LSU to Consider Reinstating Standardized Test Requirement for Admissions

University board to vote on proposal to require test scores for students with sub-3.5 GPAs starting in 2027

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors will meet on Friday to consider a proposal to reinstate a requirement for most incoming freshmen to submit standardized test scores starting in the summer of 2027. The move comes five years after the board previously said applicants could apply without test scores. Under the new proposal, students with a high school GPA below 3.5 would have to submit test scores, with the requirement expanding to all applicants by 2028.

Why it matters

LSU officials say they have found that students who applied without test scores had lower retention rates and GPAs, with first-term GPAs averaging 0.29 points lower. The change would help LSU align with other SEC universities, half of which now require test scores for some or all applicants, and support student success.

The details

The proposal would require students with a high school GPA below 3.5 to submit standardized test scores starting in the summer of 2027. By the summer of 2028, all applicants to LSU would need to submit test scores regardless of their GPA.

  • The LSU Board of Supervisors will meet on Friday, February 27, 2026 to consider the proposal.
  • If approved, the new test score requirement would take effect starting in the summer of 2027.

The players

LSU Board of Supervisors

The governing body of Louisiana State University that oversees the university's policies and operations.

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What’s next

If the proposal is approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors, the new standardized test score requirement would take effect starting in the summer of 2027.

The takeaway

This decision by LSU reflects a broader trend among universities, with half of SEC schools now requiring test scores for at least some applicants. The move aims to support student success, though it remains to be seen how it will impact access and diversity in LSU's student body.