Planning resource · Last updated October 2026
College SAT/ACT Testing Policies
Compare current SAT and ACT testing policies for first-year applicants at 229 colleges. See which schools require scores, are test-optional, recommend scores, use test-flexible alternatives, or have time-limited policies.
For first-year admission, 2026–27. “Test-optional” means SAT/ACT scores are not required and are considered if submitted. It does not automatically mean scores are irrelevant for scholarships, placement, special programs, or international applicants.
| College | Testing policy | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required; Allegheny says applications are reviewed holistically and scores are considered only if submitted. | Official policy ↗ |
| American University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional, and applying without scores does not affect consideration for merit awards or the Honors Program. | Official policy ↗ |
| Amherst College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional and is considered only when an applicant elects to submit it. | Official policy ↗ |
| Arcadia University | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is optional for first-year admission. International applicants may instead satisfy the requirement with accepted English-proficiency scores; certain accelerated programs encourage, but do not require, scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Arizona State University | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is not required for admission. Scores may be used for course placement, supplemental information, scholarship eligibility, or to address course-competency requirements in specified circumstances. | Official policy ↗ |
| Auburn University | Required | Official SAT or ACT scores are required for a complete first-year application. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bard College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required, and Bard says applicants who do not submit scores are not penalized. | Official policy ↗ |
| Barnard College | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional through the 2027 first-year and transfer admissions cycles; applicants may submit scores for consideration or apply without them. | Official policy ↗ |
| Chapman University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for undergraduate admission, and applicants without scores remain eligible for institutional awards and need-based aid. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bates College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional; Bates states that scores are not required for admission and respects each applicant’s choice to submit or withhold them. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bennington College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional under Bennington’s No-Harm Testing policy: submitted scores are used only when they would positively affect an applicant’s admission chances. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bentley University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional for first-year and transfer admission, scholarships, and Honors through Fall 2027; applicants without scores are not disadvantaged. | Official policy ↗ |
| Binghamton University | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is optional for admission and honors consideration. Some joint early-assurance programs may require scores; international applicants may use SAT/ACT to meet English-proficiency requirements. | Official policy ↗ |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield) | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for admission but is considered if submitted; the current CDS records this policy for Fall 2027 applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Boston College | Test-optional — recommends scores | Scores are optional, but Boston College encourages students who complete the SAT or ACT to submit them. | Official policy ↗ |
| Boston University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional for all undergraduate schools, colleges, and scholarship programs through Fall 2028 and Spring 2029. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bowdoin College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional; applicants choose whether scores are reviewed, and scores are considered only when elected. | Official policy ↗ |
| Brandeis University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional, and applicants are considered for merit scholarships and academic programs regardless of their decision to submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Brown University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bryn Mawr College | Test-optional — separate uses | Bryn Mawr permits no-score admission review; enrolling students who tested are asked to submit scores for academic advising and placement, not admission review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Bucknell University | Test-optional — recommends scores | SAT/ACT is optional, but Bucknell’s CDS identifies scores as recommended for Fall 2027 applicants. C9 reports 68% SAT and 18% ACT submission among Fall 2025 first-year enrollees (86% when added, though those measures can overlap). | Official policy ↗ |
| Caltech | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Carleton College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required; applicants choose whether to submit scores for consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Required for some or all students | School of Computer Science requires SAT/ACT; Engineering, Dietrich, Information Systems, Mellon Science, and Tepper are test-flexible; Fine Arts is test-optional. | Official policy ↗ |
| Case Western Reserve University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for first-year admission and is considered only if an applicant chooses to submit it. | Official policy ↗ |
