scores help to place students in programs and majors that can maximize success.

“We looked at our students and found that, in many ways, they weren’t faring as well,” UT President Jay Hartzell said, according to The New York Times, regarding students who did not submit scores.