UNLV changing test requirements for incoming freshmen

Students walk southbound in the quad area during the first day of the fall semester at UNLV Monday, August 23, 2010.

Thursday, March 21, 2013 | 2 a.m.

Starting this fall, UNLV requires all applicants to submit an SAT or ACT score as part of the admissions process. New freshmen will not be able to register for classes if scores are not received.

There is no minimum score to get in to UNLV; however, the ACT or SAT score will be used to place students into first-year English and math classes. High scores on the ACT and SAT can help students become considered for merit-based scholarships.

If a student doesn't meet the minimum 3.0 high school GPA requirement in English, math, social science and natural science, UNLV may use a student's SAT or ACT score as part of the admissions process.

Transfer students who have completed college-level math and English courses are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores, although UNLV highly recommends it.

UNLV applicants seem to favor the SAT over the ACT by a margin of 2-to-1.

Nearly 2,300 first-time freshman students who enrolled at UNLV in fall 2012 submitted their SAT test score. The average SAT score was 997 out of a maximum 2,400 points.

Nearly 1,100 first-time freshman students who enrolled at UNLV in fall 2012 submitted their ACT score. The average ACT score was 21 out of a maximum 36 points.

About a quarter of UNLV freshmen enrolling in fall 2012 were in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. About 55 percent were in the top quarter of their graduating class.

The average high school GPA of first-time, freshman students at UNLV was 3.24. A little more than a quarter of freshmen had a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.