2021 Best Test Optional Colleges in WisconsinAbout this List

The 2021 Best Test Optional Colleges ranking filters the 2021 Best Colleges ranking to only include colleges that don't require SAT or ACT scores for admission. Due to many colleges updating admissions requirements as a result of the pandemic, please visit the college's website for the most up-to-date requirements. Explore the list of test optional schools to find a college that's right for you. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

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82 results

University of Wisconsin
4 Year
Madison, WI
Rating 3.87 out of 5 3,202 reviews
Freshman: UW-Madison is a great college! I personally enjoyed the social scene and the beautiful campus. Not only are there multiple course options, but most of the courses offered are extremely interesting. The classes can be time-consuming and difficult depending on your major of study. The hard-work pays off though. Professors are really understanding, especially because of the current pandemic. Madison has a great support system for their students and offers really great resources for tutoring. There is also a great variety of extracurriculars at Wisconsin. If you are interested in joining a fraternity or a sorority, rest assured that Madison's Greek life is very active. If Greek life isn't your style, there are still plenty of other ways to make friends and have fun. Weekends are always a good time at Madison. The bar scene on-campus is fun as well. A good rule of thumb for future UW-Madison students is "Work hard, play hard." Attending UW-Madison will produce a fun college experience!
Read 3,202 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
54% Acceptance Rate
$16,103 Net Price
1300-1480 SAT Range
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Milwaukee School of Engineering
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
Rating 3.63 out of 5 457 reviews
Freshman: I have just completed by first year at MSOE as a Nursing major. I have to say that I love it. MSOE's professors are very passionate about what they teach to students and are always super helpful. The campus is in a great area with so much to do around, and it is very beautiful. It is a very hard school and you have to have at least a 77 for nursing prerequisites in order to move to the next class. This is a big challenge for a lot of the students as the classes are not easy, but they can be done with persistence and determination. For social life, it is what you want it to be as it is a small school. You have to find your people just like anywhere else! I've met great friends in my 1st year and we have gone out many weekends together and made great memories. There are plenty of parties, sport events, and more for whatever you like. It is a very safe campus, public safety is great! I love MSOE and I would definitely recommend it for those who want a great education.
Read 457 Reviews
grade A
Overall Niche Grade
62% Acceptance Rate
$25,917 Net Price
1180-1370 SAT Range
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Lawrence University
4 Year
Appleton, WI
Rating 3.67 out of 5 698 reviews
#1 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Alum: Lawrence was a fantastic experience for me. It has the full liberal arts experience, with great integration and collaboration among different departments (especially the conservatory which offers its own bachelor's degree in music) as well as student organizations and community interactions. Professors are approachable and love interacting with students (all undergrads) and offer tons of flexibility for students to choose or create independent study courses. The campus is beautiful. Students are motivated, engaged, creative, and passionate. I graduated in 2012 and the things I learned at Lawrence - technical skills in linguistics and Arabic and music, social skills and networking, ways to think outside the box and take initiative - have served me very well over the past near-decade!
Read 698 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
62% Acceptance Rate
$26,162 Net Price
1200-1430 SAT Range
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Marquette University
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
Rating 3.6 out of 5 2,032 reviews
#2 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Alum: Marquette university IS a pretty acidemic school and you do receive a great education. Campus is cool because there are tons of houses around campus each with their own name that have parties and are super fun to live in with friends once you move "off campus"! Milwaukee is an awesome city I was honestly surprised/ impressed coming from LA . We have the most bars per square ft of any city in America that you WILL frequent as an upperclassman. The city has tons of festivals and Summerfest that happen on closed-off streets. It's a big beer city so you WILL end up going on every brewery tour and its awesome. A lot of seniors do peddle taverns and bike ones where you basically take a bar on wheels or in the water that your group of like 7 peddles with their feet while they serve you drinks . I was in greek life and had a great time, its not anything like the south but its still a good time and I would recommend it. You do not need to be greek at Marquette most people actually aren't
Read 2,032 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
83% Acceptance Rate
$34,120 Net Price
1120-1320 SAT Range
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University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
4 Year
La Crosse, WI
Rating 3.72 out of 5 1,568 reviews
#3 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Freshman: I’m an incoming freshman into the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, and I’m already super eager and excited to start school and learn new things. The campus is beautiful, including an amazing football field, students with smiles on their faces, and beautiful brick buildings. I’m majoring in chemistry and they just got a new science building, that is so exciting! The ceiling shows wires going around the building and it makes me even more excited about learning chemistry. In addition to the beautiful campus, La Crosse has a very high graduating rate, high student focus, and an amazing view on life as we go on into being independent adults. I rate the University of Wisconsin La Crosse five stars because they give the students what they want, and they honestly deserve it. The low tuition is a terrific benefit as well, as my parents also agree.
Read 1,568 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
73% Acceptance Rate
$12,167 Net Price
— SAT Range
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St. Norbert College
4 Year
De Pere, WI
Rating 3.75 out of 5 697 reviews
Sophomore: I cannot express how much I love SNC! The professors are personal and want to see their students succeed, the campus is absolutely gorgeous, and there are so many ways to get involved and stay busy. Saint Norbert College is also located near several attractions which include parks, trails, coffee shops, stores, and restaurants.
Read 697 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
80% Acceptance Rate
$26,540 Net Price
1000-1300 SAT Range
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Fox Valley Technical College
2 Year
Appleton, WI
Rating 4.03 out of 5 306 reviews
Alum: This is a small college but the instructors are fantastic and are so willing to put the student first. Success is a huge driving factor at this school and no matter what program a student decides to enroll in or just a class to keep up with general education requirements, FVTC is going to deliver in so many unexpected ways. I highly recommend!
