When it comes to getting into college, a previous part of your application might not be required in order to be accepted. YNN's Vince Gallagher explains.

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Test optional means, in most cases, that students applying for college may choose whether they want their SAT or ACT scores considered as part of their application. Mary Grondahl, from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, explains how it's part of a bigger picture.

"We wanted to be part of the national conversation about going test optional for college admission, and our professional organization called NACK-ACK, it's the Professional Organization of College Admission Personnel and Guidance Counselors really urged colleges and universities really think seriously on how colleges use test and admissions," said Grondahl.

The College of Saint Rose joins a list of 98 colleges across the state which are now test optional. Others include Ithaca and SUNY Potsdam. Rules can vary from campus to campus, rigorous college prep courses and accomplishments in high school are always important.

"The High School Grade Point Average and the courses students select in high school far and away outpace the correlation of validity in being able to be successful in college," said Grondahl.

With some 850 colleges and universities going test optional, this is becoming more and more popular, but it doesn't mean that test taking is over, it just means that many campuses, like Saint Rose, are looking for more than just numbers and scores.

"We're going to spend our time looking at your transcript, the kinds of course you're taking, how well you did in those courses, we want to find out about you and your leadership characteristics," said Grondahl.

YNN talked to some future college students to get their view on this and again, there's more to this than your scoreboard.

"You need to do extra curricular activities outside of school just to show not that your just a good student but you're a good citizen too," said Tom Mathesonton, a prospective college student.

"It's good to be involved in everything, it makes you a more well-rounded person," said Katie Lestowski, another college hopeful.

Feedback has been positive for many participating colleges, including Saint Rose.

"We're really going to do a lot of study over the course of the next year to make sure that the students who come here can ultimately be successful, that's what admissions people do," said Grondahl.

Looks like these colleges are making the grade in more ways than one.