Which Colleges Don’t Require SAT/ACT Scores for 2022-2023 Admissions?

The novel coronavirus has had a massive impact on colleges, and that includes college admissions. Because of stay-at-home orders, virtual learning, and cancelled SAT and ACT exam dates, among other things, many universities are aware that it might be difficult or impossible for incoming high school seniors to take and do well on standardized tests in time for application deadlines.

The result? Hundreds of colleges have dropped their SAT and ACT test requirements for the 2020/2021, 2021/2022, and 2022/2023 college admissions cycles. 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 2022/2023 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 2022/2023 admissions cycle as a result of the coronavirus. Some notable inclusions are all the Ivy League schools as well as many public Ivies and top liberal arts colleges like Williams, 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.

Will These Schools Eventually Return to Requiring Standardized Test Scores?

The short answer is that some colleges will, some won’t. Most schools in this list have stated that the suspension of requiring standardized test scores is only a temporary move. Some schools, such  Trinity University, are using this as a trial period, and will keep their test-optional policy for three years before deciding whether to implement it permanently or not. Other schools, such as the University of Oregon,  the College of William and Mary, and Scripps College, have announced that they’ve decided to become permanently test optional. However, most schools aren’t yet committing to whether or not they’ll continue their test-optional policy after the pandemic ends.

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. You shouldn’t fly across the country during a pandemic to take the SAT/ACT, but if you can safely take the test nearby, you should. 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.

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