Discovery College Consulting

MARCH 4, 2025

Test-optional policies took off during the Covid 19 pandemic, though some institutions, mostly small liberal arts colleges, had adopted these policies in the early 2000s. Recently, some of the most selective colleges in the nation have been reverting to test-required policies. Whats causing the change?

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Top Tier Admissions

DECEMBER 23, 2024

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently highlighted the universitys automatic-admit policy, viewed as an affirmative action alternative but also a major factor in UT Austins increasing selectivity. SAT Tutoring Expert one-on-one guidance to boost your score. This decision will be communicated to applicants by January 15.

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Admissions Village

JUNE 19, 2024

High School Profile: A document supplied by high schools to colleges that summarizes the school’s grading system, course offerings, standardized test score ranges, and other important data. Test Optiona l: A policy adopted by some colleges where submitting SAT or ACT scores is not mandatory.

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Peterson's Blog

OCTOBER 23, 2024

ACT and SAT scores decline across the U.S. Standardized tests, like the SAT and ACT, are used to determine academic readiness and skills for entering university. Current Data on ACT & SAT Scores Decline ACT —In 2024, average ACT composite scores were 19.4 year after year according to recent data. 1024 2023 19.5

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Spark Admissions

APRIL 11, 2023

In March 2023, Columbia University announced that it would permanently drop the SAT/ACT requirement for undergraduate admissions. The decision by Columbia to abandon the SAT/ACT requirement represents a significant milestone in the ongoing debate around standardized testing in higher education and in the overall future of college admissions.

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Spark Admissions

APRIL 11, 2023

In March 2023, Columbia University announced that it would permanently drop the SAT/ACT requirement for undergraduate admissions. The decision by Columbia to abandon the SAT/ACT requirement represents a significant milestone in the ongoing debate around standardized testing in higher education and in the overall future of college admissions.

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AdmissionSight

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

As a high school student, you’re probably no stranger to big tests like AP exams, the PSAT, or the SAT and ACT. Here’s some good news: more colleges than ever are making the SAT and ACT optional. won’t require standardized test scores. won’t require standardized test scores.

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Spark Admissions

JUNE 9, 2023

Is the new digital SAT good? Is the new digital SAT bad? As you may know, the SAT is in the process of transitioning to a new version of the test. The process has already begun internationally, and in Spring 2024, high school students in the United States will only have the option to take the new digital SAT.

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Top Tier Admissions

JULY 22, 2024

As the school year approaches, it’s time to finalize your standardized test prep plan and mark your calendar with upcoming SAT and ACT test dates. Not sure which test is your forte? In an ideal world, we recommend beginning one-on-one test prep a few months ahead of your scheduled test date.

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Top Tier Admissions

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Applicants to the Class of 2029 will need to submit an SAT or ACT score although there are some exceptions for those unable to take these exams. Transfer students may still take advantage of a test-optional policy. SAT Tutoring Expert one-on-one guidance to boost your score. Interested in reading more about Brown?

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Top Tier Admissions

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

These were the first applicants to apply under Yales new test-flexible policy which requires at least one ACT, SAT, AP, or IB set of test scores. The Class of 2029 saw a 14% decrease in early applications, likely due to the implementation of the new testing policy.

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Berkeley² Academy

MARCH 8, 2025

As a result of this increasing demand, UT Austin announced it would be lowering its auto admission threshold to the top 5% and other admissions data supports this increase in competitivenessthe middle 50% of SAT and ACT scores for admitted UT Austin students drastically increased, jumping from 1230-1500 to 1310-1520.

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AdmissionSight

FEBRUARY 6, 2025

For Fall 2025 applicants, Cornell remains test-optional, giving students the choice to submit SAT or ACT scores. However, this policy will change for Fall 2026 admissions, when standardized test scores will once again be required. Understanding Cornells shifting test policies is crucial for applicants.

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Top Tier Admissions

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The landscape of college admissions continues to shift as universities re-evaluate the role of standardized testing in the application process. In a major policy change, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) has announced that it will reinstate its standardized testing requirement for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.

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Spark Admissions

JANUARY 28, 2022

The past few years have seen an unprecedented number of American colleges and universities suspend or even completely drop their requirement that applicants submit standardized test scores from the SAT or ACT. Recently, in response, the College Board has announced major changes to the SAT. Digital Testing.

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BestColleges

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Dartmouth researchers found SAT and ACT scores can help identify high-achieving, under-resourced students since the college looks at scores in context to where a student is from. Dartmouth College is reinstating its standardized testing requirements after removing them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Top Tier Admissions

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

As of this morning, Yale is the second Ivy League school to require standardized test scores, following Dartmouth’s lead and citing research that test-optional policies adversely affect high-scoring low-income students. This new policy will begin with students applying to enter in the fall of 2025.

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BestColleges

MARCH 8, 2024

Starting in fall 2024, Brown University will require students to submit SAT or ACT scores. Brown becomes the third Ivy League school, following Yale and Dartmouth, to reinstate standardized testing requirements. So did Dartmouth, which became the first Ivy to return to standardized testing.

