Northern State University has announced a new test-optional, merit-based scholarship starting in 2023. That means students could qualify for thousands of financial aid dollars without taking the standardized ACT or SAT tests.
NSU’s WolfPact Unleashed scholarship will consider a students unweighted high school GPA.
Vice President of enrollment Justin Fraase said the new system allows students more flexibility.
“A student with at least a 3.0 in their high school can walk on to Northern’s campus as a freshman next fall and receive some sort of scholarship," Fraase said. "Of course, there are a lot of incentives that will go all the way up to a $16,000 award split over four years, based on an ACT or a high school GPA.”
Fraase said the move makes achievement tests optional for a range of scholarships.
“We have smaller scholarship awards, for instance our Millicent Atkins Award for elementary education, that’s been test-optional for at least a year," Fraase said. "So, we’ve implemented it in smaller areas across campus, but this is the first time we’ve implemented it all across the board for our entire new freshman scholarship program.”
While standardized testing can help with class placements, Fraase said not all students are interested.
“We understand fully that the desire to take the ACTis definitely dwindling," Fraase said. "It’s dwindling among our prospective students, it’s dwindling across the state and the region and of course beyond that. So, we needed to pivot and accommodate individuals who just have no desire or don’t think it’s necessary to take a test like that.”
Fraase said the admissions is already receiving inquiries about the new test-optional scholarship program.