The University of Chicago on Thursday morning announced that it was dropping the requirement that all undergraduate applicants submit SAT or ACT scores.

The middle 50 percent of the range of SAT scores of admitted applicants was 1460 to 1550.

The test-optional policy applies to all students from the United States. The university also announced an expansion of financial aid (for which the university was already on the generous side) and other new policies designed to attract more low-income and first generation students.

Going forward the university will provide:
Full tuition scholarships for students whose families earn less than $125,000.
Scholarships of $20,000 over four years, and a guaranteed paid summer internship, for all first-generation students.
Special new scholarships for children of police officers, fire fighters, veterans and the children of veterans.

In addition, the university announced a new program in which it will invite students to submit a two-minute video introduction of themselves. And the university will allow self-submission of transcripts to minimize the need for students to pay fees.