Historically, colleges and universities required either an SAT or ACT test score to be submitted along with an admissions application. Today, many schools have moved to test-optional admissions, meaning that students are not required to submit a test score in order to be considered for admission at their institution.

For many students, the test-optional trend is relief.

No test prep.
No sitting for a 4-hour test.
No stress of not achieving a certain test score.

But as we discussed in a previous blog, Class 101 advises against taking the test-optional route. While schools may provide the option of not submitting a test score, the admissions offices still can, and will, consider test scores that are submitted. That means that students can miss out on opportunities if they forgo submitting a score. Direction admission to competitive programs, academic scholarships, admission to honors programs, and consideration at highly competitive universities are some of those opportunities. If students are interested in any of these – and we suspect they are – we recommend prepping for, taking, and submitting a test score along with their college application.

For more background on test-optional admissions, see Carmel, Indiana owner, Randy Stegemoller, in the video below discussing his advice to students regarding test-optional admissions:

The Test-Optional Trend
While a handful of colleges and universities were early adopters of going test-optional, the COVID-19 pandemic kicked off a wave of test-optional admissions at many colleges across the country. Students were unable to sit for the SAT or ACT tests due to the virus spreading and colleges were forced to become flexible in their admission practices. Removing the test score requirement allowed students to continue applying to college and gain admission, even while high schools and campuses were closed.

Though access to test-taking sites has returned, the test-optional trend has remained. There are over 1,830 colleges and universities that reported being test-optional for the fall of 2023 admissions cycle according to Higher Ed Dive. That is around half of all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. However, only 85 of those schools are completely test free and will not look at or consider student test scores submitted with an application. This means that the majority of test-optional colleges continue to utilize test-scores.

Changes in Test-Optional Admissions
The test-optional trend maintains a strong presence at colleges across the country, but our Class 101 advisors are seeing signs that schools may begin to revert to pre-covid admissions requirements.

While some admissions professionals believe that test-optional admissions works and even expands opportunities for low income students, others conducted research that found that test scores are the best predictor of first-year success on campus like those at MIT. Earlier this year, MIT returned to requiring test scores for their 2023-2024 admission cycle.

Another prominent school, Purdue University, went to a test flexible option in response to the pandemic and is now returning to requiring a test score starting with 2024 fall admission.

Prediction for Test-Optional Admissions
Some believe test-optional admissions is here to stay and we certainly have seen schools hang on to this trend. However, our prediction is that we will see more colleges and universities reverse or modify their test-optional admission policies. As schools conduct their own research and better understand how test-scores are informing their student selection and impacting retention rates, we could see more
schools making a shift this year and an increase in students sitting for the SAT and ACT tests.

Looking for more information?
Class 101 helps students navigate college admissions and determine whether submitting test scores on their applications is to their best benefit. Contact our experienced Class 101 Carmel, IN college advisors to learn more.