ETSU recently announced that incoming students will no longer be required to submit ACT or SAT scores in order to apply for admission in 2021. The school will instead focus on the GPA of potential students regarding their decision of acceptance into the school.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement may be required to present an ACT or SAT score. Also students up for scholarships are required to submit their ACT/SAT scores by March 1. This deadline is an extension from the Dec. 15 deadline, when students must apply for consideration for scholarships.
Formerly, ETSU required an ACT composite score of 19 or 20 (or equivalent SAT score) and a high school GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with no more than two high school unit deficiencies.
The ACT and SAT are a pair of the most stressful tests that a person can take in their educational career. The only major difference between the two is that the ACT includes a section covering science. The SAT does not include a specific section for it, but it may include scientific questions in the other sections.
They both test your memory on subjects you have covered over the twelve year period before university, which does not necessarily help dictate your future performance when majoring in a specific field in which some subjects in sections of the ACT or SAT will not even be used or studied.
Doing away with the requirement of these exams puts more emphasis on the academic performance of high school students. This, in turn, should be enough incentive for high-schoolers who plan to apply to ETSU to focus on keeping their GPA at acceptable range. Historically, the minimum GPA for students applying for admissions was a 2.3, but this also varies depending on the program they are applying for. I think it is a safe bet to say that the new arrivals at ETSU will be more academically focused than previous admissions.