| Catholic University of America | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is optional for admission, Honors, and merit awards. Catholic asks enrolled first-year students to submit any available scores for academic assessment, not admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Chatham University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for full first-year review; the policy also covers honors, integrated degree programs, and premier scholarship programs. | Official policy ↗ |
| Chestnut Hill College | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for domestic undergraduate admission, but international applicants must submit one approved examination, which may be SAT/ACT or an English-proficiency test. | Official policy ↗ |
| Claremont McKenna College | Required for some or all students | Test-optional through Fall 2027 entry; test-required for the Fall 2028 application cycle. | Official policy ↗ |
| Clemson University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for first-year admission; submitted scores are considered and superscored. | Official policy ↗ |
| Coastal Carolina University | Required for some or all students | Applicants with at least a 3.5 weighted high-school GPA may apply without SAT/ACT. Applicants not admitted under that plan must submit SAT or ACT for a decision. | Official policy ↗ |
| Colby College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT submission is entirely optional for first-year applicants; all applicants are considered for Colby’s scholar programs. | Official policy ↗ |
| Colgate University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional through the 2026–27 application season (for Fall 2027 entry); applicants who do not submit scores are not disadvantaged. | Official policy ↗ |
| College of the Holy Cross | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional; Holy Cross emphasizes the four-year academic record and outside-the-classroom interests in admission review. | Official policy ↗ |
| College of Charleston | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for freshman admission; the College encourages, but does not require, the writing component if students submit a score. | Official policy ↗ |
| College of New Jersey | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional through 2026–27 for most first-year applicants, but Nursing and Seven-Year Medical Program applicants must submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| College of William & Mary | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional indefinitely under William & Mary’s continuing test-optional policy. | Official policy ↗ |
| Colorado College | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is optional under a no-harm approach: scores are considered only if they strengthen an application. Enrolling students with official scores must submit them after enrollment; merit consideration is available regardless of testing choice. | Official policy ↗ |
| Colorado State University | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is optional for admission, any program, and financial aid. Scores are considered only on request and may be used for composition placement after admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Columbia University | Required for some or all students | Columbia College and Columbia Engineering are test-optional for the 2026–27 cycle, then require SAT or ACT for Fall 2028 entry; applicants facing testing barriers may request a waiver. | Official policy ↗ |
| Cornell University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Dartmouth College | Required | SAT or ACT required; international applicants may meet the requirement through specified alternatives. | Official policy ↗ |
| Davidson College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is permanently optional; enrolling students submit official scores if available after admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| DePaul University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for general freshman admission, but DePaul identifies prospective student-athletes and homeschooled applicants as required to submit scores. Enrolling freshmen are asked to submit any available scores for research only. | Official policy ↗ |
| Dickinson College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for admission; Dickinson has used a test-optional policy since 1994. | Official policy ↗ |
| Drew University | Test-optional | Drew permits applicants to choose SAT/ACT submission and considers no-score applicants for merit scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| Drexel University | Required for some or all students | Drexel uses a no-harm test-optional policy for most fall first-year applicants, but the BA/BS+MD Early Assurance Program requires SAT or ACT. | Official policy ↗ |
| Duke University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional for first-year and transfer applicants in the 2026–27 cycle, including international and merit-scholarship applicants; ROTC scholarship programs may require scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Duquesne University | Test-flexible | SAT/ACT is optional, and applicants may submit other standardized results—including CLT, AP, IB, or CLEP—for admission consideration. Duquesne encourages available scores for admission context and advising. | Official policy ↗ |
| Eastern University | Required for some or all students | Eastern is test-optional but reserves the right to request SAT/ACT from applicants with a GPA below 2.0. | Official policy ↗ |
| Elon University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for general first-year admission, but homeschooled applicants must submit scores for admission and scholarship consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Emerson College | Test-optional | Emerson permits SAT/ACT submission as an optional credential; a qualifying SAT/ACT score can also satisfy the English-proficiency requirement for applicable international applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Emory University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional for applicants seeking Fall 2027 and Fall 2028 entry, including merit scholars and both Emory College and Oxford College. | Official policy ↗ |
