Standardized Testing & School Policy

For ambitious students and their families, the path to an Ivy League or other Top-20 university has always been a high-stakes journey. Every component of the application—from the transcript to the essay—is meticulously crafted. For the past several years, however, one of the most historically significant components, the standardized test score, has been in a state of flux. The whirlwind of “test-optional” policies that swept through higher education left many families confused, anxious, and strategically adrift. Now, the pendulum is swinging back, and the landscape is more complex than ever.

If you’re aiming for the most selective colleges in the country, you cannot afford to misinterpret the signals. Understanding the nuances of standardized testing and school policy isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s a critical component of a winning application strategy. The question is no longer simply if your child should test, but how testing fits into a broader narrative of excellence, and how to strategically deploy scores to maximum effect.

At Great College Advice, we’ve guided countless families through this intricate maze. We understand the pressure and the ambition that drives you. This comprehensive guide is designed to cut through the noise. We will dissect the policies, reveal the thinking inside admissions offices, and provide a clear, actionable framework for making the right decisions about the SAT and ACT for your high-achieving student.

The Pendulum Swings: Understanding the Shifting Landscape of College Testing Policies

The role of standardized tests in college admissions has become one of the most hotly debated topics in education. What was once a standard rite of passage has become a confusing patchwork of institutional and state-level policies. For families targeting the most competitive schools, understanding this evolution is the first step toward mastering it.

From Mandate to Moratorium: A Brief History of the Test-Optional Movement

While the test-optional movement feels like a recent phenomenon, its roots are decades old. A small number of liberal arts colleges began questioning the necessity and fairness of the SAT/ACT as far back as the 1970s and 80s. The argument, which persists today, was that tests were a barrier to otherwise qualified low-income and underrepresented minority students and that a student’s high school record was a better predictor of college success. For years, this remained a niche position, with the vast majority of selective institutions requiring scores.

The COVID-19 Catalyst: How the Pandemic Accelerated a Trend

The COVID-19 pandemic was the black swan event that turned the test-optional trickle into a tidal wave. With testing centers closed and access to the exam severely disrupted, colleges had little choice but to waive their requirements. Nearly every selective institution in the country, including the entire Ivy League, went test-optional for the fall 2021 admissions cycle. This massive, unplanned experiment provided a wealth of data and forced admissions offices to evaluate applicants without a key data point they had relied on for generations.

The Great Return: Why Top Schools are Reinstating Test Requirements

After several years of test-optional admissions, the tide is turning once again. A growing chorus of the nation’s most elite universities are announcing a return to test-required policies. The shift began with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2022. Since then, a cascade of top schools has followed, including:

This reversal isn’t a random correction. It’s a decision rooted in (supposedly) compelling internal research and the practical challenges of trying to build an academically prepared class without a standardized metric. As one of our internal GCA analysts noted, there is also a political dimension: “Because Republicans are united behind the tests, it stands to reason that states that have shifted significantly to the right…would bring back the test requirement.” This confluence of academic and political factors suggests the “Test Required” trend will only accelerate.

Decoding the Different Policies: Test-Required, Test-Optional, Test-Blind, and Test-Flexible

To navigate the current environment, you must have a precise understanding of the terminology. A misinterpretation of “test-optional” could be a critical strategic error. Let’s clarify what each policy means for your applicant.

Test-Required: The New (Old) Standard

This is the most straightforward policy and the one to which many top schools are returning. All applicants must submit an SAT or ACT score for their application to be considered complete. There are no exceptions. For ambitious students, this policy provides clarity: you must test, and you must aim for a score that is competitive for that institution.

Test-Optional: The Strategic Minefield

This is the most common, and most misunderstood, policy. On its face, it means the applicant can choose whether or not to submit a test score. If you submit a score, it will be considered. If you do not, the admissions office will evaluate your application based on other materials. However, for students targeting T20 schools, “optional” is often an illusion. The unspoken truth is that if you come from a well-resourced background and high-performing high school, an application without a test score can be viewed with suspicion by admissions officers. The decision to withhold a score is a strategic one that requires careful calculation, which we will cover in depth later.

