What Are the Score Choice Policies at Ivy Leagues?

Many students assume colleges will see every score they've earned on the SAT and ACT when they apply.

However, while some top-tier schools do require your full testing histories, many don't. Some even allow score choice for the SAT, which allows you to send only the scores you want them to see, or they allow you to pick your best ACT test date.

If you're aiming for a top-tier school like an Ivy League, Stanford, or MIT, read this guide to learn how they evaluate standardized tests to help you best prepare.

What's in This Guide

We're dividing this list of prestigious schools into two categories: colleges that require you to send all scores, and colleges that do not. We are including quotations from their admissions websites about not just their policies on multiple scores, but how they evaluate multiple test scores in general. We will also link to each school's admissions website so you can read more in-depth about their policies.

We will also highlight colleges that specifically allow for College Board's Score Choice (or the ACT's similar option). Plus, we will include application tips for the two categories to help you create a smart test-taking strategy.

Colleges in Guide

• Brown University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Dartmouth College
• Duke University
• Georgetown University
• Harvard University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Princeton University
• Stanford University
• University of California System
• University of Chicago
• University of Pennsylvania
• Vanderbilt University
• Yale University

Colleges That Require You to Send All Scores

As companies that make standardized tests have made it easier to pick and choose which scores you want to send to colleges, fewer schools have required you to send all your test scores. Currently, only one of these schools (Georgetown) does.

In these cases, the colleges require you to send your full testing history (sometimes called "testing record"), either for the ACT or SAT. In the past, some colleges have even required your testing history from both tests. Even though colleges often say they will "focus" on the highest score, colleges that require all scores will take each score they receive into consideration.

Georgetown University

"The University requires that all scores from standardized tests be submitted directly from the testing agency"

If you're applying to Georgetown, you must send scores from every SAT or ACT exam you took (as well as SAT Subject Tests, if you took those). All of your scores will be looked at.

Strategy for "All Scores" Schools

While we never recommend taking the ACT or SAT until you are confident you will get your target score—either for the first time or on a retake—you need to be especially careful about retakes if any of the above schools are top choices for you.

In particular, do not take the ACT or SAT once "for practice" before studying for a higher score on a retake. These colleges will see that lower "practice score" and take it into consideration.

Instead, make full-length, strictly-timed practice tests an important part of your study regimen, so you have a more confident idea of what your score will turn out to be before you take the ACT/SAT for the first time.

Also, be careful about retaking the SAT/ACT with the goal of improving one of the sections. For example, if you got a low Critical Reading score the first time around on the SAT, don't exclusively study for CR before your retake. If your other scores (Math and Writing) go down by a lot, that could make for a lower composite score the second time, which doesn't look great.

You should also be careful of retaking the SAT or ACT more than three times, since again, they will see every score date and it won't look good if your scores don't improve markedly.

Some final bits of advice: if you're taking the SAT, take the PSAT during your sophomore year so you can get real, scored SAT practice before you take the SAT. And if you're taking the ACT, keep in mind you have the option of deleting records from a particular test date. You can't send scores that no longer exist!

Colleges That Don't Require All Scores

Colleges that don't require all scores to be sent often have admission policies in place in which they only consider the highest scores, either from a single test date or by superscoring. This is why they don't require all scores—because they won't consider the lowest ones anyway.

Many of these colleges also accept College Board's Score Choice feature, which allows you to pick and choose which scores to send. (Read more about Score Choice here.) ACT doesn't have Score Choice, but it does allow you to pick which test date to send.

You can put your best scores forward at "score choice" schools.

By the way, "superscoring" means combining the best section results from different test dates to create your highest possible composite score. Many of the schools on this list superscore for the SAT, however, for the ACT, it's more common to just look at the highest composite score.

Brown University

"We do accept Score Choice, and will superscore within both the SAT and ACT."

If you take the SAT or ACT more than once, Brown will automatically consider your highest section scores, but you may also use Score Choice to decide which scores to submit. 

Columbia University

"Columbia is test-optional for applicants to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering. "

At least for the time being, you don't need to submit either ACT or SAT scores as part of your application. 

Cornell University

"Since April 2020, Cornell has not required first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT exam scores. "

Like Columbia, Cornell no longer requires standardized test scores.

Dartmouth College

"Dartmouth does permit the use of Score Choice....We consider the highest component scores from the SAT, even if these results are from different dates. For the ACT, the committee considers the highest composite score and does not combine sub-scores from multiple test dates. We don't recommend excessive testing."

Like fellow Ivies Brown and Columbia, they will look at the highest SAT sections from different dates but only the highest ACT composite.

Duke University

Duke is currently test optional, but if you do submit test scores you have total control over what scores to send! And if you do send multiple scores, they will use whichever score is best. This is actually a recent change to their policy—they used to require all scores.

Harvard College

"You are free to use the College Board Score Choice option or the similar option offered by the ACT."

Harvard uses holistic application review, trying to take into account the whole applicant. Still, Harvard is one of the most competitive schools in the country, so we suggest putting your best scores forward either with Score Choice or by sending your best ACT test date.

