Take Standardized Tests
We’ll say it again: The most important criteria in the freshman admissions decision are your high school academic record and your SAT-I or ACT scores. In the 2004 Freshman class at UMass Amherst the average SAT score was 1140. The UMass Amherst application will give you all the details you need on how to send your test scores to us. You probably already know more about the SAT-I and the ACT than you ever thought possible, but if you need more information, you can check out the SAT or ACT websites. UMass Amherst does not require applicants to submit scores from Achievement Tests, but they can strengthen an application.
English Proficiency Test Requirements
If you are not a native speaker of English, you are required to demonstrate your English language proficiency in one of the following ways:
SAT-I critical reading (verbal) score
Non-native speakers with a SAT-I critical reading (verbal) score of 400 or higher do not need to take the TOEFL or ELPT.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or English Language Placement Test (ELPT)
You must submit official copies of scores. For the TOEFL, a minimum score of 550 or better (213 or better on the computer-based TOEFL) is required, although achieving this score does not guarantee admission. For the ELPT, a minimum score of 968 or better is required, although achieving that score does not guarantee admission.
Prueba de Aptitud Academica (PAA)
If you are a freshman, Stockbridge, or transfer applicant applying directly from Puerto Rico, you may take the TOEFL, ELPT, or the PAA, and must submit official score reports.
TOEFL/ELPT/PAA Exemption
If you are a transfer applicant currently studying in the U.S. and have completed two (non-ESL) English composition courses with grades of B or better, you may be exempt from the TOEFL or ELPT requirement. This exemption is not automatic but is based upon a review of your complete academic history, which must include above-average performance in several humanities and social science courses.
Go to the TOEFL website for more information on that test.
