Test-Optional College Admissions Post-Pandemic: What Students Should Know

In a significant—though not entirely unexpected—shift, highly selective colleges and universities are reinstating standardized testing as a required component of the admissions process. As of this writing, colleges that have returned to test-required policies include:

Policy changes based on the predictive value of standardized test scores come amid continued debate over the role and fairness of standardized testing in a holistic admissions framework. For students and families navigating today’s evolving admissions landscape, it’s essential to understand what holistic review means—and when and where test scores matter.

What Is Holistic Review in College Admissions? 

Holistic, also known as comprehensive admissions, has garnered increased attention in the post-pandemic college admissions landscape. Essentially, a holistic review refers to an approach where colleges and universities evaluate applicants beyond quantitative data such as grades, GPA, and test scores. A holistic application review considers various aspects of applicants, including:

• Background and lived experiences
• Extracurricular involvement
• Personal qualities, talent, and character
• Contributions to their community
• Essays and letters of recommendation

In theory, a holistic evaluation of college applicants allows students to be seen as whole human beings, not just data points. In many cases, the data suggest that is the case.

But here’s the catch: Holistic admissions rarely ignore academic metrics altogether. Strong grades in rigorous courses—and when submitted, competitive test scores—often serve as the foundation for a more detailed review. In other words, while essays and activities may distinguish an applicant, GPA and test scores often determine whether an applicant is seriously considered at all. Put simply, even in a holistic review process, GPA, rigor, and test scores may be the gatekeepers to a holistic review.

Test-Optional vs. Test-Blind vs. Test-Required: What’s the Difference?

• Test-Required: Applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered for admission.
• Test-Optional: Applicants can choose whether to submit scores. If submitted, scores are considered in the review.
• Test-Blind: Scores are not considered at all, even if submitted (e.g., the University of California system).

 Note: Even at test-optional schools, submitting a strong test score can enhance an application, particularly at highly selective institutions.

💡 Pro Tip: Always read each college’s testing policy carefully—and double-check whether scholarships or honors programs have separate testing requirements.

Should I Submit My Test Scores to a College?

Based on conversations with college admissions officers, ongoing data analysis, and continued grade inflation, we advise students aiming to gain admission to competitive institutions and/or into STEM majors to carefully weigh if and how submitting a standardized test score can strengthen an application. Essentially, individual and institutional context matter. Individually, students should consider their academic background, extracurricular involvement, and personal circumstances. Institutionally, college applicants should know the percentage of students at each institution who submitted test scores.

Rachel Mead, founder of Enhanced Test Prep, advises students applying to selective institutions to view test optional as test recommended. “Students need to understand that they will be competing for admissions spots against students who are submitting scores.”

By considering the individual and institutional context, students will be equipped to make strategic and informed choices about the role of standardized test scores in each of their college applications. While colleges and universities may say, “You really won’t be penalized if you don’t submit a test score,” if the data indicate that a high percentage of matriculating students submitted scores, it is wise to consider that in the determination process.

Key Factors to Consider When Deciding Whether or Not to Submit Test Scores to a College

ONE: Individual applicant profile

• Do the test scores align with or exceed the college’s middle 50% score range?
• Does the GPA, course rigor, and extracurriculars already tell a compelling story?

TWO: Institutional context

• What percentage of admitted students actually submitted scores?
• How “test-optional” is the school in practice?

Where Can I Find That Data?

While most colleges do not publicly share the percentage of admitted students who submitted scores, many report the percentage of matriculated (enrolled) students who did so. This data is available in each institution’s Common Data Set (CDS), Section C9.

Four Case Studies in Test-Optional Admissions

Princeton University:(CDS 2024-25)

• Standardized Test Policy: Test Optional for first-year and transfer applicants applying in the fall of 2024 and 2025
• SAT: 56% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores
• ACT: 21% of enrolled students submitted ACT scores
• Conclusion: Approximately 77% submitted SAT and/or ACT scores
• Interpretation: The data suggest testing was a significant factor in admissions

University of Chicago (CDS 2023-24)

• Standardized Test Policy: “No Harm Testing Policy.” Test score submission is optional.
• SAT: 46% submitted SAT scores
• ACT: 30% submitted ACT scores
• Conclusion: Approximately 76% submitted SAT and/or ACT scores
• Interpretation: The data suggest testing was a significant factor in admissions

