The term “test optional” has been around for decades. The first college to institute a test-optional admissions policy, Bowdoin College, did so in 1969. It wasn’t until 2020, however, when the coronavirus pandemic forced it out of obscurity, that it became known to more than just admissions industry insiders. Suddenly, test-optional policies were brought to the forefront as one of many temporary measures implemented by universities to navigate unforeseen challenges of the pandemic—namely, limited testing options for students. The net effect of the proliferation of these COVID-induced practices was to relieve students, for a time, of the need to submit SAT or ACT scores for admissions.
However, consider the University of Chicago, where many applicants who had struggled with testing felt their chances of acceptance were suddenly improved once the school went test-optional. The reality? The Class of 2023 – the first group of applicants under the test-optional policy – had the lowest acceptance rate and highest standardized test scores in school history (a 5.9% acceptance rate, and average ACT and SAT scores of 34 and 1530, respectively).
Now that the pandemic is years behind us, many schools that were temporarily test-optional have quietly gone back to requiring standardized test scores. Furthermore, an array of new sister terms—such as “test blind,” “test flexible,” “test preferred,” and “test free”—has infiltrated admissions jargon, further confusing families about a process that is already tangled enough. Against this complex backdrop, it’s important to catch our breath and take stock of just what, exactly, is going on with “test optional.”
Timelines
A feature of test optional admissions policies—which families are often unaware of—is that many are actually temporary. They were initiated in 2020 and intended to terminate as COVID restrictions were lifted. As COVID recedes further into memory, many schools have returned to their original test-required policies. For example, Purdue, MIT, and the University System of Georgia’s three most academically competitive institutions (the University of Georgia, Georgia College & State University, and Georgia Tech) were among the first to go this route. For the graduating class of 2025, Cal Tech, Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale resumed requiring tests, and more will do so for the graduating classes of 2026 and subsequent years. It is true that some institutions, such as California’s public university system, will retain their policies for longer (until 2030), and some will even do away with test requirements permanently. Nevertheless, the takeaway is that college-bound students shouldn’t assume “test optional” schools will always remain so, as many of their policies are already approaching an expiration date.
Clarifying Terms
Test Optional
First, it needs to be emphasized that test optional does not mean “don’t submit your test scores.”
Second, broadly speaking, the more accurate meaning of test optional is the intuitive one: students have the option to send their SAT or ACT scores, depending on how they fare, and on the statistics of the institution – they can if they want to, but they are not required to. If you aren’t sure whether or not to submit scores, or to even attempt preparation for the SAT or ACT, one option is to meet with a seasoned counselor who can advise on these strategic questions for your specific circumstances and to take a diagnostic test to see how you score at baseline. That said, a general rule of thumb is that if you fall within a school’s average test score range for its previous year’s admitted students, then submitting your scores is a safe option. And if you score above a school’s average test score range, submitting your scores will even help you. In contrast, if you are below that average threshold, it’s likely submitting the score will do more harm than good.
Third, and more specifically, test optional can mean different things from college to college. Below are a few nuanced definitions within the larger test optional category:
- Some test-optional schools still require test scores, but only for freshman class placement purposes and scholarships.
- Some require scores, but only for students pursuing specific majors, students from out of state, or international students.
- Some decide a student’s test-optional eligibility by considering factors like GPA and class rank.
- Some ask for additional materials instead of test scores, such as academic work, research, or recommendation letters.
- Some have taken on the term “test preferred” to emphasize that, while submission of test scores is technically optional, they would strongly prefer the extra data point by which they can compare candidates.
Before dispensing with test preparation and checking out completely from all things SAT- or ACT-related on the grounds that “more schools are test optional now,” it’s crucial to research the precise meaning of “test optional” at the particular institutions you have in mind, and to determine whether the kind of score you obtain will hurt or hinder your applications. And above all, know that because these policies may change, you may very well be limiting your college list by opting out of testing and leaving things up to chance.
Test Flexible
Test Flexible schools are those that are “flexible” about the kinds of standardized tests they will accept for admissions. In practice, this means they will consider SAT/ACT scores if submitted, but if not submitted, they will also consider Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) test scores instead (and, back before College Board eliminated its SAT Subject test suite, those exams also would have sufficed).
Test Blind, Test Free, Score Free
These terms, you may be relieved (yet annoyed) to find out, all mean the same thing: an admissions policy in which the school will not accept ACT or SAT scores, even when submitted. If you’re interested in schools that refuse to factor SAT/ACT scores into their admissions decisions because you’d like to focus on highlighting other features of your applications, these are the schools you’re looking for. According to a report from FairTest in November of last year, there are just 85 colleges in the United States with this testing policy.
Avoiding the Test Optional Trap
A helpful way to view the concept of test optional is as an umbrella term, under which various exceptional admissions policies (like the ones covered above) can apply, depending on the specific institution in question. Considering the term in this light helps clarify what lurid, click-bait headlines about test optional are actually up to. Articles like “In college admissions, ‘test-optional’ is the new normal” (The Hill) are able to make these claims by simply combining all of the above-mentioned versions—test flexible, test blind, test free, score free, and test optional—into one statistical blob. Without taking into consideration all of the various fine print differences we have now unpacked, this gives the false, watered-down impression that students these days don’t need to worry about the SAT or ACT at all anymore.
Such headlines mislead students and families, causing them to fall into a trap—a test-optional trap—of ignorance and misinformation. For instance, students applying to a test-optional school may forgo test preparation, only to find out—too late—that their application would have greatly benefited from a test score. Others may have a strong SAT/ACT score already but could potentially refrain from submitting it on the grounds that they don't “have” to. Those applying to out-of-state schools could accidentally overlook the fact that scores are actually required of them. And still others may prepare to apply to an institution that is currently test-optional, only to find out—again, too late—that it no longer will be once they apply.
Avoiding the test-optional trap entails knowing the key differences between these terms and reviewing the precise policies—and their expiration dates—of the schools you have in mind (a comprehensive list of accredited four-year colleges without test-required admissions policies can be found here at FairTest.org). It also might necessitate meeting with an experienced college counselor familiar with the minefield of admissions, as they know the terrain and are well-equipped to help students make the most strategic decisions that fit with their specific goals.
And don’t forget, the goal in college admissions is never to do the minimum required – it’s to position yourself as the strongest candidate possible. Taking the initiative to go above and beyond will always serve you well, and strong test scores will help you almost anywhere you apply… especially when other applicants may not be testing at all.