| Fairfield University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT submission is optional for first-year admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | Test-optional | FDU's current counselor fact sheet identifies standardized scores as optional for Fall 2026 first-time freshmen. | Official policy ↗ |
| Florida Atlantic University | Required | Florida public-university regulation requires first-year applicants to submit ACT, SAT, or CLT; FAU uses the score in admission review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Florida Southern College | Test-optional | Florida Southern lets applicants elect whether SAT/ACT is considered and considers all applicants for merit scholarships regardless of testing choice. | Official policy ↗ |
| Florida State University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Fordham University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for admission, scholarships, or honors programs; submitted scores are considered in holistic review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Franklin & Marshall College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required and is considered only when submitted; applicants without scores are evaluated through the rest of the application. | Official policy ↗ |
| Furman University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT submission is optional for first-year applicants and is considered only if the applicant chooses to send scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| George Mason University | Required for some or all students | Applicants may apply score-optional only if they meet the university's score-optional eligibility requirements; others submit SAT/ACT scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| George Washington University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for most applicants, but required for the accelerated BA/BS–MD program, homeschooled applicants, and applicants from schools using only narrative evaluations. | Official policy ↗ |
| Grinnell College | Test-optional | First-year applicants for Fall 2027 are not required to submit SAT/ACT and may elect whether scores are reviewed. | Official policy ↗ |
| Georgetown University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Georgia State University | Required for some or all students | Georgia State's Atlanta Campus requires official SAT/ACT for Fall 2026 and later; Perimeter College applicants with a GPA of 3.1+ may apply without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Gettysburg College | Test-optional — recommends scores | Applicants may choose test-optional, but Gettysburg's admissions guidance says students should submit SAT/ACT results; submitted scores are considered and superscored. | Official policy ↗ |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | Test-free | Gwynedd Mercy's current catalog says ACT/SAT scores are neither required nor used in traditional first-year admission decisions. | Official policy ↗ |
| Hamilton College | Test-optional | Hamilton is test-optional; applicants who submit SAT/ACT results may self-report them. | Official policy ↗ |
| Harvard College | Required for some or all students | SAT or ACT is normally required. Students without reasonable access may use specified AP, IB, GCSE/A-level, or national leaving-exam results. | Official policy ↗ |
| Harvey Mudd College | Test-optional — time-limited | Harvey Mudd has extended its ACT/SAT-optional pilot through the Fall 2027 admission cycle; no-score applicants are not disadvantaged. | Official policy ↗ |
| Haverford College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT submission is entirely the applicant's choice, with no negative impact for applying without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| High Point University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for regular admission, but required for Honors Scholar Program admission and Presidential Scholarship consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Hofstra University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional generally, but scores are required for homeschooled applicants and certain direct-entry health programs; eligible international applicants may use SAT/ACT to meet English-proficiency requirements. | Official policy ↗ |
| Howard University | Required for some or all students | Howard does not require SAT/ACT for general first-year or Karsh STEM review in 2026–27, but joint-degree programs remain outside the test-optional policy. | Official policy ↗ |
| Indiana University Bloomington | Test-optional — recommends scores | Applicants choose whether SAT/ACT/CLT scores are considered, but IU says it prefers applicants share available scores and expects them as academic evidence; merit consideration remains available without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Kansas State University | Test-optional — separate uses | K-State grants admission using other academic information, but some freshman scholarships and awards require SAT/ACT. | Official policy ↗ |
| Iowa State University | Test-optional | Iowa State allows first-year applicants to choose whether to self-report ACT/SAT/CLT; no-score review uses GPA and core-course completion. | Official policy ↗ |
| Ithaca College | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional in most cases, but homeschooled applicants and applicants from high schools with descriptive-only report cards must submit a score. | Official policy ↗ |
| James Madison University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required; applicants without scores are not penalized in admission, scholarship, or Honors College review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Johns Hopkins University | Required | First-year applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores for admission consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Kentucky | Test-optional — time-limited | Kentucky's test-optional policy runs through the 2028–29 academic year; applicants without scores remain eligible for scholarships and Honors consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Kenyon College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for all applicants; students may submit scores for consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| King's College of Pennsylvania | Required for some or all students | King's is test-optional generally, but homeschooled applicants and Physician Assistant and Engineering applicants must submit SAT/ACT. | Official policy ↗ |
