A major shift in the landscape of standardized testing has unfolded over the last few years. Most US colleges made standardized test scores an optional part of their applications during the pandemic, and most have extended their test-optional policies—some indefinitely.
There have been a few notable reversals as some schools now require testing again. Colleges such as Georgetown and MIT have been requiring SAT and ACT scores for the last couple of cycles; more recently, Brown, Dartmouth, and Yale have continued being test-permanent for the 2025-2026 application season. New additions this year include University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and more. As you’ll see in the table below, there are also colleges that don’t require test scores, but prefer that you submit them, as well as schools that require test scores for placement in courses such as math.
We’re still waiting on other colleges and universities to announce their policies for fall 2026 admissions, and we’ll keep the table updated as new announcements are made.
| School Name | Test-Permanent Status |
|---|---|
| Alabama State University | Test-Permanent |
| Auburn University | Preferred but not required |
| Brown University | Test-Permanent |
| Cornell University | Test scores required starting Fall 2026 |
| California Institute of Technology | Test-Permanent |
| Dartmouth University | Test-Permanent |
| Florida International University | Test-Permanent |
| Florida State University | Test-Permanent |
| Georgia College & State University | Test-Permanent |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Test-Permanent |
| Georgetown University | Test-Permanent |
| Harvard University | Test-Permanent |
| Iowa Wesleyan University | Test-Permanent |
| Johns Hopkins University | Test scores required starting Fall 2026 |
| Kennesaw State University | Test scores required starting Fall 2026 |
| Massachusetts Insitute of Technology | Test-Permanent |
| Midway University | Test-Permanent |
| Morehouse College | Test-Permanent |
| Ohio State University | Test scores required starting Fall 2026 |
| Purdue University | Test-Permanent |
| South Dakota State University | Test-Permanent |
| Stanford University | Test-Permanent |
| Spring Arbor University | Test-Permanent |
| United States Air Force Academy | Test-Permanent |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | Test-Permanent |
| United States Military Academy West Point | Test-Permanent |
| University of Florida | Test-Permanent |
| University of Georgia | Test-Permanent |
| University of Pennsylvania | Test-Permanent |
| University of South Florida | Test-Permanent |
| University of Tennesee | Test-Permanent |
| University of Texas Austin | Test-Permanent |
| Yale University | Test-Permanent |
| Wheaton College | Test optional but strongly encouraged |
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