Why Colleges Are Ending Test-Optional Policies

After years of suspending standardized testing requirements due to the pandemic, a growing number of colleges are reversing course. A list that once read like a who’s who of test-optional adopters now includes a growing group of institutions that once again expect applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Recent colleges to being requiring test scores again include Brown, Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth. Public flagships like the University of Florida and University of Georgia have re-established testing mandates for all applicants. Others, like Auburn and UNC Chapel Hill, require test scores for students with lower GPAs.

It's important to note that GPA has also become a significantly less reliable indicator due to grade inflation. 

This shift comes as research from several universities shows troubling trends: students who applied without scores were more likely to earn poor grades, switch out of challenging majors like engineering, and even leave college before completing a degree.

For colleges, this poses a financial challenge - it's harder to get transfer students to fill in gaps, rather than keeping students who enroll freshman year. High turnover in 2nd and 3rd years can wreak havoc on a college's financials. 

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Why Colleges Are Reinstating Tests

The return to required testing reflects more than a philosophical shift. Several colleges reported to trustees and state boards that students admitted without test scores were more likely to struggle in foundational math and writing courses. Institutions like MIT and Georgia Tech, which reinstated testing early, cited clear academic benefits and retention gains among students who submitted scores.

Some colleges also face financial pressures tied to low graduation rates. When students leave school early, the institution often loses money, not just in tuition revenue, but in future alumni giving and rankings performance. Predictive modeling often shows test scores, particularly when used alongside GPA, can be reliable indicators of success in specific programs.

Universities are also facing increased scrutiny from legislatures and accreditors on enrollment outcomes. In STEM-focused majors especially, admissions offices are finding that math scores help identify students who are likely to succeed in demanding coursework.

New Expectations For Applicants

While test-optional policies aren’t disappearing overnight, students applying to selective programs or STEM majors are now being encouraged to submit scores even at schools where tests remain optional.

Some universities, like Vanderbilt, have adopted “test preferred” language, a signal to applicants that scores could help them stand out. At others, like Boston University, test policies vary by college or program.

Applicants from high schools where testing is common and high scores are the norm may also be at a disadvantage if they apply without scores. Admissions officers are increasingly considering the context of a student’s high school in evaluating their application without standardized results.

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Colleges No Requiring Or Preferring Test Scores

Here is a list of colleges that have reinstated SAT or ACT testing requirements (or now strongly prefer them), sorted alphabetically:

• Auburn University (required below a GPA threshold)
• Boston College
• Boston University (exceptions apply)
• Brown University
• California Institute of Technology 
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Clemson University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Dartmouth College
• Duke University
• Emory University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia Institute of Technology 
• Harvard University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
• New York University
• Northwestern University
• Princeton University
• Purdue University
• Rice University
• Stanford University
• Tufts University
• University of Chicago
• University of Florida (System)
• University of Georgia (System)
• University of Illinois
• University of Maryland
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan (test preferred)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (required below GPA threshold)
• University of Tennessee (System)
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Virginia
• University of Wisconsin–Madison (test preferred)
• Vanderbilt University (test preferred)
• Villanova University
• Washington University in St. Louis 
• Yale 

Editor's Note: This list is not complete as more colleges are requiring tests for admissions every week. This list has been updated to reflect that USC is remaining test-optional. 

What Families Should Watch

Applicants considering engineering, business, or data science programs should pay close attention to changing admissions language. Even at schools that remain technically test-optional, not submitting a score could signal that a student’s academic profile may not match the rigor of the program they are applying for.

For students with strong test scores, submitting them is increasingly viewed as a competitive edge rather than a hurdle.

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