Standardized Testing Not Required to Apply to Drew

For decades, Drew has been a school dedicated to putting students at the center of everything we do and every decision we make. This commitment requires us to be reflective, intentional, and nimble, allowing us to pivot whenever it is in the best interest of our students, applicants and their education. When it comes to our admissions process, our approach is no different. We have always taken a mission-aligned whole-person approach to the admissions process, exploring all aspects of our applicants and prioritizing equity, access, and inclusion. Last year we took steps to make Drew more accessible by hosting the Bay Area’s first-ever high school open house in Spanish. We also began accepting the HSPT test in addition to the SSAT and ISEE to help reduce barriers to entry. Yet while these steps certainly addressed our commitment to access and inclusion, we continued to wrestle with the use of standardized testing in the admissions process as being truly reflective of our educational approach or how we seek to measure learning outcomes.

Due to the global pandemic we are facing, we recognize that it is imperative that we make further adjustments. These unprecedented circumstances have reinforced our existing concerns regarding equity and the fact that standardized testing does not align with what we value and measure in education at Drew. Lastly we know that testing sites in the Bay Area and beyond are highly limited and much uncertainty exists with at-home testing solutions. As a result, the Office of Admissions at Drew will not consider standardized tests such as the SSAT, ISEE, and HSPT as a part of our applicant review process for the 20-21 admissions season and we are committed to using this year to investigate a more mission-aligned and equitable approach to gauging academic readiness. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out. 

Please note that Drew remains a proud member of the Enrollment Management Association.