Seton Hall University Offers Test-Optional Admissions for Fall 2021 Applicants Amid COVID-19 Pandemic  

Students seeking admission to Seton Hall University for the Fall 2021 semester will not be required to submit standardized test scores as part of the application process. The University announced that SAT and ACT scores will not be mandatory and Seton Hall will become a "test-optional" institution for students applying at this time. 

"This is a temporary accommodation to assist students during the very difficult circumstances created by the global COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that there are gifted, hard-working students who have been unable to take standardized tests, and we don’t want to deprive them of the ability to access a Seton Hall education," said Alyssa McCloud, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management. "Many families are struggling and we don't want to add any stress or anxiety during this challenging time. That is why I am so glad we could make this accommodation temporarily to support students through the application process." 

Seton Hall will take a holistic approach to reviewing all applications for admission and will review all aspects of the student’s record with a heavy emphasis on the student’s academic record in high school, specifically looking at grades, academic rigor, and class rank (if available). Students will have the option to apply to Seton Hall by submitting standardized test scores or electing not to submit these scores. 

The University awards many students scholarships automatically upon admission, and students who apply test optional will receive equal consideration for these awards. Also, students can apply test optional to gain admissions to the honors and leadership programs. Applications will receive a holistic review based on the student’s academic record as well as supplemental application materials required for these programs.

To learn more about the test-optional policy, please visit www.shu.edu/testoptional. Families who would like further guidance are invited to speak with the admissions staff by calling 973-313-6145 or 973-313-6146 or e-mailing [email protected]. In addition, students are invited to participate in Seton Hall's Virtual Open House being held online, where they can attend academic presentations, connect with admissions and financial aid officers, students, faculty and deans, and learn about next steps.

Virtual Open House Registration Dates will be offered on Sundays: September 27, October 18, November 1 and November 22, at 11 a.m. ET.  

One of the country's leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall has been showing the world what great minds can do since 1856. In the past decade, Seton Hall students and alumni have received more than 30 Fulbright Scholarships as well as other prestigious academic honors, including Boren Awards, Pickering Fellowships, Udall Scholarships and a Rhodes Scholarship.

"Students from throughout New Jersey and around the country are attracted to Seton Hall’s outstanding academic reputation, our Catholic values and our warm and nurturing community where they can thrive as exemplary servant leaders and global citizens. We are a university continually on the rise, and we encourage students to learn more about our tradition of excellence," said McCloud.

Categories: Campus Life, Education