| Kutztown University | Test-optional | Kutztown first-year applicants may choose whether to submit SAT/ACT. | Official policy ↗ |
| La Salle University | Test-free | La Salle no longer considers standardized tests for admission or merit scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| Lafayette College | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT submission is optional for applicants planning to enroll in fall 2027 or fall 2028. | Official policy ↗ |
| Lebanon Valley College | Required for some or all students | LVC is generally test-optional, but SAT/ACT is strongly encouraged for its direct-entry Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Athletic Training pathways. | Official policy ↗ |
| Lehigh University | Test-optional | Lehigh's indefinitely extended policy lets first-year and transfer applicants choose whether to submit SAT/ACT scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Louisiana State University | Test-optional | LSU's current undergraduate admission policy permits prospective freshmen to apply under its Board-approved test-optional policy; the Board considered reinstating testing in 2026. | Official policy ↗ |
| Loyola University Maryland | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for full-time undergraduate admission, scholarships, or Honors consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Loyola Marymount University | Test-optional | ACT/SAT is optional; applications and scholarship eligibility are not disadvantaged without scores, while submitted scores are considered holistically. | Official policy ↗ |
| Macalester College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional, with no disadvantage in admission or merit-scholarship consideration for applicants who do not submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Marquette University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for admission; applicants choosing test-optional are at no disadvantage in admission or scholarship review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Marist University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for admission and merit scholarships; applicants may self-report scores for consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Miami University Ohio | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for admission, programs, and most scholarship consideration, but the Presidential Fellows scholarship requires self-reported test scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Michigan State University | Test-optional | First-year applicants choose whether SAT/ACT scores are included in review; merit-scholarship consideration remains available without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Middlebury College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional; submitted scores are considered only when an applicant elects to submit them. | Official policy ↗ |
| Millersville University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional; applicants may send scores or other supporting information if they believe it strengthens the application. | Official policy ↗ |
| Mississippi State University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for general freshman admission but encouraged for scholarships; homeschooled, non-accredited-school, and applicants without a high-school diploma must submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Monmouth University | Test-optional | First-year applicants may choose traditional or test-optional application review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Montclair State University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional generally, but the combined BS/MD program requires SAT scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Mount Holyoke College | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional generally, but required for homeschooled applicants educated exclusively through self-study or online curriculum, subject to an individual waiver. | Official policy ↗ |
| Muhlenberg College | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for undergraduate admission, but required for the Penn 3–4 Biodental and SUNY Optometry 3–4 combined programs. | Official policy ↗ |
| Neumann University | Test-free | Neumann's Common Data Set reports SAT/ACT are not considered in first-year admission, even if submitted. | Official policy ↗ |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for the stated Fall 2026–Fall 2027 policy window, except for Albert Dorman Honors College and accelerated-program applicants; some endowed scholarships may require scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| New York University | Test-optional — time-limited | NYU is test-optional through the 2027–28 application cycle; applicants may submit a range of standardized testing if they choose. | Official policy ↗ |
| North Carolina State University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT/CLT is optional for first-year applicants with weighted GPA 2.8 or above; applicants below that threshold must submit SAT or ACT scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Northeastern University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for any enrollment opportunity, Honors invitation, or merit scholarship; applying without scores carries no disadvantage. | Official policy ↗ |
| Northwestern University | Test-optional | Northwestern does not require SAT/ACT scores from first-year or transfer applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Oberlin College | Test-optional — recommends scores | SAT/ACT is optional and applicants without scores receive equal admission and merit-scholarship consideration, but Oberlin encourages students who have taken the tests to submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Ohio State University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants to the Columbus campus. | Official policy ↗ |
