WSU waives 2021 application fee, test requirements for new undergrad students

DAYTON, Ohio — All undergraduate students may now apply to Wright State University for the 2021 summer and fall semester for free.

University officials said they wanted to make it easier for prospective students to become Raiders and Lakers.

Wright State has also instituted a test-optional policy and will not require ACT or SAT test scores from first-year students who apply for admission for summer or fall 2021 or fall 2022. Both policy changes apply to applicants at the Dayton Campus and Lake Campus.

Waiving the application fee and testing requirement will remove barriers that some students and families may encounter because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Rob Durkle, Wright State’s chief recruitment and admissions officer. It is an approach that’s consistent with the university’s mission, he said.

"We want to open up even more opportunities to provide greater access for students who want to attend college," Durkle said.

Wright State is committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to pursue a quality four-year college education, said Jen McCamis, director of admissions at Wright State. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the Office of Admissions has heard from numerous students and families about concerns about finances and access to standardized tests.

"We know that money is tight, and times are tough," McCamis said. "We want to make sure we are serving our community as we work to help students get to college."

The new test-optional admissions process allows students to apply with or without test scores. Because the coronavirus pandemic caused the cancelation of many ACT and SAT test dates in the spring, many students were unable to take the tests. Wright State did not want to penalize those students who have not been able to take either test, McCamis said.

The university will take a more holistic review of each student’s application. “Looking at four years of a high school record of transcript is usually more important than looking at a four-hour exam score,” Durkle said.

The university recognizes that students have financial needs for a variety of reasons, including because of COVID-19 and the state of the economy.

"We believe in the students. We believe in access. We believe in a quality, affordable education for students," McCamis said. "We want to make sure that all students have the opportunity that they want to choose a quality four-year education they deserve."

Learn more

Students can apply for admission to Wright State University at wright.edu/apply.

Cox Media Group