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Test-Optional Colleges In Response to COVID-19 2020-2021

Published on: September 28, 2020

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.

 

College/UniversityPolicyDatesLinkAdditional Notes
Amherst CollegeTest-Optional This YearAmherst Policy
Babson CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearBabson Policy
Barnard CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearBarnard Policy
Bentley UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearBentley Policy
Boston CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearBC Policy
Boston UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearBU Policy
Brown UniversityTest-Optional*This YearBrown Policy*No longer recommending Subject Tests
Bucknell UniversityTest-OptionalPermanentBucknell Policy
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)Test-BlindTwo Years*Caltech Policy* Test-blind permanently for Subject Tests
Carleton CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearCarleton Policy
Carnegie Mellon UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearCMU Policy
Case Western Reserve University Test-OptionalFall 2020CWRU Policy
Claremont McKenna CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearCMC Policy
Colgate UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearColgate Policy
College of Charleston Test-OptionalThis YearC of C Policy
College of William and Mary Test-OptionalThree YearsW&M Policy
Columbia UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearColumbia Policy
Cooper UnionTest-OptionalTwo YearsCooper Policy
Cornell UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearCornell Policy
Dartmouth CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearDartmouth Policy
Davidson CollegeTest-OptionalThree YearsDavidson Policy
Dickinson CollegeTest-BlindThis YearDickinson Policy
Duke UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearDuke Policy
Eckerd CollegeTest-OptionalTwo YearsEckerd Policy
Elon UniversityTest-OptionalThree YearsElon Policy
Emory University Test-OptionalThis YearEmory Policy
Fordham UniversityTest-OptionalTwo YearsFordham Policy
Georgetown UniversityTest-Optional*This YearGeorgetown Policy*If a hardship
Georgia TechTest-OptionalThis YearGeorgia Tech Policy
Gonzaga UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearGonzaga Policy
Grinnell CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearGrinnell Policy
Hamilton CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearHamilton Policy
Harvard UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearHarvard Policy
Haverford CollegeTest-OptionalThree YearsHaverford Policy
Indiana University– Bloomington Test-OptionalPermanentIU Policy
Johns Hopkins UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearHopkins Policy
Kenyon CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearKenyon Policy
Lafayette CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearLafayette Policy
Lehigh UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearLehigh Policy
Loyola Marymount UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearLMU Policy
Loyola University New OrleansTest-OptionalThis YearLUNO Policy
Macalester CollegeTest-OptionalPermanentMacalester Policy
Miami University (Ohio)Test-OptionalOne YearMiami Policy
Middlebury CollegeTest-OptionalThree YearsMiddlebury policy
MITTest-OptionalThis YearMIT Policy
Northeastern UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearNortheastern Policy
Northwestern UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearNorthwestern Policy
Ohio State UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearOSU Policy
Pennsylvania State UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearPenn State Policy
Pomona CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearPomona Policy
Princeton UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearPrinceton Policy
Reed CollegeTest-BlindTwo YearsReed Policy
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Test-OptionalThis YearRPI Policy
Rhodes CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearRhodes Policy
Rice UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearRice Policy
University of RichmondTest-OptionalThis YearRichmond Policy
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)Test-OptionalPermanentRIT Policy
University of RochesterTest-OptionalPermanentRochester Policy
Rutgers UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearRutgers Policy
Santa Clara University Test-OptionalTwo YearsSCU Policy
Scripps CollegeTest-OptionalPermanentScripps Policy
Southern Methodist University (SMU)Test-OptionalThis YearSMU Policy
Spelman CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearSpelman College Policy
Stanford UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearStanford Policy
Stevens Institute of TechnologyTest-OptionalThis YearStevens Policy
SUNY SystemTest-FlexibleThis YearSUNY Policy
Swarthmore CollegeTest-OptionalTwo YearsSwarthmore Policy
Syracuse UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearSyracuse Policy
Texas A&M University Test-OptionalThis YearTexas A&M Policy
Texas Christian University (TCU)Test-OptionalThis YearTCU Policy
Tufts UniversityTest-OptionalThree YearsTufts Policy
Tulane UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearTulane Policy
University of California SystemTest-OptionalTwo Years*UC Policy* Test-blind for CA residents only starting Fall 2022; New test in 2025
University of Connecticut (UConn)Test-OptionalThree YearsUConn Policy
University of DelawareTest-OptionalThis Year*UDel Policy*Test-optional for Delaware HS students only starting Fall 2021
University of Illinois-Urbana-ChampaignTest-OptionalThis YearUIUC Policy
University of Tennesse-KnoxvilleTest-OptionalThis YearUT Policy
University of Maryland - College ParkTest-OptionalThis YearUMD Policy
UMass-AmherstTest-OptionalTwo YearsUMass-Amherst Policy
University of MiamiTest-OptionalThis YearUM Policy
University of Michigan Test-FlexibleThis YearUniversity of Michigan Policy
University of Minnesota Test-FlexibleThis YearUniversity of Minnesota Policy
University of Pennsylvania Test-OptionalThis YearPenn Policy
University of PittsburghTest-OptionalThis Year
Pitt's PolicyArts & Sciences applicants only
University of Rhode IslandTest-OptionalThis YearURI Policy
University of Richmond Test-OptionalThis YearRichmond Policy
University of RochesterTest-OptionalPermanentRochester Policy
The University of North CarolinaTest-OptionalThis YearNC Policy
University of San FranciscoTest-OptionalPermanentUSF Policy
University of Southern California (USC)Test-OptionalThis YearUSC Policy
The University of TampaTest-OptionalThis YearTampa Policy
University of Texas-AustinTest-OptionalThis YearUT Policy
University of VermontTest-OptionalThis YearUVM Policy
University of VirginiaTest-OptionalThis YearUVA Policy
University of WashingtonTest-OptionalPermanentUW Policy
University of Wisconsin - MadisonTest-OptionalTwo YearsWisco Policy
Vassar CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearVassar Policy
Villanova UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearVillanova Policy
Virginia Institute of Technology (Virginia Tech)Test-OptionalThis YearVirginia Tech Policy
Washington and Lee UniversityTest-OptionalThis YearW&L Policy
Washington University in St. LouisTest-OptionalThis YearWash U Policy
Wellesley CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearWellesley Policy
Williams CollegeTest-OptionalThis YearWilliams Policy
Yale UniversityTest-Optional*This YearYale Policy*Test-blind for Subject Tests

