Q1: What do Wake Forest University, The George Washington University, Temple University and Bates College all have in common?

A1: They are all test optional (i.e. SAT and/or ACT).

Q2: Should you apply?

A2: Maybe as long as you are aware that admissions to institutions like these are HIGHLY competitive and typically reserved for students with not only a high GPA but who have taken a rigorous course of study in high school which customarily includes multiple AP, IB and/or Honors courses. In addition, many of these students have assumed leadership positions while in high school and/or participated in significant extra-curricular activities including community service efforts.

Per a 20-year study published by Bates College in 2005, the conclusions below were noted:

• “The difference in Bates graduation rates between submitters and non-submitters is 0.1% (one-tenth of one percent).”
• “The difference in overall GPAs at Bates is .05 (five-hundredths of a GPA point); the exact difference is 3.06 for non-submitters and 3.11 for submitters.”