Every high school student is familiar with the SAT and the American College Test (ACT), standardized tests taken for college admission. Because the pandemic limited testing available, more states have changed their testing policies. Florida is not one of them.

Robert Schaeffer, the executive director of The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest), has the data for the expansion of test-optional universities.

“Pre-pandemic there were 1,070 schools that were test-optional — one of whom was test-blind,” Schaeffer told U.S. News & World Report. “Now there are 1,686, including 68 that are test-blind for fall 2021.” 

According to Schaeffer, for 2021 admissions, the State University System of Florida was the only state public system that required test scores.

“It becomes more and more bizarre that Florida continues to hold out,” Schaeffer told the Tampa Bay Times. “Florida is the only state in the country where all of the state’s universities are insisting on test scores. There are no visible signs of movement.” 

The test policies are up to the state university system’s Board of Governers. Florida State University (FSU) made it clear that it was not its decision to require test scores.

“Requiring an ACT or SAT test score for admissions consideration is not an institutional choice,” reads FSU’s admissions website. “FSU, along with Florida’s 11 other public universities, is subject to Florida Board of Governors admissions regulation 6.002 which requires first-year students seeking admission to submit an ACT or SAT test score.” 

This requirement of test scores discourages students from applying to Florida schools. Alyssa Denaro, a junior, believes that state schools should be test-optional. 

“I feel like tests are an inaccurate representation of people’s ability to learn. The score is just based on one test,” Denaro said.