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What does it mean to apply to college test optional?
The media loves to share stories about the “test optional” movement. While not new (FairTest.org began tracking test optional colleges in 1985), the decision to make test scores an optional piece of a student’s application became a widespread practice due to COVID. Students simply couldn’t sit for a test that was cancelled. Colleges had to do something, so thousands became “test optional.”
After COVID lessened, many colleges remained test optional for a variety of reasons. Now, families are confused. Should their child sit for the ACT or SAT? Are they required or not?!
What does it mean to apply to college “test optional”?
A college application has several potential parts – grades, courses taken, ACT/SAT score, extracurriculars/work, essay, letters of recommendation, etc. Each element is important to tell part of a student’s story, and admissions reps commonly take a holistic approach (considering all the parts as a whole) when considering an application. However, the three most heavily weighted factors are typically GPA, course rigor, and standardized test scores.
A college that is test optional does not require applicants to submit a ACT/SAT score and instead relies on all the other pieces of the application to make their decision. When a student chooses to not submit an ACT/SAT, all the other parts of the application (GPA, course rigor, essay, letters of recommendation, extracurriculars) become more important.
Our children feel great stress to get a “good score.” Sadly, students can even believe that their ability and potential is limited because of that one test score. They aren’t seeing themselves holistically and may define themselves by that one test score. Clearly, that’s not healthy.
For those reasons (and others), a group of colleges called “FairTest” schools decided to waive the requirement to report test scores with a student’s application. At the time of this writing, 2,000+ accredited, 4-year schools are now test optional. (Fun fact: the first school to go test optional was Bowdoin College in 1969!)
Why do colleges even use test scores?
Colleges want to admit students who will succeed at their institution, and the three criteria mentioned above are the easiest way to see if the student and the college are a match. Standardized tests were developed so colleges could see how students from across the United States and around the world compared to each other.
A student’s access to a quality education can vary widely. ACT and SAT exams were intended to provide a means of comparing applicants to see how ready for college a student actually was regardless of where they lived.
Jump forward in time.
Many experts argue that standardized tests like the ACT and SAT no longer solely demonstrate a student’s preparedness for college but are more likely a reflection of affluence – a student’s access to better quality schools, more expensive tutors, and the chance to take the test multiple times.
Colleges like test optional policies because they are popular and positive. Colleges receive positive PR, and the number of applications they receive surges. For popular schools, the competition has increased.
A side note about test optional’s impact on rankings
When a college’s number of applications goes up, their acceptance rate will go down because they have a fixed number of open spots available. The acceptance rate can be a factor in those popular college rankings. The rankings assume that the lower the acceptance rate, the more exclusive/higher quality the college, and the higher their ranking should be. Also, the middle 50% test score range for a school may get a bump as applicants with lower test scores are not reporting them—another favorable factor (higher test scores) in college rankings.
Some colleges are reverting back to requiring test scores.
MIT made headlines when it reverted back to requiring a ACT or SAT test score after previously being test optional during COVID. Purdue University announced they will require scores as well. In February 2024, Dartmouth announced they would be requiring test scores, and we may see highly selective colleges follow their lead. Colleges are studying this period in time to see if test scores are really the predictor of college success that ACT and the College Board claim they are.
Should my student submit a test score if they have don’t have to?
This is the big question, right? The answer is….it depends. A good thing to keep in mind is that just because a school’s admissions requirements change that doesn’t mean that their standards change. They are still looking for students that are an academic fit for their university. When a test score is not submitted, they’ll need to lean more heavily on the GPA and course rigor as a measure of academic readiness.
And let’s get this cleared up: students STILL submit test scores to test optional colleges. The reality is many students submit test scores even at test-optional schools.
Unfortunately, colleges rarely release stats about how many of their admitted students actually submitted scores. Most are hesitant to report how many admitted applications included test scores.
The determining factor to consider is how a student wants to present themselves as a whole to the college. Some students will want to include test scores because they bolster the application. Other students will choose to leave them out because they don’t test well or didn’t get the chance to get the score they wanted. As journalist and higher education author Jeff Selingo summarized, “it’s best to have a test score if it will help your overall case.”
How does a student know if their test score is good?
The middle 50% range of test scores are published for most universities. Let’s look at an example using a Google search. We’ll search for the “middle 50% ACT score for Ohio University.” Google tells us that the middle 50% of students scored an ACT between 29 and 34. If a student has a test score in this range or above it, it is in their best interest to include that score in their application because the data point strengthens their application.
Let’s look at another one. When we searched for Case Western Reserve University, we see that the middle 50% ACT score range is 32 and 35. If a student has a score below that number, but they are still qualified academically (took a slate of rigorous courses and performed well in them), then applying test optional allows them to include Case Western in their list of schools—knowing that the other pieces of their application can tell a strong story that they are ready for this college.
If your test score falls in the middle 50% or higher, we suggest you seriously consider submitting those scores because other students like you are submitting them.
Important Details to Keep in Mind
- Test blind or “test free” colleges are the only ones who will NOT consider a test score even if they are provided with one. The number of test free colleges is very small–currently 80. You can sort this list by the Admissions Testing Policy to find them.
- Test optional universities may request test scores for scholarship consideration and/or for certain majors of study.
- Home schooled students will usually not be able to apply without submitting a test score.
- Pay close attention to the wording used in the test optional policy stated by the school. We have seen some schools state that they are test optional, but “encourage” or “recommend” or “expect” scores to be submitted if the student has test scores.
- Students are more likely to submit scores to colleges perceived as rigorous because of their higher middle 50% test score range.
- B+ students are more likely to submit test scores than A+ students because a strong score strengthens your application.
- Be aware that students in more affluent neighborhoods are more likely to submit a test score. Your school counselor may be able to tell you how your score stacks up against others.
- Due to the rise in the number of applications, nothing is guaranteed. An application may check all the boxes for a typical admitted student at that university, but not be offered acceptance because there are just so many like it.
The real benefit of test optional policies?
The real benefit to test optional policies is that students have a path to apply to schools when their standardized test score is not reflective of their overall performance during high school. Too often students will not apply somewhere because they feel that their test score has put them out of contention—even when the rest of what they have to say in a college application is strong.
Students who were academically talented but felt their test scores weren’t good enough can now have the confidence to apply.
Students need to size up where they stand and really grasp what test optional means and how it may or may not apply to your situation. If the test score strengthens the student’s application, the best bet is to include it.
Be open to the options and understand the holistic approach.
Colleges need students – now more than ever. When a college announces a test optional policy, they’re stating that they recognize a single test score does not make or break your application. But the college needs to see that your body of work during high school (especially the academic evidence in the classes you took and grades you got) demonstrates that you’re prepared to succeed at their institution.
Students need to understand what a college is looking for in terms of academic qualifications and if that college will be a good fit for them. The student can present themselves in their best light—focusing on their strengths.
We don’t anticipate that standardized test scores are going away completely. However, we hope that the focus on that one single score will continue to be reframed into a broader approach.
Updated 2/2024
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