List of Colleges Dropping & Reinstating ACT/SAT Requirements
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities dropped the SAT/ACT and became test optional or test free. Which schools have kept these changes in place, and which have changed their policies?
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities dropped the SAT/ACT and became test optional or test free. Some schools have kept these changes in place, while others have shifted back toward requiring standardized testing. Notable schools that have reinstated the SAT/ACT include Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, MIT, Caltech, and the entire public university systems of Florida and Georgia.
Why are so many top schools reinstating the SAT/ACT?
SAT/ACT scores are a strong predictor in assessing a student’s readiness in college.
It helps admissions officers differentiate students. As Sian Leah Beilock, Dartmouth’s President, wrote in a letter to the Dartmouth community, “SAT/ACTs can be especially helpful in identifying students from less-resourced backgrounds who would succeed at Dartmouth but might otherwise be missed in a test-optional environment.”
With more and more schools reinstating the SAT/ACT, it’s worth it for high schools to invest in a high-quality SAT or ACT readiness solution. Horizon Education offers solutions to help schools prepare their students for the SAT, ACT, or both.
Below is a list of colleges that dropped the ACT/SAT requirements during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as colleges that have reinstated them in recent years. While this list is not exhaustive, it provides a clear picture of the trends in college admissions.
To better understand the terms in the list, here is a quick guide:
Test considered: SAT/ACT scores are one of the many factors considered during the admissions process, along with GPA, essays, letters of recommendation, etc.
Test free: SAT/ACT scores are not required in the application process.
Test flexible: While SAT/ACT scores are still accepted and considered, applicants may use other exam scores (such as AP scores) to fulfill their testing requirements.
Test optional: Applicants can choose whether or not to submit their scores.
Test preferred: Submitting ACT/SAT scores is not mandatory but is encouraged.
College SAT/ACT Requirements
College
SAT/ACT Required During Covid (2020)?
Is the SAT/ACT Required Now (2024)?
Did they reinstate the SAT/ACT?
If reinstated, when did/does it go into effect?
Average SAT Score
Average ACT Score
Acceptance Rate
Ivy League Schools
Brown University
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1493
34
5.2%
Columbia University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1524
35
3.9%
Cornell University
No (test optional)
No (test optional or test recommended depending on the college)
No
1530
34
8.7%
Dartmouth College
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1500
34
5.3%
Harvard University
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1520
35
3.6%
Princeton University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1518
34
4.0%
University of Pennsylvania
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1540
34
6.5%
Yale University
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1530
34
3.7%
Top Private Universities
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1545
36
7.0%
Duke University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1510
34
9.0%
Georgetown University
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1450
33
12.0%
John Hopkins University
Yes (test required)
No (test optional)
No
1520
34
8.0%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2022
1543
35
4.5%
Northeastern University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1495
34
6.8%
Northwestern University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1495
34
8.0%
Rice University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1505
34
9.0%
Stanford University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1505
34
4.0%
University of Chicago
No (test optional, adopted in 2018)
No (test optional)
No
1520
34
5.4%
Vanderbilt University
No (test optional)
Yes (test optional until 2027)
Yes
Fall 2027
1505
34
6.7%
Top Public Universities
Arizona State University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1245
26
89.8%
Auburn University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1304
27
43.7%
Colorado State University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1178
26
90.8%
Fairmont State University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1020
21
98.5%
Florida State University (FSU)
Yes (test required)
Still required but offers a test-optional pathway for eligible students
No, it was already required
1270
28
25.0%
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Yes (test required)
Still required
No, it was already required
1450
32
16.0%
Michigan State University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1210
27
88.0%
New Mexico State University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1060
21
78.0%
Purdue University
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2024
1315
29
52.7%
SUNY Schools
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1210
24
56.3%
Texas A&M University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1275
29
62.6%
University of Alabama
No (test optional)
No (test considered)
No
1225
26
80.1%
University of Arizona
No (test optional for general admission but required for selective programs)
No (but still required for selective programs)
No
1245
25
86.8%
University of Arkansas
No (test optional)
No (test optional but only for those with a 3.2 GPA or higher)
No
1124
25
78.9%
University of California Schools
No (test free)
No (test free)
No
1405
31
66.0%
University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder)
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1251
28
80.7%
University of Florida
Yes (test required)
Still required but offers a test-optional pathway for eligible students
No, it was already required
1360
30
30.0%
University of Georgia
Yes (test required)
Still required
No, it was already required
1310
27
42.5%
University of Illinois
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1410
31
43.7%
University of Michigan
No (test flexible)
No (test optional with conditions)
No
1435
33
17.7%
The University of New Mexico
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1150
22
96.1%
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2023
1235
28
68.4%
University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)
No (test optional)
Yes (test required)
Yes
Fall 2025
1355
30
31.4%
University of Wisconsin-Madison
No (test optional)
Yes (test optional until 2027)
Yes
Fall 2027
1390
28
49.1%
West Virginia University
No (test optional)
No (test optional)
No
1150
23
88.4%
Note: Testing requirements are subject to change. It’s important for applicants to check each college’s admissions page before applying.
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