In light of testing uncertainty due to the Covid pandemic, including cancelled SAT and ACT test dates and testing center closures, more than half of US colleges and universities are now test-optional for 2020-2021, with some adopting permanent test-optional policies.
While thousands of colleges are no longer requiring SAT or ACT scores, that doesn’t mean that college admissions committees are test-blind. (Please see our post on test-blind admissions, here.) Test-optional means that colleges give you the option of submitting standardized test scores from the SAT or ACT. If you do submit scores, the admissions committee will consider them; however, if you do not submit SAT scores or ACT scores, they won’t penalize you. A quick note about Subject Tests: no US colleges require Subject Tests. Yes, you read that right. As of March 2020, there are zero US colleges that require Subject Tests.
So…should you prep for the SAT or ACT since so many schools have gone test-optional?
Current 11th, 10th, and 9th graders should note that most colleges have announced a temporary test-optional policy for one year. Schools will reevaluate their policies at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 admissions cycle and some will for sure become test-optional permanently. But many will not.
Class of 2022: Plan for test prep as you would have pre-Covid, as many colleges will go back to requiring test scores. Plus, test-optional has never meant test-blind…and that will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. You should also note that some schools that have gone test-optional for 2020-2021 don’t extend the test-optional policy to all applicants. If you are a recruited athlete, a homeschooled student, an international student, or a transfer applicant, double-check to ensure that the test-optional policy applies to you. In many instances, it will not. Students interested in merit scholarships should also check to see if standardized test scores are required for scholarship consideration of any kind. Some schools also have test-flexible policies, which means that students have options regarding what scores they submit (for instance, 2 Subject Tests and an AP exam in lieu of the SAT or ACT). Read more about test-flexible admissions here.
To help with your planning, Expert Admissions has compiled an edited list of colleges that have made test-optional announcements in response to testing disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. This is not a complete list of test-optional schools but we strive to keep it up to date, as policies change rapidly.
Even if tests aren’t canceled, the kids are not getting the learning experience they would normally get or the proper preparation. Nor is the preparation consistent by state or districts. All testing will be unfair for juniors this year as there is no way to tell who is getting the proper preparation and learning this way is difficult, at best.
Hi, Janine! Yes, testing is riddled with inequities and the pandemic has magnified that. Some students get prep through their schools, some from outside tutors, some not at all; some prepped virtually pre-pandemic and some only in-person. Different things work for different people but one thing we can all probably agree on is that testing poses many issues and challenges and it poses more significant issues and challenges for some and not others.
This is frustrating for class of 2022 because they are still being affected by COVID closures yet many universities are not extending the test optional. So far my daughter has had both the August and September SAT tests she was sign up for canceled. She is signed up for December but it is seeming like her school is leaning towards canceling that one too. It is a lot to expect a student to study and prep for an exam when it keeps getting canceled. The stress of online learning and the inability to get enough test opportunities are impacting the class of 2022 as well but somehow university admissions are not acknowledging this.
It’s still relatively early for colleges to make announcements about the next cycle, even though you are absolutely correct about it already impacting the Class of 2022. Our suggestion is to plan for testing in spring 2021 and fall 2021, not right now (fall 2020). This will open any available testing center spaces to current seniors and it enables juniors to focus on academics (and mental health!) for now. There will likely be additional testing center closures in the winter and spring; you should expect that. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to be prepared to be flexible. We’d also expect that many colleges will extend their test-optional policies to next year — but that remains to be seen. We’re in this together!
When would we find out when they will be test optional for the fall of 2022
Hi, Evan! This will vary, depending on the college. Expect next year’s policy announcements to start trickling out in 2021, though many announced two-year test-optional policies last year and a couple have already announced policies for the 2021-2022 application year. You’ll need to check with each school you’re interested in and continue to check back. Unfortunately, there’s no standard timeline for this.
Do you know when they’ll make the announcement?
Hi, David! This will vary, depending on the college. Expect next year’s policy announcements to start trickling out in 2021, though many announced two-year test-optional policies last year and a couple have already announced policies for the 2021-2022 application year. You’ll need to check with each school you’re interested in and continue to check back. Unfortunately, there’s no standard timeline for this.
What does the * signify by Georgetown University?
Hi there! The * by Georgetown University signifies that there is a note in the far right column about the test-optional policy. For Georgetown, it notes “if a hardship.” I hope this helps!