Read 306 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$10,417 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Western Technical College - Wisconsin
2 Year
La Crosse, WI
Rating 3.96 out of 5 209 reviews
Freshman: There are so many opportunities here! If you want to take online classes or face-to-face classes or even a mixture of both, you have that option. They do have quite a bit of diversity, even during this pandemic. It's a great college if you are planning to transfer, take a couple of classes during summer break, or looking for a 2-year degree!
Read 209 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,122 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
2 Year
Shell Lake, WI
Rating 4.03 out of 5 180 reviews
Niche User: Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is full of great advisors and instructors. Great tutoring program and labs. I know several alumni and current students and all of them along with me will recommend this college. It's also affordable. Much cheaper than other colleges. I like the fact that you can go to the campus labs for help as well. I was having problems, didn't know all this help was possible to keep on track, and was impressed. They are wonderful while working with students with disabilities. I have personal experiences with all of these and cannot be more pleased with Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College!
Read 180 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$10,723 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
2 Year
Fennimore, WI
Rating 4.41 out of 5 66 reviews
Freshman: I love all my instructors, they always have people in the office willing to help with your needs. With the COVID-19 a lot has changed but they are still 100 percent dedicated to their students.
Read 66 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,629 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Wisconsin Lutheran College
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
Rating 3.72 out of 5 444 reviews
Freshman: The campus is small, which can be viewed as a good or a bad thing. The community on campus is very welcoming and friendly! Tons of awesome opportunities to participate in fun events for little to no money, as well as free food ALL THE TIME. Seriously. Every Tuesday is Phat Tuesday and they get a different food from chain restaurants or bakeries. Next week we are having Buffalo Wild Wings.
Read 444 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
89% Acceptance Rate
$21,836 Net Price
1020-1290 SAT Range
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University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
4 Year
Eau Claire, WI
Rating 3.57 out of 5 1,426 reviews
#4 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Freshman: This college has a really gorgeous campus and a lot of fun opportunities that include floating down the river, a rock climbing course and beach volleyball among other things! Although I wish that there was more diversity throughout the campus, there are a lot of really amazing opportunities for leadership in diversity and equity clubs, along with other clubs and opportunities to help be apart of social change. The intramural clubs and sports have been really fun and UWEC has found a safe way for students to be involved in sports and activities during the global pandemic. I am a biochemistry major on a pre-med route and I have also been able to be a part of a lot of Pre-medicine preparation clubs and meetings, which have been very helpful in regards of what classes to take and where to volunteer to help me get to medical school.
Read 1,426 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
82% Acceptance Rate
$14,010 Net Price
— SAT Range
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University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
4 Year
Whitewater, WI
Rating 3.61 out of 5 1,332 reviews
#5 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Alum: Overall my time at UW Whitewater was wonderful! I met some of my best friends there, learned a lot from all of my professors, and enjoyed campus a lot. I lived in student housing for the first two years, and the dorms were, overall, a good experience. They were clean and maintained, and fairly central to everywhere I needed to be on campus. All of the professors were very well versed in their subjects and always seemed to be willing to answer questions and speak with students about anything they needed. Creating my schedule was easy as well through the online applications. I had a job on campus and competed with the Forensics team, which was an amazing experience itself. Competing with the team allowed me to travel and reach farther than my comfort zone to grow my public speaking skills and fight for things that I believe in. I personally found most of the staff helpful and friendly throughout campus. As many schools, some of the dining areas need some improvements.
Read 1,332 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
79% Acceptance Rate
$12,309 Net Price
890-1110 SAT Range
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Beloit College
4 Year
Beloit, WI
Rating 3.59 out of 5 568 reviews
#6 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Alum: Beloit College changed my life! The campus is absolutely magical and enjoyable though all four seasons. The classes prepare you for critical thinking and setting yourself apart from others in the 'real world.' Beloit offered many internship and research opportunities for all majors and departments (even for an English major, like myself) which helped me for my career after Beloit. I made amazing connections with caring professors and amazing people over a nice meal in our dining hall. Campus was always alive with music and students playing frisbee on the quad. There were always lectures, movies and fun student-lead events to attend during the week and weekend. It's like nowhere else!
Read 568 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
62% Acceptance Rate
$24,493 Net Price
1080-1380 SAT Range
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Waukesha County Technical College
2 Year
Pewaukee, WI
Rating 3.99 out of 5 199 reviews
Sophomore: During my first year attending WCTC. I can say that the college has excellent academics, positive student life, and safe friendly campus. I have found over the course of two semesters that the amount of resources given to each student to help them succeed is endless! As well as resources, the professors and staff are very helpful in addressing the specific needs of each student. In terms of improvements the college could make, I would like to see an increasing amount of student-run clubs to go along with their academic clubs. If this were improved, I believe that the connection between such a diverse group of students could further grow. Overall I would recommend WCTC to people of all ages looking to have a well-paced, intimate, and successful education.
Read 199 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,892 Net Price
— SAT Range
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University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
Rating 3.52 out of 5 3,177 reviews
#7 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Senior: I am a transfer student from UW-Oshkosh, I am now a senior pursuing a double major in Physics and Biomedical Engineering. I am 21 years old. I completed my physics portion at UW-Oshkosh but since they do not have the Biomedical portion I had to transfer to UW-Milwaukee. Cool thing about it though is that all my credits transferred with no problem because it is a dual degree; meaning UW-Oshkosh and UW-Milwaukee will provide 2 degrees for me for when I graduate from my undergraduate.