Article by Expert Admissions / Test-Blind, Test-Flexible, Test-Optional 14 Comments

Comments

  1. James says

    December 7, 2020 at 10:47 am

    Hi! Do you know what Georgetown means exactly by the “if a hardship” note in the far right.

    Reply
    • James says

      December 7, 2020 at 10:48 am

      Do I have to submit my scores even if I have only taken it once which was freshman year

      Reply
      • Expert Admissions says

        December 17, 2020 at 9:10 am

        Hi James! It depends on the individual college’s policy. If they say you must submit all scores, then you would submit those. If, however, they allow you to use Score Choice –which most schools do — then there’s no reason to if you don’t feel they reflect well on you or if they’re not competitive scores for a particular school.

        Reply
    • Expert Admissions says

      December 17, 2020 at 9:10 am

      Hi James! Thanks for reaching out. It means that if accessing the test is a hardship, the tests are optional. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. Janine Sillat says

    November 22, 2020 at 11:48 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Expert Admissions says

      November 23, 2020 at 10:13 am

      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.

      Reply
  3. ML Swan says

    November 10, 2020 at 1:05 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Expert Admissions says

      November 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Evan says

        November 19, 2020 at 12:10 pm

        When would we find out when they will be test optional for the fall of 2022

        Reply
        • Expert Admissions says

          November 23, 2020 at 10:14 am

          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.

          Reply
      • David says

        November 21, 2020 at 2:43 pm

        Do you know when they’ll make the announcement?

        Reply
        • Expert Admissions says

          November 23, 2020 at 10:14 am

          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.

          Reply
  4. J Smith says

    October 23, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    What does the * signify by Georgetown University?

    Reply
    • Expert Admissions says

      October 26, 2020 at 9:06 am

      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!

      Reply

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