Test-Blind / Test-Free: The Exception, Not the Rule

A test-blind or test-free policy means the college will not look at standardized test scores, even if you submit them. This is the purest form of de-emphasizing tests. The most prominent examples are the universities in the University of California system. While this policy seems to be working for the UCs, very few other selective private or public universities have adopted this approach. For most students applying to a national list of top colleges, you will not be able to avoid the testing question entirely.

Test-Flexible: A Niche but Important Distinction

Test-flexible policies are less common but important to recognize. A test-flexible school might allow you to submit other scores in lieu of the SAT or ACT, such as AP, IB, or SAT Subject Test scores (though the latter are now discontinued). Yale’s new “test-flexible” policy is a prime example; they require a test score, but applicants can submit AP or IB scores instead of an SAT or ACT. This can be a significant advantage for students who excel on curriculum-based exams but struggle with the SAT/ACT format.

The “Why” Behind the Shift: What Admissions Officers Are Really Thinking

Why are so many top-tier schools, after championing holistic review, now demanding test scores again? The answer isn’t a simple desire to return to the “old ways.” It’s a pragmatic response to the realities they encountered during the test-optional experiment. Understanding their reasoning is key to appreciating the value of a strong score.

The Problem with Grade Inflation and Transcript Variability

An ‘A’ from one high school is not the same as an ‘A’ from another. Admissions officers have always known this, but the test-optional era made the problem acute. With rampant grade inflation—where the average GPA at many high schools has soared—it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate among thousands of applicants who all present at least a 4.0 GPA. According to data from the ACT, the average high school GPA of test-takers rose from 3.22 in 2010 to 3.45 in 2023, while average ACT scores declined. A strong test score acts as a crucial, standardized benchmark that helps admissions officers calibrate the rigor of a student’s curriculum and the meaning of their GPA.

As one concerned parent noted in our GCA community forums, this is a major source of anxiety: “when testing is optional, I am finding it challenging to figure out how to make a realistic college list for my student. Grade inflation coupled with schools posting ‘average’ SAT/ACT scores don’t seem to give a realistic picture.” A standardized test cuts through this ambiguity.

The Search for “Hidden Gems”: How Tests Can Promote Equity

Counterintuitively, many top schools found that eliminating test requirements actually hurt their ability to find and admit talented students from less-privileged backgrounds. A student from a rural or under-resourced high school may not have access to 20 AP courses or fancy extracurriculars, but a stellar SAT score can signal their immense academic potential in a way their transcript alone cannot. It allows them to compete on a national stage.

As we’ve discussed internally at Great College Advice, this was a key finding for one of the world’s top STEM universities.

“MIT cited their ability, using standardized test scores, to find students who would otherwise not have been admitted. Specifically they cited finding students from less rigorous schools and depressed socioeconomic backgrounds.”

This sentiment was echoed by a UC faculty report, which found that “considering standardized tests HELPED children from lower SES families. They were able to demonstrate their academic aptitude without the rigorous curriculum that top school districts offer.”

Internal Data and Predictive Validity: The Research Driving the Decisions

The decisions at schools like Dartmouth and Harvard were not based on anecdotes. They were driven by deep, internal analysis of their own applicant and student data from the test-optional years. The findings were remarkably consistent: SAT/ACT scores, when used in a holistic context, are the single best predictor of academic success in college.

Harvard’s research, in particular, produced a stunning insight that we analyzed in our internal research channels.

“The research Harvard released supporting their decision to bring back test requirements noted that SAT & ACT scores were the least affected metric [by socioeconomic status]. Sure, hegemonic (white, male, upper class, college educated parents) stats still had higher average test scores, test scores were the LEAST affected… They found that had they only used SAT & ACT scores to determine admissions, the amount of marginalized students lost to the repeal of affirmative action would have been replaced by low income students.”

In short, the data showed that scores were a more reliable indicator of academic merit than other, more easily manipulated parts of the application, and could actually enhance socioeconomic diversity.

The Political and Legal Undercurrents

The 2023 Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action has cast a long shadow over admissions. As colleges can no longer explicitly consider race, they are searching for race-neutral proxies to build a diverse class. As one GCA expert observed, “the right often sees holistic admissions – which typically devalues SAT/ACT – as being a cover for affirmative action, which they are against.” In this new legal environment, a standardized, objective metric like a test score becomes more defensible and, therefore, more valuable to institutions navigating a complex legal landscape.