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BestColleges

AUGUST 27, 2024

Johns Hopkins University has reinstated standardized test requirements. Students applying in fall 2025 must submit SAT or ACT scores, while those applying this fall are encouraged to do so. Hopkins says test scores more accurately predict academic success and enable disadvantaged students to demonstrate their potential.

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Top Tier Admissions

APRIL 23, 2024

Cornell will reintroduce standardized testing requirements for undergraduate admissions starting in fall 2026, based on findings from a university Task Force on Standardized Testing in Admissions and pressure from peer institutions.

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Georgia Tech Admissions Blog

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

I gathered documents, tried, and failed to book an appointment, travelled to the DMV, drew a number, sat for three hours, turned in all my paperwork, took a mini drivers test and vision check, and finally posed for a new requisitely terrible picture. Fully opposed to testing of any kind? So how are we really using those scores?

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BestColleges

MARCH 20, 2024

Data Summary Check The median total SAT score is 1030. Note Reference [1] Check Scoring 870 puts you at the bottom 25% of test-takers. Note Reference [1] Check Among popular colleges, New York University had the highest SAT scores in the 25th percentile, with enrollees in the bottom quartile scoring 1470.

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Admissions Village

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

This week, Yale announced that they will require testing but that they are flexible on which type of testing, SAT, ACT, AP, or IB exam score. This is a new definition of the testing required and one we would love to see more widely implemented. Perhaps not surprisingly, demand for SAT and ACT testing has been rising.

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College Kickstart

APRIL 19, 2020

With more colleges shifting to test-optional admissions, we're pleased to introduce two new capabilities in College Kickstart to help you stay on top of the changes and consider when applying test-optional makes sense for you. Active tracking of test-optional schools. Personalized analysis. GPA or class rank).

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Top Tier Admissions

JANUARY 17, 2025

SAT Tutoring Expert one-on-one guidance to boost your score. ENROLL NOW TTA Top Tip: Despite Duke University being test-optional, we strongly encourage our students to prepare for and take standardized tests whenever possible due to the ever-changing attitude of selective institutions towards standardized testing policies.

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Admissions Village

APRIL 25, 2023

Part 3: This Process Is Opaque In the first part of this series, we discussed the role that the rise of test-optional (it is now optional to submit standardized test scores, SAT or ACT, at most colleges) has played in opening up the applicant pool to highly selective colleges. So, should you even be trying to test?

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ACM College Consulting

MAY 3, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions, one question continues to perplex students, parents AND counselors: Should students take the SAT? Last summer, more than 1900 colleges were test optional, test-free or test-blind. Students should research the admissions policies and data of the schools on their list.

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Top Tier Admissions

MARCH 5, 2024

As of this morning, Brown is the third Ivy League school to reinstate standardized test scores, following Yale and Dartmouth’s lead and citing academic performance as the leading factor that influenced the decision. This new policy will begin with the class of 2029.

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Solomon Admissions

MAY 4, 2023

Understanding the Pros and Cons For decades, the SAT and ACT have been a staple in the college admissions process. However, in recent years, there has been debate about whether these standardized tests are still relevant in today's college admissions landscape. So, are the SAT and ACT still relevant for college admissions?

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Spark Admissions

JANUARY 28, 2022

Then, as the pandemic continued, many colleges extended their policies for another year or longer. Initially, however, it seemed like the Ivy League was eager to return to requiring test scores. Well, for one thing, the number of applications to top colleges shot up once the testing requirement disappeared. Final Thoughts.

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Koodoos Learning

OCTOBER 9, 2022

that are now test-optional, according to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing.” Now more than ever, public and private institutions alike are opting for test-optional or test-flexible. 4 Frequently Asked Questions about “Test-Optional”. Find out more about what this means for your college search below.

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AdmissionSight

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Part of this gap comes from the changing role of standardized tests, but it highlights a bigger issuethe growing divide between students who are actively preparing for college and those who are not. When spring or summer rolls around, its also a great time to start taking practice tests for the PSAT, ACT, or SAT.

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BestColleges

JULY 18, 2024

Many colleges and universities went test-optional during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some have recently reinstated standardized testing requirements. The science section requirement is being removed from the ACT, and the test will be shorter to be more flexible and manageable for students. The ACT Education Corp.,

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Admissions.Blog

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College has announced that it will yet again require high school students to share either an SAT or ACT score as part of their application for admission. The change takes effect for students applying for Fall 2025 admission (those students who will begin their applications in Summer or Fall 2024).

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Top Tier Admissions

MAY 17, 2024

Yale’s Class of 2028 early acceptance rate was the lowest since Yale adopted its current single-choice non-binding early action policy — 9.02%. Brown University , Harvard University and Cornell University have also shifted their policies to require SAT or ACT scores, as have many other highly selective schools. Aiming for Yale?

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Expert Admissions

MARCH 20, 2023

With so many colleges extending test-optional policies put in place during the pandemic, you may be wondering how much effort you should put into standardized testing. So, knowing that test scores can be important, how do you decide whether to take the SAT or the ACT?

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

JULY 9, 2023

This became especially true in 2020, given changes in test administration and colleges’ testing policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two years later, colleges continue to update their testing requirements, with some extending their test-optional periods and others opting for permanent changes.

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