I am pleased with the amount of things I am able to do on and off of campus even with the pandemic happening. Although meeting other students may be a challenge, it is a pleasant environment once on campus! All the buildings provide free resources and free WiFi! The professors are also very understanding during these hard times and are more than happy to help students who have questions! I am one of those students who ask various questions so do not be scared to walk out of your comfort zone!
Read 3,177 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
77% Acceptance Rate
$14,822 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
2 Year
Green Bay, WI
Rating 4.08 out of 5 261 reviews
Freshman: Grest school. Flexible schedules available as nd great teachers! You are in classrooms with a diverse group of people. Different ages, races as nd experience. I would recommend this technical college for anyone whether you have just graduated highschool or if you are returning to school in your forties. Not to mention, the cost of most classes is very reasonable. The school offers s greats cyber area, library and cafe. I'm pretty sure they offer child care as well!
Read 261 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,164 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Chippewa Valley Technical College
2 Year
Eau Claire, WI
Rating 3.88 out of 5 175 reviews
Sophomore: Chippewa Valley Technical College has been nothing short of an amazing experience so far. From my first day of orientation, the staff were incredibly helpful and went out of their way to make me feel comfortable. My professors are very involved and always do more than they need to. They are so concerned about my success, along with my peers. They never hesitate to take time out of their day if I am struggling and make sure everyone is involved and learning. My professors also make sure we are challenged, but not overwhelmed. I feel like I have learned so much in the short year that I have been attending here. I am so glad I chose Chippewa Valley Technical College and would recommend it to anybody!
Read 175 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,802 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Northcentral Technical College
2 Year
Wausau, WI
Rating 3.8 out of 5 162 reviews
Freshman: Great school! I love the teachers, they truly care about your success in the course you are in. Also, the staff is super helpful in helping you with whatever you may need. I recommend this school to anyone. Also has a program to go to a university after you complete your 2 years to get a bachelors degree for way cheaper!
Read 162 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$9,820 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Northland College
4 Year
Ashland, WI
Rating 3.82 out of 5 271 reviews
#8 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Alum: Northland is an amazing little school on the Big Lake. Full of passionate people and interesting programs that help students learn how to think critically and make the world better!
Read 271 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
67% Acceptance Rate
$19,822 Net Price
980-1105 SAT Range
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University of Wisconsin - Superior
4 Year
Superior, WI
Rating 3.5 out of 5 270 reviews
#9 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Freshman: The international admission team is the best admission team in the Universe, as compared to other international admission team of other Universities and Colleges, that means diversity at University of wisconsin Super stand tall above other diversities in United State of America, the professors are amazing in all aspects, they really deliver to achieve world class education, where students has hands on skills to face the challenges of this advance world. Trust me, the Chancellor Renee and vice Chancellor Marie Curso are in these high position of University of Wisconsin Superior not by mistake, they deserve heights to steer the University, their experience has reach to the extreme of this world, including Africa, especially Uganda.
Read 270 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
82% Acceptance Rate
$12,695 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Nicolet Area Technical College
2 Year
Rhinelander, WI
Rating 3.95 out of 5 82 reviews
Freshman: The teachers and other staff are fantastic. They do there best to help you through college and try to make you feel as comfortable as possible! I also love the area that Nicolet is at, surrounded by trees and nature. It makes walking around campus relaxing!
Read 82 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
100% Acceptance Rate
$7,002 Net Price
— SAT Range
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University of Wisconsin - Platteville
4 Year
Platteville, WI
Rating 3.58 out of 5 1,058 reviews