The Strategic Question for Ambitious Applicants: To Submit or Not to Submit?

For a student applying to a test-optional T20 school, this is the million-dollar question. The answer is rarely simple and requires a cold, hard look at the data and your child’s entire application profile. Generic advice is dangerous; a strategic calculation is essential.

The “Optional” Illusion: When is Test-Optional Truly Optional?

For the vast majority of unhooked applicants from competitive high schools, “test-optional” is not truly optional if you want to be a serious contender. If you have a strong score, you submit it. Period. Withholding a good score puts you at a distinct disadvantage against a peer with a similar profile who did submit a strong score. The only time withholding a score is a viable strategy is if the score is genuinely weak relative to the rest of your application and the school’s standards. True optionality is a privilege reserved for recruited athletes, major development candidates, or students with a truly extraordinary, world-class talent or background that makes a test score irrelevant.

The 50% Rule and Its Limitations

The common advice is to submit your score if it falls within or above the middle 50% range of accepted students for that college. While this is a decent starting point, it’s too simplistic for T20 aspirants. The published mid-50% ranges from the test-optional era are artificially inflated, as only students with high scores chose to submit them. A score at the 25th percentile of that inflated range might not actually hurt you.

Our rule of thumb at Great College Advice is more stringent: for a highly selective school, you should aim to submit a score that is at or above the median (50th percentile) for that school. Submitting a score below the median, even if it’s within the “middle 50%,” requires careful consideration.

A Framework for Your Decision: Score vs. School Median, Major, and Overall Application Strength

To make an informed decision, you need to analyze three factors:

Score vs. School Profile: Is your score at or above the median for admitted students at that specific college? Not the university-wide median, but the median for the specific school or program you’re applying to (e.g., Engineering vs. Arts & Sciences), if that data is available.
Score vs. Your Major: If you are applying for a competitive STEM or business program, the testing expectations will be higher than for humanities. A 1500 SAT might be excellent for a history major but could be seen as average for a computer science applicant at Carnegie Mellon.
Score vs. Your Application Profile: How does your score complement the rest of your application?
- High GPA / High Score: This is the ideal. You are confirming your academic excellence. Submit everywhere.
- High GPA / Lower Score: This is the classic dilemma. If your GPA is stellar but your score is below the school’s median, withholding it might be the right move, allowing your transcript to shine.
- Lower GPA / High Score: A high score can be a lifesaver. It can help offset a less-than-perfect GPA, signaling to the admissions office that you have the raw intellectual horsepower to succeed, even if your high school record has some blemishes. You should absolutely submit the score.

Case Study: When a 1520 Helps (and When It Might Not)

A 1520 on the SAT is a fantastic score, placing a student in the 98th percentile nationally. But in the hyper-competitive world of T20 admissions, context is everything.

Applying to USC (Median SAT ~1520): A 1520 is right at the median. It confirms you are a competitive applicant. You should submit it.
Applying to MIT (Median SAT ~1550): A 1520 is below the median. If the rest of your application is strong but not extraordinary, submitting this score could potentially weaken your case unless you have an almost 800 on the math section. You would need to have a serious discussion about whether your application is stronger without it.
Applying to a Top Liberal Arts College (Median SAT ~1480): A 1520 is well above the median. It positions you as a top academic candidate and should be submitted without hesitation.

A Deep Dive into Test Preparation: Maximizing Your Score for Maximum Impact

Once you’ve committed to a testing strategy, the focus shifts to execution. For ambitious students, the goal isn’t just to take the test, but to achieve a score that opens doors. This requires a thoughtful approach to preparation.

Content, Timing, and Motivation: The Three Pillars of Test Prep

Successful test prep, as we often discuss with our students, boils down to three things. First is mastering the content—the specific grammar rules, math concepts, and reading comprehension skills tested. Second is managing the timing; the SAT and ACT are tests of speed as much as knowledge. Third, and perhaps most difficult, is maintaining motivation through what can be a long and grueling process. The peer pressure and rumor mill at competitive high schools can be intense. As two parents from our community shared, the hardest part is often “the stress that students heap upon each other with chatter, rumors, and peer pressure,” and the fact that “NO ONE [is] honest to your student about scores.” A structured plan helps manage this stress.