| Ohio University | Test-optional | Athens-campus freshman applicants may use a permanent test-optional pathway with full consideration for programs, scholarships, Honors, and scholars opportunities. | Official policy ↗ |
| Oklahoma State University | Required for some or all students | Some assured-admission routes rely on ACT/SAT thresholds and the Freshman Med Bound program requires specified ACT/SAT scores; applicants not meeting assured criteria may receive holistic review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Oregon State University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for first-year admission and scholarships, but may be used to meet an Honors College GPA threshold; test scores are not required for specific academic programs. | Official policy ↗ |
| Penn State University | Required for some or all students | First-year applicants may choose test-optional review, but SAT/ACT is required for the Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program; scores may also be requested from applicants with nontraditional evaluations. | Official policy ↗ |
| Pepperdine University | Test-optional | SAT, ACT, or CLT is optional for Pepperdine undergraduate admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Pitzer College | Test-free — time-limited | Pitzer will not use SAT/ACT scores through the 2026–27 admission cycle and plans to return to test-optional for the 2027–28 cycle (Fall 2028 entry). | Official policy ↗ |
| Pomona College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional with no admission advantage for submitting scores; applicants who submit the ACT must include the Science section. | Official policy ↗ |
| Princeton University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional under Princeton’s published temporary policy; verify the application year before relying on it. | Official policy ↗ |
| Providence College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for admission; English-proficiency testing remains required for applicable non-native English speakers. | Official policy ↗ |
| Purdue University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Quinnipiac University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for most majors, recommended for Nursing, PT and some combined programs, and required if available for Physician Assistant, Law 3+3, international, and homeschooled applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional through the Fall 2030 application cycle, but the Physician-Scientist BS/MD program requires official scores at application. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rice University | Test-optional — recommends scores | Rice recommends that first-year applicants submit SAT or ACT scores if available, while giving applicants who do not submit scores full consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rider University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required for admission or most scholarships; test-optional admits are strongly encouraged to submit scores for placement, without impact on admission or scholarship. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional; applicants who choose no-score review are evaluated holistically, with no access to scores already sent. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rollins University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is not required and applicants without scores remain eligible for merit scholarships and need-based aid. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rowan University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for the University, but required for the 3+4 BS/MD or BS/DO and 3+2 Physician Assistant programs. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rutgers University–Camden | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is test-optional through 2027, but required for the Camden BS/DO program. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is test-optional through 2027; submitted scores are considered as an additional credential and may provide placement-test exemptions after enrollment. | Official policy ↗ |
| Rutgers University–Newark | Required for some or all students | Newark is test-blind for most applicants through 2027, but SAT/ACT is required for the seven-year BA/MD program. | Official policy ↗ |
| Sarah Lawrence College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional, and applicants without scores are not disadvantaged in admission review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Scripps College | Test-optional | The 2025–26 Common Data Set lists SAT/ACT as not required for admission but considered if submitted for Fall 2027 applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Seton Hall University | Test-optional — time-limited | Seton Hall is test-optional for domestic applicants through Fall 2029; international applicants may receive test-optional approval case by case. | Official policy ↗ |
| Shippensburg University | Test-free | SAT/ACT is not required and Shippensburg says it will not review test scores for admission even when received; certain engineering/computing applicants may submit scores to strengthen immediate-admission prospects. | Official policy ↗ |
| Santa Clara University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional through the 2027 term, with no admission or merit-scholarship disadvantage for applicants without scores; the policy beyond Fall 2027 remains under review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Skidmore College | Test-optional | Skidmore does not require SAT/ACT scores for admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Smith College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT submission is optional for all applicants, with no admission disadvantage for choosing not to submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Saint Joseph's University | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for admission and merit-scholarship consideration; applications are reviewed the same with or without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Southern Methodist University | Test-optional | SMU is fully test-optional; applicants without SAT/ACT are evaluated through the rest of their academic and personal record. | Official policy ↗ |
