Lower Hudson Valley College Drops SAT Requirement, Could More Schools Follow?

The SATs hang over your head when you're in high school. It's tough not to stress out about a test that people keep telling you is going to determine your future. Most colleges require SAT scores from their applicants, but in recent years, we've seen some schools get a little less strict about it. And now, SUNY Purchase is making SAT and ACT test scores optional.

According to Purchase, this is their attempt to level the playing field a bit when students are applying for college. It helps remove an advantage some students may have over others, and places greater emphasis on the student's overall GPA.

So will other schools in the Hudson Valley follow suit? According to representatives from Vassar and Iona, not anytime soon. Their reasoning is that the tests represent a standardized measurement when looking at a student's background.

What do you think? I totally get Purchase's line of thinking, that there's more to a student than just a test score. It might be a helpful metric, but maybe it shouldn't be a deciding factor for the school.