Score Optional Consideration

Qualifying for score optional review does NOT guarantee admission to Mason.

Score optional review provides an opportunity for applicants to be considered for admission without submitting or in disregard of standardized test scores. Admission to Mason remains a very competitive process, and score optional candidates will each be considered on their own merits.

Applicants may opt for score optional review at the time of making their application to Mason.

The following Criteria and Requirements must be met by an applicant in order for the applicant to be considered without test scores:

• Student must have achieved a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale (grades 9-11)
• Student must have pursued a challenging academic curriculum as demonstrated, where available, by having taken a number of IB and/or AP courses (or the most challenging courses available at school).
• Student must be ranked, or estimated, in the top 20 percent of the high school class.

Additional Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit all documents required for regular admission and:

• Submit two additional letters of recommendation from teachers in academic subjects who can attest to the student?s academic abilities.
• Submit an essay which addresses one of the questions listed under the Scholarship Consideration section.
• Ensure that the high school guidance counselor completes the "rank in class" or the "alternative rank in class" section of the Secondary School Report.

Students Who Cannot Be Considered Under Score Optional Review Process

• Applicants who wish to be considered for the Honors Program in General Education
• Applicants who wish to be considered for the University Scholars and Scholarship Program (Note: Score optional students are eligible to be considered for all other scholarships)
• Applicants who are applying to the following majors: Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Systems Engineering
• Home-schooled students
• Applicants who are seeking to become a member of one of Mason's NCAA intercollegiate athletic teams

Non-native English-speaking students may still be asked to provide TOEFL scores.