| Stanford University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| St. John's University (NY) | Required for some or all students | Qualified first-year applicants may apply test-optional, but homeschooled students, select majors, prospective student-athletes, and Bio-Optometry applicants may require SAT/ACT scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Stony Brook University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for general undergraduate admission and most honors programs, but required for Scholars for Medicine and Scholars for Dental Medicine applications. | Official policy ↗ |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional through Fall 2029, but required for Accelerated Pre-Medicine, Pre-Law, and beginning Fall 2027, Pinnacle Scholars consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Stockton University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional for most first-year applicants but required for certain programs; direct-admit Physical Therapy, for example, sets minimum SAT/ACT thresholds. | Official policy ↗ |
| Swarthmore College | Test-optional — time-limited | Swarthmore's 2024–25 Common Data Set reports SAT/ACT optional for the 2025–26 admission cycle, with scores considered only if an applicant elects to submit them. | Official policy ↗ |
| Susquehanna University | Test-optional | Applicants may apply without SAT/ACT scores under Susquehanna's holistic review process. | Official policy ↗ |
| Syracuse University | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is not required for Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Fall 2027, or Spring 2028 entry, and no-score applicants remain eligible for merit scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| Temple University | Test-optional | First-year applicants may select test-optional review and apply without SAT/ACT scores; applicants without scores receive equal merit-scholarship consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| Texas A&M University | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Texas Christian University | Test-optional — time-limited | TCU is test-optional through 2028, applying a do-no-harm approach to submitted scores and considering no-score applicants for admission, scholarships, and Honors. | Official policy ↗ |
| The New School | Test-optional | The New School does not require SAT, SAT Subject Test, or ACT scores; applicants may submit them for consideration if they strengthen the application. | Official policy ↗ |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Test-optional | Jefferson has eliminated prior standardized-test requirements; scores may be submitted, but their absence does not disadvantage admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Towson University | Test-optional | Towson is permanently test-optional; SAT/ACT is not required for admission, scholarships, or Honors review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Tufts University | Test-optional — recommends scores | SAT/ACT is optional for all undergraduate applicants, but Tufts generally encourages applicants with SAT 1300+ or ACT 28+ to submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Trinity College (Hartford) | Test-optional | Trinity does not require SAT/ACT scores for first-year or transfer admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| Tulane University | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT remains optional for Fall 2027, but is required for the invitation-only Pathways to Medicine program; testing or other external exams are preferred credentials for academic merit scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| United States Air Force Academy | Required | SAT or ACT required as part of the candidate file. | Official policy ↗ |
| United States Coast Guard Academy | Required | SAT or ACT required as part of the application. | Official policy ↗ |
| United States Military Academy | Required | SAT or ACT required as part of the candidate file. | Official policy ↗ |
| United States Naval Academy | Required | SAT or ACT required as part of the application. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Alabama | Test-optional — separate uses | Scores are optional for admission but may be relevant to scholarships or placement; check the current award rules. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Arizona | Test-optional — separate uses | SAT/ACT is not required for general admission, institutional merit scholarships, or Franke Honors College, but may fulfill competency deficiencies and support placement after admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Arkansas | Required for some or all students | Applicants with GPA 3.20+ may receive test-optional review; lower-GPA, homeschooled, and narrative-transcript applicants must submit an approved score, and all admitted freshmen must provide a score for placement and enrollment. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of California system | Test-free — time-limited | UC currently does not use SAT/ACT for admission or scholarships, while the Academic Senate and Regents are conducting an expedited review of whether to restore testing. No change has been adopted. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of California, Berkeley | Test-free — time-limited | Berkeley currently does not consider SAT/ACT for admission or scholarships; systemwide leaders are conducting an expedited review of whether to restore testing. No change has been adopted. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Test-free — time-limited | UCLA currently does not consider SAT/ACT for admission or scholarships; systemwide leaders are conducting an expedited review of whether to restore testing. No change has been adopted. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Chicago | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional under UChicago's No Harm policy: submitted scores are used only if they positively affect admission review. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Cincinnati | Test-optional | UC is test-optional for all undergraduate programs; applicants without scores receive full admission and scholarship consideration when they meet the Early Action deadline. