(I was deferred). Can I send in additional test scores?
Yes. Submitting test scores remains optional for applicants who selected the traditional applicant pathway. Official test scores must be submitted directly from the testing agency. Auburn University school codes are:
• ACT 0011
• SAT 1005
Auburn will accept the ACT Supplied Superscore as well as calculate Superscores for both the SAT and individual ACT scores. Only your best testing result will be used to review your application. We will consider your highest section scores across multiple test dates. Your Superscore will be used for admissions and scholarship consideration.
My thoughts are that auburn 100% does not review holistically, and agree 100% that if your not gonna accept without test score then make it mandatory. They made it crystal clear that they had to submit test scores at the tour we went on. But not as clear reading the website.
Also there are many successful people out there who never went to college, never mind didn’t taker the SAT well. Not the college really that I want my daughter going to if they can’t see past that.
As far as exam pass rates go, Auburn Nursing is the best in the state. They say it is competitive, but from what I understand, the acceptance rate is around 88%. There are a few acceptance “waves” each Fall, and the earlier you get accepted, the less involved the process is (for example, round 1 seems like it’s mostly based on grades for a few particular pre-req classes) and then the following rounds include interview, essays etc.
They have changed the admissions process recently, so the pre-req schedule they have to follow can be a little intense. This sets them up to apply for nursing in Fall of their 2nd year.
Also, they are big on “parallel plans” for students who do not end up getting accepted. Unfortunately, I do not think any of them are that great, but they do try to prepare them for worst case scenario in case nursing doesn’t work out.
We toured last week. In the presentation, they referred to it as “test preferred” not test optional. Based on what I’m seeing here, that certainly seems true. They said submit scores unless they truly do not represent your abilities. I’d think your daughter will be in RD when they can evaluate more thoroughly but it’s a long wait for that and she has good options elsewhere (some of which my son is considering too). I’d be surprised if they’re not back to test required next year based on the emphasis they are placing on SAT/ACT.
There is a question on Auburn’s FAQ’s about “Can I change my mind about test-optional choice?” The answer is: You may request to update your information only if we have not made an admissions decision on your application. Once you receive an admissions decision your test-optional choice is confirmed and cannot be changed.
On my daughter’s deferred status website the question is specifically addressed and it says:
CAN I CHANGE MY APPLICATION TO TESTOPTIONAL OR WITH A TEST SCORE?
No. Since you have received an admission decision, your chosen
application pathway is confirmed and cannot be changed.
So I guess “Deferred” is considered an admissions decision, even though it repeatedly says the application remains under consideration. Seems like they would want a full picture of her application.
Disappointing this is the case as we would submit the test scores if it makes that much of a difference.
Thanks for sharing, I wish we had known about their real attitude on test scores and we would have just submitted.
We are (were) scheduled to visit the 1st weekend in December, but we’ll probably cancel now, due to the deferred status and that fact that it’s a flight from STL, rental car and hotel and Auburn specifically says a campus tour doesn’t improve your chances of admission. Geez…
That is so odd - why would they not want that piece of information when they clearly really really want that piece of information? Thank you for sharing what you’re seeing on your side. Sorry I added to the confusion. We did know about Auburn’s testing stance but only through word of mouth. It should be clearer that students are putting themselves at a disadvantage by not submitting.
They are very open about the fact that their acceptance rate is below 10% for those who apply test optional. I understand your frustration - but at least they admit to this information on their tours. Has your daughter taken a test? If so, maybe you can reach out and submit now for consideration in the next round?
They may be open about that on their tours, but they certainly haven’t open about it on their website. We live nearly 10 hours away and haven’t visited yet. We saw the campus in 2020 with our oldest who was looking, but that was during COVID and there weren’t many people around. We saw enough to know it would be a good fit for our daughter and planned to visit in early December. No chance to add test scores now, according to Auburn as a “decision” has already been rendered. It frankly would have been much easier and clearer if they just dropped the test optional option and required test scores for everyone.
I think it’s widely discussed on this site and in the Auburn FB groups. You’re not the only parent who I’ve seen post about their disappointment but a lot of people do know this from their research. Alabama requires Auburn to serve in state students first so honestly, it makes sense that while they are building their class, test-optional OOS students are an easy choice to get deferred/ denied.
Additionally, without submitting test scores, then the student would not be eligible for merit scholarships. This makes it more cost prohibitive and more likely the student goes elsewhere (especially OOS). Maybe it’s their way of weeding out those that may be less likely to enroll?
Our son Class of 2026 was accepted OOS AU Pre-Nursing 2 years ago and decided to stay in Florida in a Nursing “Freshman Direct Admit” program. We did a deep dive on AU Nursing 2 years ago using 2021 numbers. In 2021 it was “somewhat” competitive. If you have a 3.5 GPA and a MANDATORY 3.5 GPA in your Pre-Nursing classes you are IN. Nothing BELOW A 'B" in Pre-Nursing Classes IS POLICY. Selections are made late Sophomore year. Additionally the Nursing School likes to see “shadowing” during the Freshman Summer. Just makes the application more competitive. We also were not impressed that there was no “MEGA Medical Center” or Hospital Campus in the area, making driving everywhere for clinicals during Junior/Senior years a must.
Actually, AU OOS “high performer” numbers applying have been going through the roof since 2021 and the Freshman class numbers are rising every year. For example, just 2 years ago freshmen were guaranteed on-campus housing. Now with my S26’s admittance package, they are only guaranteeing 65% On Campus, so the high-performer early admits are good, and later admits will be challenged to find on-campus housing. AU has poured a lot of money into OOS high-performer marketing and selection, according to our recruiter, and long-term AU sees themselves with their “Engineering Footprint” approaching 50% and competing with the likes of Duke. Even when we visited campus AU was selling itself as a “public school but with a private selective attitude”.
Correct Merit Scholarships are posted online as being awarded in November. However, 2 years ago with S26 his Presidential Scholarship was showing on “His Profile in AU Access” Within a day of acceptance, the “letter” came later.
AU straight up DOES NOT make holistic decisions for the “First Round”. It is simple composite scoring. An example ONLY, say GPA 5.5 x 10 or maybe 100 + SAT 1540 would equal = 1595 or 15,595, and then Admissions sets a “CUT SCORE”. You over you are IN, Lower OUT. They are dealing with 10s of thousands of applications. Our OOS recruiter for Florida told us many times (“Wink, Wink”) that HAVE TO SUBMIT test scores to be considered for Early Decision, regardless of what Admissions says in writing. There are other schools saying the same thing, Test Optional is NOT really Test Optional for Early Decision.
Unfortunately, I do not think any of them are that great, but they do try to prepare them for worst case scenario in case nursing doesn’t work out.