MIT

"If you take the same test multiple times, we will consider the highest score achieved in each section. We do this in order to consider all applicants in their best light...Students should report official full sittings (including future sittings) of the SAT, ACT, or English proficiency exams on the application. For each examination, required subscores are indicated with an asterisk. They should not list practice results or enter a superscore as a single sitting. Students should self-report scores from all exams taken, and MIT will consider the super-score in our review process."

MIT does say that they superscore test results, so Score Choice can be a bit redundant.  They superscore the ACT as well, saying that they "consider the highest score achieved in each section" for both the SAT and ACT. This means if you have taken the ACT more than once, and your best section scores are spread out between test dates, it might be more advantageous to send all your ACT dates so MIT will superscore them.

Princeton University

"Our test optional policy continues to be in place for first-year and transfer applicants applying in the fall/winter of 2024 and 2025. "

"We allow applicants to use the score choice feature of the SAT and accept only the highest composite score of the ACT, but we encourage the submission of all test scores."

Princeton is currently still test optional.

Like the other Ivies in this section, Princeton is fine with College Board's Score Choice and its ACT equivalent.

Stanford University

"ACT or SAT scores are not required for first-year and transfer students applying in the 2024–2025 application cycle for the Fall 2025 entry term...Beginning with the 2025–2026 application cycle, Stanford will reinstate its standardized testing requirement. ACT or SAT scores will be required for first-year and transfer students submitting applications for the Fall 2026 entry term."

"If you choose to submit ACT/SAT test scores as part of your application, we recommend that you simply self-report your highest scores in the testing section of the application."

This is the final year Stanford will continue to be test optional. They do follow Score Choice and recommend submitting your highest scores from either or both exams.

University of California System

As of 2020, the University of California system is test blind until at least 2025. This means that, even if you submit SAT or ACT scores, they won't be reviewed, and standardized test scores won't be part of their admissions process at all.

University of Chicago

"Submitting an SAT or ACT is optional and not required for admission. In addition to being test-optional, UChicago practices a “No Harm” policy for application review when considering SAT or ACT scores. Any SAT or ACT score submitted will only be used in review if it will positively affect an applicant’s chance of admission. Test scores that may negatively impact an admission decision will not be considered in review."

UChicago (which is permanently test optional) has a fairly unique method of reviewing test scores, where they can only help your application, not hurt it. So feel free to send in any or all SAT and ACT scores you have.

University of Pennsylvania

"Although we permit Score Choice, we do encourage students to submit their entire testing history on both ACT and SAT exams...For the SAT, we will combine your highest Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing with your highest Math score across multiple tests to calculate a superscore...For the ACT, we consider the highest individual English, Math, Reading, and Science scores across multiple tests to calculate a composite superscore."

UPenn is currently test optional.

Much like Dartmouth and Princeton, UPenn allows you to send whichever scores you like, but prefers you send them all. It's also worth noting that they superscore for both the SAT and ACT, so you will often benefit from sending multiple scores.

Vanderbilt University

"Only your highest [SAT] section scores will be considered as part of the final admissions decision...Effective [2019], Vanderbilt will begin superscoring ACT scores. Vanderbilt has superscored SAT scores for years, so this update means Vanderbilt will now superscore both the SAT and ACT."

Vanderbilt is currently test optional through 2027.

In terms of score choice policies, for both tests, Vanderbilt encourages you to submit all of your scores so that they can superscore them!

Yale University

"Yale requires all first-year and transfer applicants to submit standardized test scores. Applicants choose which scores to include from four options: ACT, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), SAT. Applicants who choose to meet the requirement with AP or IB scores should include results from all subject exams completed prior to applying. Applicants who choose to meet the requirement with ACT or SAT scores may also include any AP or IB scores of their choosing."

"Applicants may report “super-scored” results from the SAT or ACT, i.e. their highest section scores or a recalculated ACT composite score from across multiple test administrations."

Yale has an interesting "test flexible" policy where students must send test scores, but they can choose to send AP or IB scores in place of SAT/ACT scores. If you submit AP or IB scores, you must submit all your scores from those exams.

Strategy for Score Choice Schools

Unlike the "all scores" schools, you are free to send scores from one test date for the ACT or use score choice to combine scores from multiple dates for the SAT.

This means there is less pressure to get a super high composite each time you take the SAT—so if you need to, you could go into a retake aiming for a better math score and not worry too much about Critical Reading and Writing. You also don't need to stress out about only testing two or three times because you won't have to send each test date (though still, if you're studying carefully, you shouldn't have to retake the SAT or ACT more than two or three times).

Basically, for the SAT, your goal should be to create the single highest composite you can, and not worry as much about some of your lower scores.

However, for the ACT, it's important to note that while some schools (MIT and UChicago) will superscore the ACT, most schools are just looking at the highest overall composite.

So you don't have to worry about retaking the ACT, since you only have to send your highest composite to these schools. However, it does mean each time you take the ACT, you need to study all sections to maximize your final composite (the ACT's composite is averaged, so a lower section could drag down your composite).

What's Next?

So how high should your SAT/ACT scores be for the Ivy League, anyway? See our guide to which scores will get you in—and which ones are too low.

Looking for more info on applying to Ivy League schools? Read our breakdown of the admission rates for every Ivy League school or our complete guide on how to get into Harvard (and other Ivy League-caliber schools).

Need help preparing for your retakes? Check out the best SAT and ACT prep websites you should be using.