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Test-optional | CU Boulder does not require SAT/ACT for admission; applicants may elect to have self-reported or official scores considered. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Connecticut | Test-optional | UConn gives first-year applicants the choice to submit SAT/ACT for consideration for the foreseeable future; scores are not required. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Central Florida | Required | SAT or ACT required for freshman admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Delaware | Test-optional | All first-year applicants may choose whether to submit SAT/ACT; applicants with high-school-equivalency credentials are strongly encouraged to provide evidence of college readiness. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Denver | Test-optional | DU does not require SAT/ACT for admission or merit scholarships; submitted scores are considered with the other materials, and non-graded-school applicants are encouraged to submit scores for merit competitiveness. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Florida | Required | SAT or ACT required for freshman admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Georgia | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Test-optional | Beginning with the 2027 admission cycle, UIC reviews SAT/ACT only when submitted scores positively contribute to the holistic application; applicants without scores receive full consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Test-optional | ACT/SAT is optional for every first-year major; scores are considered only if submitted. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Maine | Test-optional | UMaine has adopted test-optional admission across all programs. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Test-optional | UMBC is test-optional across majors, programs, and colleges; no-score applicants receive full admission, merit-scholarship, Honors, and Scholars consideration. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Maryland College Park | Test-optional — time-limited | UMD is test-optional through the Spring and Fall 2027 application cycles. Applicants choose whether submitted SAT/ACT scores are considered in their application review; a score-excluded choice is honored. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for all first-year applicants and majors; applications, scholarships, and special programs are reviewed with or without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Miami | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is required for most first-year applicants; test-optional pathways are available for certain performance-based Frost Music, Architecture, and BFA programs, with audition or portfolio requirements. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Michigan | Test-optional | U-M will continue test-optional review for the 2027 application cycle; applicants may choose whether SAT/ACT is considered. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Minnesota Twin Cities | Test-optional — time-limited | Freshman applicants are not required to submit SAT/ACT through the Fall 2029 term; applicants may choose to have an official score reviewed. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Mississippi | Required | Freshman admission requires the prescribed curriculum and GPA plus an ACT/SAT score under Mississippi admission standards; scores also determine developmental-course placement. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Missouri | Test-optional | Mizzou permits first-year applicants to apply with ACT/SAT scores or through its test-optional review process. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of New Hampshire | Test-optional | First-year applicants may choose whether to submit SAT/ACT for admission consideration; scores are not required. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of New Haven | Required for some or all students | Most applicants are test-optional under a do-no-harm policy, but homeschooled, online, equivalency, and non-graded-transcript applicants must submit SAT/ACT; score submission is also an English-proficiency option for applicable international applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of North Carolina Chapel Hill | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional under UNC’s published temporary policy; verify the application year before relying on it. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Notre Dame | Required for some or all students | SAT/ACT is optional through the 2026–27 application cycle. Notre Dame says it will require either test for first-year applicants seeking Fall 2028 entry. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Oklahoma | Test-optional — separate uses | OU permits holistic review with or without ACT/SAT/CLT; submitted scores are used for admission and scholarship evaluation, while score-free applicants remain eligible for holistic scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Oregon | Test-optional | Oregon permits first-year applicants to be considered without ACT/SAT; English-proficiency testing still applies where applicable. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Pennsylvania | Required | Penn requires SAT or ACT for the 2026–27 first-year cycle, with a testing waiver available to applicants who have not tested because of hardship. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Pittsburgh | Test-optional | Pitt's 2025–26 Common Data Set reports SAT/ACT are considered when submitted, but first-year applicants may elect not to submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Rhode Island | Test-optional | URI does not require SAT/ACT for first-year admission; submitted scores are considered, while international applicants are encouraged to submit them when seeking merit scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Richmond | Required for some or all students | Richmond provides a temporary test-optional path for Fall 2027 entrants, but requires SAT/ACT from nontraditional high-school applicants, including homeschooled and online-school students. