To Test or Not to Test: The Shifting Sands of SAT/ACT Requirements in Admissions
Headlines have been popping up in recent months about schools going back to SAT/ACT being required for the class of 2026 and beyond. Chances are there will be more colleges jumping on the “test scores required” bandwagon as the year unfolds. Colleges who already have gone back to testing required are also some of the nation’s most competitive schools - Brown, MIT, Yale, Dartmouth.
This isn’t a coincidence. These colleges have some of the highest name recognition and are among the most prestigious. In a manner of speaking, they get the first pick of the draw and are also the trendsetters and harbinger of things to come.
So why are colleges deciding to return to the ‘Testing Required’ policy?
For two main reasons:
The researchers at these colleges have looked at the raw data of students on their respective campuses and found that even more than the high school GPA, SAT scores were reliable indicators of academic achievements and first year of college GPA. This correlation held true even across different demographic subgroups - race, income levels, geography. SAT/ ACT test scores continue to be a strong predictor of academic success. For the past couple of decades, grade inflation has been a trend which only accelerated during the pandemic, Test Scores down GPA Up
Finding testing centers where students can take the SAT/ACTs is no longer a challenge. This wasn’t the case at the height of the pandemic when testing centers were closed down due to health and safety concerns, the primary reason for schools going test optional.
When should I be submitting test scores to colleges and when should I hold them back?
Test scores alone have never been the sole determinant of college admissions. Both test-optional and test-required colleges consider test scores within the context of an applicant's academic record.
SAT/ACT test scores do not compensate for what is not on the transcript, but including them allows colleges to get a fuller picture of a student’s academic profile. Rigor, GPA, grades, and transcripts are all data points for academic readiness that colleges consider.
In the absence of scores, colleges are left with the task of digging deeper into the other components of the application, the school profile, and the recommendation letters to determine how students fit into the profile of the class they are trying to shape.
But, I am not applying to super competitive schools. Do I still need the test scores?
#ItDepends
Unlike a few years ago, when answering this question was relatively straightforward, this answer has become much more contextualized. Even during the height of test-optional admissions, students who submitted test scores with their application had a better rate of acceptance than students who did not.
Beyond the Ivies, there have been many state university systems (like FL, TX, GA), specific programs (like Nursing/ Engineering/ Business) and merit scholarships that have always leaned heavily towards seeing test scores on the application.
For most students it absolutely makes sense to get to their personal best score. This approach keeps all options open for deciding where to apply and how to approach the application.
More specifically, consider this rule of thumb: if you are looking at programs/colleges with under a 50% rate of selectivity, aiming for your personal best score possible should be the goal.
It is safer to assume that for another year or two, the test-optional pack will continue to shift and rebalance, but it is hard for us to imagine a scenario where test optional will not be around.
For all the hoopla around the ‘craziest admissions season’ ever, the hard fact remains that many colleges across the country are also hurting for enrollment. For these colleges, ‘Test Optional’ will continue to be the way to attract applicants who are looking for more flexibility.
Having said that, there are also growing voices of discontent among families and educators who are starting to feel that the whole gray area around ‘test optional’ is somewhat disingenuous on the part of colleges. Holding their cards close to their chests and using ‘holistic’ admissions flags has created a situation where application numbers have skyrocketed and where there are no more ‘target’ or ‘safety’ schools left for the students.