UNC-Chapel Hill (CDS 2024–25)

• Standardized Test Policy:Test optional for students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above (on a 4.0 scale).
• SAT: 28% submitted SAT scores
• ACT: 41% submitted ACT scores
• Conclusion: Approximately 69% submitted SAT and/or ACT scores
• Interpretation: The data suggest testing was a significant factor in admissions

New York University (CDS 2024–25)

• Standardized Test Policy: Test-optional through the 2026-2027 application cycle
• SAT: 28% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores
• ACT: 10% submitted ACT scores
• Conclusion: Approximately 38% submitted SAT and/or ACT scores
• Interpretation: The data suggest test-optional applicants have a fair shot

While not an exact science (some students may submit both SAT and ACT), these case studies offer a meaningful glimpse into how individual colleges treat test scores in the holistic application review process.

What the Research Shows Regarding the Value of Standardized Test Scores in College Admissions

Marini, Westic, Young, and Shaw (2024) at the College Board found that:

• SAT scores remain consistently predictive of cumulative GPA throughout each year of college -- from first-year GPA through fourth-year GPA.
• For all subgroups of students and institutions studied, including underrepresented minority students, students from high-challenge environments, first-generation college students, and students whose best language is not English, SAT scores retain their predictive power through each year of college.
• The information added by SAT scores above HSGPA to predict college GPA remains consistent through the first four years of college. This was true for all subgroups examined, as well.

Note: The College Board is in the testing business. However, the sample size in the study was robust.

The University of Texas at Austin found that students who submitted standardized scores performed significantly better on those exams and in their first semester of college, relative to those who did not take the test or chose not to have their scores considered as part of their applications. Further, they found that students who submitted tests had significantly higher GPAs, +86, for their first fall semester.

Research by MIT showed that considering standardized test scores as part of the admissions review process “significantly improved its ability to accurately predict students’ academic success at the university, particularly in mathematics.”

Brown University found that SAT and ACT scores are “among the key indicators that help predict a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in Brown’s demanding academic environment.”

Yale found that “students with higher scores have been more likely to have higher Yale GPAs, and test scores are the single greatest predictor of a student’s performance in Yale courses in every model we have constructed.”

The Bigger Picture

Ongoing grade inflation at public and private high schools means that test scores remain among the few standardized tools colleges have at their disposal to compare students. Particularly at highly selective institutions that maintain tight supply, it is likely that standardized tests are not going anywhere. Regardless of personal beliefs about standardized test scores, in some instances, they may provide value by:

• Validating strong transcripts
• Offsetting a lower grade (test scores generally do not make up for more than a few lower grades)
• Enhancing eligibility for scholarships and honors programs.

For an albeit harsh sounding yet measured assessment of the impact of grade inflation on perceptions, read Your A student is average — don’t blame the SAT and ACT. Notable takeaways:

• UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute Freshman Survey found that 86% of surveyed students at BA-granting universities had A-averages in high school. In other words, A-averages are not the exception, but the norm.
• John Latting, dean of admissions at Emory, said, “We’re not as trusting, frankly, of GPA these days,” adding, “Grades are definitely inflated and not as connected to true class performance as they used to be.” Instead, Emory will be “weighing ‘external assessment’ more heavily than GPA, with a particular focus on AP scores.”

The Bottom Line

• Don’t assume test-optional means test-irrelevant. At many colleges, strong test scores offer an edge.
• Analyze an applicant’s scores in context.
• Use the Common Data Set to guide decisions on test score submission
• Be strategic. Work with a counselor to understand how scores support (or don’t support) individual applications.
• Prepare early. If unsure whether to take the test and which test to take, ask your college counselor for feedback.

Most colleges are likely to continue to be test-optional. However the return to test requirements will likely continue to make a comeback at some of the nation’s most selective institutions. 

Make informed choices, stay flexible, and remember—a college application is not just about checking boxes. It’s about strategy. Ultimately, making data-informed decisions about submitting standardized test scores can strengthen an application's competitiveness within the holistic review framework.

For more information about whether or not to submit standardized test scores in the college applications process or anything else related to college admissions, please reach out at kathy@fineeducationalsolutions.com.