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Rochester | Test-optional | Rochester's undergraduate process is test-optional; applicants without scores are not disadvantaged in admission or scholarship review. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Scranton | Test-optional | First-year applicants may apply without SAT/ACT and remain eligible for merit, Dean's, and Presidential Scholarships. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of South Carolina | Test-optional — time-limited | SAT/ACT is optional for general admission, the Honors College, and undergraduate-admissions merit scholarships through the published 2027 terms. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of South Florida | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year admission. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of San Diego | Test-free — time-limited | USD will not view SAT/ACT in first-year admission review, including for international applicants, through Fall 2027. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Southern California | Test-optional — recommends scores | USC does not require SAT/ACT, but says externally graded work is helpful and recommends SAT/ACT, AP results, college transcripts, or accredited online-school information when possible; SAT/ACT may also meet English-proficiency requirements. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Tampa | Test-optional — recommends scores | UTampa does not require SAT/ACT but explicitly encourages scores that reflect academic potential and recommends SAT above 1200 or ACT above 25. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Tennessee | Required | UT Knoxville requires first-year applicants to self-report SAT/ACT by the January 20, 2027 deadline; scores are used for admission, institutional merit scholarships, and math placement. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Texas Austin | Required | SAT or ACT required for first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Vermont | Test-optional | UVM's permanent test-optional policy permits applicants to submit ACT/SAT but does not penalize no-score applicants in admission, financial-aid, merit-scholarship, or Honors review. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Virginia | Test-optional | UVA is test-optional for the Fall 2026 first-year cycle and expresses no preference between SAT and ACT. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Washington | Test-optional — limited consideration | Scores are generally not visible in holistic review, but very high scores may be considered for a small number of applicants; SAT/ACT is required for some homeschooled applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| University of Wisconsin Madison | Required for some or all students | UW–Madison waives ACT/SAT through Spring 2028, but homeschooled Wisconsin applicants seeking Wisconsin Guarantee consideration must submit official scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Ursinus College | Test-optional | SAT/ACT is optional for Ursinus first-year applicants, with merit scholarship eligibility included in the admission application. | Official policy ↗ |
| Vanderbilt University | Required for some or all students | Vanderbilt is test-optional for Fall 2027 and 2028 entrants, including international and homeschooled applicants, then will require SAT/ACT for Fall 2029 and beyond. | Official policy ↗ |
| Vassar College | Test-optional | Vassar permits first-year applicants to choose whether to submit SAT/ACT. | Official policy ↗ |
| Villanova University | Required for some or all students | Villanova's CDS lists SAT/ACT as required for homeschool applicants and optional for other first-year applicants. | Official policy ↗ |
| Virginia Tech | Test-optional — time-limited | Virginia Tech makes SAT/ACT optional for all first-year applicants entering through Fall 2028. | Official policy ↗ |
| Wake Forest University | Test-optional | Wake Forest has been test-optional since 2008; SAT/ACT is reviewed only if submitted, with no penalty for applying without scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Washington and Lee University | Test-optional — time-limited | W&L extends test-optional admission through the Fall 2027 entering class; international students with access to testing are strongly encouraged to submit scores. | Official policy ↗ |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Test-optional | WashU has adopted a test-optional policy; SAT/ACT is considered only if an applicant elects to submit it. | Official policy ↗ |
| Wellesley College | Test-optional — time-limited | Wellesley will continue test-optional first-year admission for Fall 2027 entry. | Official policy ↗ |
| Wesleyan University | Required for some or all students | Wesleyan is test-optional for most applicants, but homeschooled applicants must submit an SAT or ACT taken within the preceding twelve months. | Official policy ↗ |
| West Chester University | Test-optional — time-limited | West Chester currently makes SAT/ACT optional for first-year applicants and reevaluates this temporary adjustment after each admission cycle. | Official policy ↗ |
| West Virginia University | Required for some or all students | WVU is test-optional with a no-harm policy, but scores may be required for select majors, direct Honors admission, and some scholarships, including Promise Scholarship. | Official policy ↗ |
| Widener University | Test-optional | Widener permits domestic first-year applicants to submit an admissions essay instead of SAT/ACT and evaluates submitted scores without penalty. | Official policy ↗ |
| Williams College | Test-optional | Williams is truly test-optional; applicants choose whether SAT/ACT is included in holistic review. | Official policy ↗ |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Test-optional | WPI allows every applicant to choose whether SAT/ACT is included in admission review, with no negative effect from either choice. | Official policy ↗ |
| Yale University | Required for some or all students | Applicants must provide one accepted set of scores: SAT, ACT, AP, or IB. | Official policy ↗ |