![]() ![]() ![]() Live in a state that requires taking the SAT or ACT for high school graduation.If you plan to apply to a test-optional school, you should still take the SAT or ACT if you: If you believe your standardized test scores would improve your chances, they’re probably worth including. However, applicants who choose not to include test scores may receive increased scrutiny on other materials, such as GPA, letters of recommendation, essays and extracurricular activities.Īdmissions departments review all aspects of a candidate’s academic materials. Generally speaking, omitting test scores when applying to test-optional schools does not negatively affect your chances of gaining admission. Will Applying Test-Optional Hurt My Chances at Admission? When researching colleges that do not require the SAT, also look into whether your state requires standardized tests to graduate from high school. Some states require all students to take the SAT or ACT as a requirement for high school graduation. While the time invested in preparing may be in vain if a test-taker becomes unsatisfied with their exam results, test-optional schools will never know about the applicant’s scores. The risk of taking the SAT is fairly low, while the potential reward can be high. Applicants who take the SAT or ACT and are unhappy with their scores can omit the results from their admissions materials for test-optional schools. Strong SAT scores can boost a candidate’s chances of admission, especially if they have limited extracurricular activities or a low high school GPAs. Some learners may even qualify for fee waivers. If you have the time to prepare for the SAT and can afford the $60 registration fee, taking the exam can still be worthwhile for prospective students. Should You Take Standardized Exams When Applying Test-Optional? Test-blind institutions specify that applicants should not provide ACT or SAT scores-even if they are strong-as their admissions departments will ignore the exam results. Test-blind: Colleges and universities may adopt test-blind policies, though this option is less common than test-optional.Test-flexible: Test-flexible schools still require candidates to provide relevant exam scores, but applicants can submit results from other exams, like Advanced Placement® tests, instead of the SAT or ACT.Test-optional: Test-optional schools do not require candidates to submit scores from standardized exams, instead allowing applicants to include test results if they believe the scores bolster their chances of admission.What Do “Test-Optional” and Similar Policies Mean? Moreover, test-takers must pay fees to complete the SAT and ACT exams, so taking both tests could become expensive. This could potentially hurt both of your scores if you spread yourself too thin. While applicants who perform well on standardized testing may consider taking the SAT and ACT, the time required to study and prepare for two separate tests may create diminishing returns.īoth exams have distinct formats, structures and content focuses, requiring you to dedicate significant time and energy to each test. That said, many colleges still require the ACT or SAT for admission, so make sure to check with your prospective school to confirm its policies. But you won’t be penalized for omitting standardized test scores. In most cases, if you perform well on a standardized admission test, you can still submit your scores to a test-optional college to bolster your application. Check out our list of the best test-optional colleges for more examples. Remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated this trend.įairTest reports that as of 2023, more than 1,800 accredited, four-year colleges and universities-including prestigious institutions like Stanford and Harvard-have removed this requirement from their admission criteria. In recent years, many admissions departments have revised their requirements for standardized admission tests, shifting to test-optional or test-blind policies. Not all schools require candidates to submit SAT or ACT scores for admission. Do You Need to Take the SAT or ACT to Get Into College? ![]()
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