What Does “Test-Optional” Really Mean When Applying to College?
Eclectic Education Consulting (EEC) LLC has been doing research on the top major universities and their application requirements to better understand each process to help students get a handle on everything they need to be competitive for their school of choice. One thing that has been evolving over the past several years is whether schools require SAT/ACT test results (e.g., MIT, Harvard University, and Stanford University) or accept optional submissions (e.g., Princeton University, the University of California, and University of Chicago). Although this is seemingly straightforward, schools have been changing their policies year to year and on top of that, each school defines the term “Test-Optional” differently.
Let’s start with some schools that exercise “Test-Optional” in the conventional sense. For the 2026-2027 cycle, USC, University of Michigan, Boston University, and Princeton University have all committed to allowing students to submit their SAT/ACT scores if they think it will help their applications but not penalize those who choose not to submit. Boston University has gone as far as to commit to this policy up to spring of 2029, which differs from all the other schools in this list. In contrast, although Princeton University currently maintains this “Test-Optional” policy for fall 2027 applicants, they will be returning to requiring test scores in fall of 2028 for undergraduate admission.
Taking things one step further, the University of Chicago has chosen a “No Harm” policy in conjunction with their “Test-Optional” policy for test score submissions. In the application process, students may submit scores but the admissions committee will only consider them if they help with an application. A score that might hurt a student’s chances for admission will simply not be considered at all. A weak score and no score are treated the same but a strong score can still help boost an application. This policy favors the applicant and applies to domestic, international, and transfer applicants.
On the other end of the spectrum, UCLA (and, by extension, all University of California Campuses) have adopted a “Test-Blind” policy. Test scores are not required, and if they are submitted, UCLA states specifically that they are not used for admission or scholarship purposes at all. This is distinctly different than other schools, leaning in to other more holistic approaches to assessing strong applicants for admission. However, scores may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after enrollment.
Ultimately, this research shows us how important it is for applicants to pay attention to how schools they apply to treat SAT/ACT test scores to gain a strategic edge. “Test-Optional” schools have differing, nuanced requirements. Some of them consider good scores, bad scores, or no scores depending on the applicant’s choice. Others might only consider scores if they have a positive effect on the overall application. On top of it all, these policies are changing from cycle to cycle, which highlights why it is absolutely paramount to carefully consider the current requirements for each school. “Test-Optional” policies will continue to evolve, so applicants should give themselves every opportunity to stay competitive by being informed and catering their applications accordingly.