Score Plus

Let's face it -- some strong students just don't do well on standardized tests. More and more schools are recognizing this fact, and the list of test-optional colleges continues to grow. Other excellent colleges require standardized test scores, but their average scores are well below what we see for the Ivy League and elite liberal arts colleges.

Of the 20 colleges and universities in the list below, many are highly selective schools with test-optional admissions policies. Others are colleges that offer top-notch academics, but are likely to admit students with mid-range SAT scores.

Arcadia University

Located just 25 minutes from Center City, Philadelphia, Arcadia University features small classes and one of the best study abroad programs in the country. Visitors can't miss the stunning historic landmark, Gray Towers Castle.

Location: Glenside, Pennsylvania

SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 500 / 610

SAT Math (Middle 50%): 490 / 590

Test-Optional? No

Bowdoin College

Bowdoin is the most selective college on this list, so applicants will need an impressive academic and extra-curricular record. The school was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its excellent in the liberal arts and sciences, and the school recently changed its financial aid practices so that all new students will graduate debt free.

Location: Brunswick, Maine

SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 650 / 740

SAT Math (Middle 50%): 650 / 730

Test-Optional? Yes

College of the Atlantic

COA features a beautiful location on the Maine coast, a carbon-neutral campus with impressive environmental initiatives, a 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum with a Human Ecology focus.

Location: Bar Harbor, Maine

SAT Reading (average score): 647

SAT Math (average score): 589

Test-Optional? Yes

George Mason University

The 2009 U.S. News & World Report ranked George Mason #1 among "up and coming" colleges, and it's easy to see why with the school's rapid expansion since its founding in 1972. The university's preprofessional programs such as business, engineering, education and nursing are all popular among undergraduates.

Location: Fairfax, Virginia

SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 500 / 600

SAT Math (Middle 50%): 520 / 610

Test-Optional? Yes

Hampshire College


Hampshire College has never been fond of conformity, so it's no surprise the school has test-optional admissions. If you like to think outside the box, if you enjoy debate, if you'd like to design your own major, if you'd like to be evaluated qualitatively, not quantitatively -- then Hampshire might be a good choice.

Location: Amherst, Massachusetts

SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 610 / 700

SAT Math (Middle 50%): 540 / 660

Test-Optional? Yes