The coronavirus has had a massive impact on colleges, and that includes college admissions. The result? Hundreds of colleges have dropped their SAT and ACT test requirements, and many schools have kept those test-optional policies into 2024-2025.
Which schools have cancelled exams? Will they reinstate these test requirements next year? If you're able to take a test, should you still submit your scores? This guide covers all those questions.
Which Colleges Are Not Requiring SAT/ACT Scores for 2024/2025 College Admissions?
Below is a chart of all the colleges and universities in the United States that are no longer requiring SAT/ACT scores for any applicants for the 2024/2025 admissions cycle as a result of the coronavirus. Some notable inclusions are certain Ivy League schools as well as many public Ivies and top liberal arts colleges like Swarthmore and Wellesley.
Note that this list only includes colleges that have become temporarily test optional as a result of the coronavirus; colleges that are permanently test optional aren't listed in this guide. Also note that this list only includes schools that are dropping the SAT/ACT requirement. Some schools still require the SAT/ACT but are dropping requirements for other exams like the AP tests for this year's applicants. Others dropped the SAT/ACT requirements but still have TOEFL requirements for international students.
| School Name | Location |
| Abilene Christian University | Abilene, TX |
| Alfred University | Alfred, NY |
| Anderson University | Anderson, IN |
| Barnard College | New York, NY |
| Baylor University | Waco, TX |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA |
| Boston University | Boston, MA |
| Brigham Young University | Provo, UT |
| Bucknell University | Lewisburg, PA |
| Carleton College | Carleton, MN |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, CA |
| Colgate University | Hamilton, NY |
| Concordia University Texas | Austin, TX |
| Cooper Union | New York, NY |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA |
| Duke University | Durham, NC |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA |
| Fordham University | Bronx, NY |
| Harvey Mudd College | Claremont, CA |
| Indiana Wesleyan University | Marion, IN |
| John Carroll University | University Heights, Ohio |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD |
| Kenyon College | Gambier, OH |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA |
| Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate, TN |
| Longwood University | Farmville, VA |
| Miami University (Ohio) | Miami, Ohio |
| Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT |
| Millersville University | Millersville, PA |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, NJ |
| New York University | New York, NY |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL |
| Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, OH |
| Olin College of Engineering | Needham, MA |
| Penn State | University Park, PA |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY |
| Rutgers University—Newark | Newark, NJ |
| St. Norbert College | De Pere, WI |
| St. Thomas University | Miami Gardens, FL |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA |
| Southern Methodist University | Dallas, TX |
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, NJ |
| Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX |
| Trinity University | San Antonio, TX |
| Tulane University | New Orleans, LA |
| University of Houston—Main Campus | Houston, TX |
| University of Houston—Clear Lake | Houston, TX |
| University of Houston—Downtown | Houston, TX |
| University of Houston—Victoria | Victoria, TX |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, TX |
| University of Miami | Miami, FL |
| University of Minnesota—Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN |
| University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA |
| University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg | Greensburg, PA |
| University of Richmond | Richmond, VA |
| University of Texas at Dallas | Dallas, TX |
| University of Texas at Permian Basin | Odessa, TX |
| University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, TX |
| University of Texas at Tyler | Tyler, TX |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA |
| University of Virginia–Wise | Wise, VA |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN |
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA |
| Virginia Tech University | Blacksburg, VA |
| Washington University in St. Louis | St. Louis, MO |
| Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA |
Will These Schools Eventually Return to Requiring Standardized Test Scores?
The short answer is that some colleges will, some won't. Most schools that were previously on this list have either reinstated their standardized test requirements, such as Harvard and Yale, or become permanently test optional, such as the University of Oregon and the College of William and Mary.
Some of the colleges still on this list have stated that the suspension of requiring standardized test scores is only a temporary move, such as the University of Miami, which has stated it only plans on continuing its test optional policy through 2025. Other schools aren't yet committing to whether or not they'll continue their test-optional policy after a certain date.
What we do know, though, is that more and more schools are becoming test optional. Colleges are making an effort to attract more diverse applicants, and they don't want potential students to be held back by circumstances beyond their control, whether that's test centers being shut down because of the coronavirus or students not being able to afford standardized tests, even in non-pandemic times.
Additionally, research has shown that students from more affluent backgrounds consistently have higher SAT and ACT scores, so many schools are dropping the standardized test requirement so students from more disadvantaged backgrounds aren't put at a further disadvantage during the college admissions process.
Already, over 1,000 colleges and universities in the United States are test optional, and others are test flexible (where you don't need to submit test scores if you have a certain GPA or meet another requirement). We expect this number to only grow over time.
If You Have SAT or ACT Scores, Should You Still Submit Them?
What if you've already taken the SAT or ACT, or you're able to do so before college deadlines? Should you submit those scores?
First, we recommend everyone who is reasonably able to take the SAT/ACT. Your scores might be higher than you expect, and even if they're not, if you're applying to a test optional school, you're under no requirement to submit them. Taking a standardized test gives you the most options.
Second, it's important to understand what "test optional" means. When a school says they are test optional, it means they don't require SAT or ACT scores, but they will still review and consider them as part of your application. It does not mean that SAT and ACT scores are no longer important. Only schools that are "test blind" don't look at standardized test scores at all. Test blind is a rare policy, and only a handful of schools follow it. However, the University of California school system did recently become test blind, and the policy is slowly becoming more common.
What does this mean for you? It means that, even for test optional schools, strong SAT or ACT scores will absolutely still help your college applications. Not submitting test scores won't hurt your application, as these schools have stated, but it also means you lose out on a potential chance to make your application stronger. So, how to decide? Use these guidelines:
Submit test scores if:
- Your test scores are strong (at or near the 75th percentiles of admitted students to the school)
- You don't have other strong test scores (AP tests, IB Tests, etc.) to send
- The school still recommends submitting scores if you can
Don't submit test scores if:
- Your test scores are low (Below 50th percentiles of admitted students)
- You're confident other areas of your application (GPA, class rank, extracurriculars, etc.) make up for a lack of test scores
- You have strong test scores from other exams (AP tests, IB Tests, etc.) that you will submit
Basically, for people able to take the SAT or ACT, submit your test scores if you think they'll help you. They're still an important part of admissions decisions, even for test optional schools. Only don't submit scores if you feel they'll be a particularly weak area of your application. Colleges won't hold it against you for not being able to take a standardized test, but you'll still need the rest of your application to be strong in order to convince them to admit you.
What's Next?
Need help preparing for the SAT? Read our ultimate study guide to get expert tips on prep and access to the best free online resources.
Debating whether to take the SAT or ACT? Read our extensive ACT vs SAT guide to learn about the differences between the two tests and to get tips on choosing the right one for you.
Do you know all the steps to apply to college? Check out this article to learn about the full college application process, step by step.
