Worcester Business Journal

8 Worcester Business Journal | April 3, 2017 | wbjournal.com I n March, Worcester State University announced it will no longer require undergraduate applicants to submit standardized test scores as a requirement for admission. While the change at Worcester State applies to undergraduate applicants, who still have the option of submitting SAT or ACT scores if they think it will help their application, a growing num- ber of professionals interested in pursu- ing advanced degrees also have the option to skip standardized tests, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), when applying for admission into programs. For applicants and colleges, that's good news, said Bill Purnell, director of Graduate and Continuing Education Recruitment & Enrollment at Anna Maria College in Paxton. A few years ago, Anna Maria stopped requiring graduate program applicants to submit standardized test scores, making them optional. Factors like professional expe- rience and career goals receive more emphasis. "It can be such a barrier," Purnell said, of testing. Purnell, who was a working profes- sional when he went back to school for his master's degree, said preparing for and taking a standardized test while working a day job is no small feat, and he believes it's a stumbling block for many would-be graduate students. In marketing graduate programs, which include master's degree programs in business administration and indus- trial organizational psychology, Anna Maria highlights the fact that GRE and other test scores aren't required – though students may submit them if they think their scores will boost their application. "This is a new pattern that's emerg- ing. You're going to see more and more schools start to do this, Purnell said. Holistic review Purnell said the new buzz in higher education is about the validity of test scores, and he cited a 2016 report by the Washington, D.C.-based Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), which under- scores the importance of a holistic review of applicants to master's and doctoral programs in fostering diversity in higher education, as well as improved student outcomes. Julia Kent, a co-author of the report, "Holistic Review in Graduate Central Mass. colleges and universities are relying less on standardized tests in order to boost graduate applications, diversity BY EMILY MICUCCI Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer No test required Worcester State University wants to strike a balance between easing admissions requirements to boost enrollment while upholding the integrity of its graduate degrees. P H O T O / W O R C E S T E R S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

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