10 Great Colleges That Don't Care About Your SATs
Visit our new 2016 list for our most recent college picks.
You don't have to get perfect scores on your ACTs or SATs to get into a great college.
Some of the nation's best-value colleges—including several famous and elite schools—have "test optional" admissions policies. That means they will consider your test scores if you submit them, but they won't hold it against you if you don't.
To make up for the lack of test scores, however, you will likely have to submit something extra, such as a graded paper you wrote for high school.
Check out Money’s 2015-16 Best Colleges rankings
Here are Money's picks for the 10 best value colleges that welcome applicants who don't want to submit test scores, below. Then, read our tips on getting into a great school even if you don't have great test scores.
10. Loyola University Maryland (tie)
Acceptance rate: 58%
Money Best Colleges rank: 109
Location: Baltimore, Md.
Read more about Loyola.
10. Bates College (tie)
Acceptance rate: 24%
Money Best Colleges rank: 109
Location: Lewiston, Maine
Read more about Bates.
9. St. Lawrence University
Acceptance rate: 46%
Money Best Colleges rank: 101
Location: Canton, N.Y.
Read more about St. Lawrence
8. Union College
Acceptance rate: 37%
Money Best Colleges rank: 96
Location: Schenectady, N.Y.
Read more about Union.
7. College of the Holy Cross
Acceptance rate: 33%
Money Best Colleges rank: 89
Location: Worcester, Mass.
Read more about Holy Cross.
6. Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Acceptance rate: 49%
Money Best Colleges rank: 75
Location: Geneva, N.Y.
Read more about Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
5. Bryant University
Acceptance rate: 77%
Money Best Colleges rank: 68
Location: Smithfield, R.I.
Read more about Bryant.
4. Providence College
Acceptance rate: 60%
Money Best Colleges ranking: 64
Location: Providence
Read more about Providence College.
3. Fairfield University
Acceptance rate: 71%
Money Best Colleges rank: 56
Location: Fairfield, Conn.
Read more about Fairfield University.
2. Bowdoin College
Acceptance rate: 15%
Money Best Colleges rank: 56
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Read more about Bowdoin.
1. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Acceptance rate: 52%
Money Best Colleges list: 48
Location: Worcester, Mass.
Read more about WPI.