The Digital SAT/ACT: What’s Changed and How to Prepare

The College Board has transitioned to a fully digital, adaptive SAT. This new format is shorter (about two hours instead of three) and the test’s difficulty adjusts based on the student’s performance on the first module. This makes each question more important and requires a different pacing strategy. The ACT has also shortened its exam and still offers paper testing to go with its digital option. Students should take full-length, official digital practice tests to get comfortable with the new format and adaptive nature of the exam.

Accommodations and Equity: Understanding 504s, IEPs, and Access Issues

For students with documented learning differences, securing accommodations like extra time is critical. This process, which requires a 504 Plan or an IEP, should be started as early as possible. However, school policies can sometimes create unintended inequities. We encountered a situation with a student who had a 1540 SAT but struggled with timed in-class tests because his school capped all tests at 40 minutes to simplify scheduling for students who did have accommodations. This highlights the importance of understanding both official College Board accommodation policies and your own school’s specific testing environment. If your child is a strong student who consistently struggles with timing, it may be worth exploring a formal evaluation for processing speed issues.

Superscoring, Score Choice, and Retaking: Crafting Your Testing Timeline

Most selective colleges “superscore” the SAT or ACT, meaning they will take your highest section scores from different test dates to create a new, higher composite score. This policy encourages students to retake the test to improve their score. Your strategy should be to plan on taking the test at least twice, and possibly three times, starting in the spring of junior year. This allows you to leverage superscoring and submit the best possible score profile. “Score Choice” allows you to decide which test dates to send to colleges, giving you control over what the admissions office sees.

Your Guide to Standardized Testing Resources

Navigating the nuances of standardized testing is a critical part of a successful college application strategy. To help you master each component, we’ve developed a series of in-depth guides. Explore these resources to build a comprehensive testing plan for your student.

The Ultimate Guide to the Digital SAT vs. ACT: A detailed breakdown of the two exams, helping you decide which test is the right fit for your student’s strengths.
Test-Optional Strategy: A Data-Driven Guide on When to Submit Your Scores: A deeper dive into the strategic calculations behind the “to submit or not to submit” decision, complete with case studies for different applicant profiles.
AP vs. IB vs. Dual Enrollment: Which is Best for College Admissions?: Understand how advanced coursework interacts with your testing strategy and how colleges view different curricula.
A Parent’s Guide to Test Accommodations: 504s, IEPs, and Extra Time: A practical guide to navigating the process of securing testing accommodations for your student.
National Merit Scholarship: A Comprehensive Guide for High-Achievers: Learn how the PSAT/NMSQT fits into your testing plan and how to leverage a high score for scholarships and recognition.

The Future of Standardized Testing: What to Expect in the Coming Years

The world of college admissions is never static. As you plan your child’s path to a top university, it’s helpful to look ahead at the trends that will shape the landscape.

The Accelerating Trend Towards Test-Required

The dam has broken. With so many top-tier institutions leading the charge back to test-required policies, we expect the trend to continue and accelerate. More schools will likely announce the reinstatement of testing requirements for the Class of 2030 and beyond. For families with younger students, the message is clear: assume that testing will be a mandatory part of the application process for selective colleges.

The Ongoing Debate and What It Means for Your Family

The debate over the fairness and efficacy of standardized tests is far from over. You will continue to hear passionate arguments from both sides. However, for the ambitious family, the strategic path is to tune out the philosophical debate and focus on the practical reality. The most selective colleges in the world have decided, based on their own data, that test scores are a valuable and necessary tool for building their classes. Your goal is not to litigate the merits of the test, but to master it.

Partnering with an Expert to Navigate the Maze

The stakes are too high, and the landscape too complex, to rely on generic advice or what you overhear from other parents at school. Crafting a winning strategy for a T20 applicant requires a level of nuance and expertise that goes beyond simple rules of thumb.

At Great College Advice, we don’t just tell you what the policies are; we help you build a personalized, data-driven testing strategy that integrates seamlessly with the rest of your child’s application. We help you decide which test to take, when to take it, how to prepare, and how to strategically deploy your scores to give you a competitive edge.

Navigating the path to a top college is a marathon, not a sprint. A strong, strategic approach to standardized testing is one of the most powerful tools you have to make your child’s application stand out in a sea of excellence.