#10 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Graduate Student: Quality instructors who understand the material.Clean modules, supportive faculty, and academic advisors are readily available. Preview week is setup for you to get started before the term begins, as there are assignments due weekly, which is beneficial. Assignments include discussions, team projects, quizzes, and papers, all with a fair grading system. Canvas has a user friendly interface, and instructors post their material in a timely manner. Advisors are there to help you each step of the way, and are knowledgeable and supportive. Financial aid is available, but not so much for distance students, many local scholarships it seems. Online library is comprehensive and easy to navigate. Classes are geared towards your major, but also have plenty of elective classes, providing a diverse and well-round educational experience. Many classes are being converted to 8 week module, rather than a full 16 week term, allowing more options and to focus on one class at time
Read 1,058 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
85% Acceptance Rate
$14,611 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Ripon College
4 Year
Ripon, WI
Rating 3.35 out of 5 526 reviews
#11 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Junior: The unique curriculum design with dedicated faculty, diversity, fellowship, and leadership made the choice an easy one to make. I am thankful that I chose to attend Ripon College! I know my education will prepare me for what lies ahead. And the skills both on the soccer field and off, I know I can transfer my leadership skills to a successful career after graduation!
Read 526 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
70% Acceptance Rate
$22,830 Net Price
990-1220 SAT Range
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Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
4 Year
Milwaukee, WI
Rating 3.66 out of 5 233 reviews
#12 Best Test Optional Colleges in Wisconsin
Freshman: My experience at Milwaukee institute of art and design has been amazing. It is my first semester as a freshman, and I never believed I would have been able to learn soo much in such little time. MIAD has a freshman program which put you in classes that give you a little bit of each major so you have an entire semester to choose your majors and minors. This school provides you with amazing teachers, and have a maximum of around 20 students per classroom. Which leaves lots of room for questions and for the instructor to work with you one on one. MIAD uses apartments instead of dorms which is amazing, every student shares a full kitchen and two full bathrooms and a living room with 5 other students (2 students in one room 3 in the other) and they are across the school! :). This school is also located in Milwaukee safest and artsy part of the city in the third ward. And not to worry about transportation, the school comes with a free bus cards so you are able to get around.
Read 233 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
68% Acceptance Rate
$25,557 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Shenandoah University
4 Year
Winchester, VA
Rating 3.58 out of 5 823 reviews
Junior: I love it here! The campus is beautiful, and there are many peaceful places for studying. All of my professors are amazing teachers and always there to help me. Tutoring sessions have all been helpful. There are also a lot of free events for students and it has been an easy transition for me to make friends here. I enjoy smaller classes here because I can interact with my professors and get a lot out of the lectures.
Read 823 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
74% Acceptance Rate
$29,311 Net Price
1000-1200 SAT Range
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ECPI Universities
Rating 5 out of 5 4 reviews
Freshman: ECPI University has an excellent practical nursing program. Although a bit pricey, ECPI University is definitely worth attending.
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Viterbo University
4 Year
La Crosse, WI
Rating 3.56 out of 5 402 reviews
Alum: Coming from a small high school in a little rural town, Viterbo was the perfect fit. I knew my professors personally, whether they were in the nursing program or not. The professors cared about my learning and were accommodating to unexpected life events. The coursework was rigorous but prepared me to be an excellent, compassionate nurse. I met amazing friends and was able to be very active in a variety of clubs on campus. Doing my nursing synthesis in Alaska was the icing on the cake!
Read 402 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
77% Acceptance Rate
$20,747 Net Price
1050-1270 SAT Range
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2021 Best Test Optional Colleges in WisconsinAbout this List

Best Programs

Students

Social Scene

Campus

Athletics

University of Wisconsin

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Lawrence University

Marquette University

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

St. Norbert College

Fox Valley Technical College

Western Technical College - Wisconsin

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

Wisconsin Lutheran College

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Beloit College

Waukesha County Technical College

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Northcentral Technical College

Northland College

University of Wisconsin - Superior

Nicolet Area Technical College

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Ripon College

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Shenandoah University

ECPI Universities

Viterbo University