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The Pendulum Swings Back: Test Scores Are Mattering AgainSep 29, 2026 ·
If you are the parent of a high school senior in the Class of 2027, you have probably heard mixed messages about the SAT and ACT. For five years, "test-optional" felt like the new normal. That is changing, and it is changing fast at some of the most selective colleges in the country. The short version: a growing list of colleges now require scores again, and many schools that are still officially test-optional are signaling that strong scores help. Here is what has shifted, why, and which colleges require testing for students applying this fall. What's changedThe return to testing started with MIT in 2022 and picked up speed in 2024, when Dartmouth, Yale, Brown, Harvard, Stanford and others reinstated requirements. In 2026 the last holdouts among the most selective schools followed. With Columbia's June announcement, all eight Ivy League schools have now committed to requiring the SAT or ACT. The 2026 announcements show the pace: September 2026 Notre Dame Required starting with the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry) July 2026 Vanderbilt Required for the high school Class of 2029 June 2026 Columbia Test-optional this year; required starting with the 2027-28 cycle May 2026 Yale Ended its "test-flexible" policy; SAT or ACT now required, AP/IB no longer substitute Princeton made a similar move earlier: it stays test-optional for fall 2027 and requires scores beginning with the 2027-28 cycle. For today's seniors, that makes this the last year these schools are optional. For juniors and younger, plan on testing. Why colleges are bringing tests backColleges point to their own data. Three findings come up again and again:
Colleges that require SAT or ACT scores for the Class of 2027These colleges require scores from students applying this fall (the 2026-27 cycle) for fall 2027 entry. Policies change often, so always confirm on each college's admissions site before applying. Auburn University New this year: required for all fall 2027 first-year applicants Brown University Required since the Class of 2029 Caltech Required Cornell University Required across all undergraduate colleges Dartmouth College Required; published the research behind its decision Georgetown University Never went test-optional Georgia Tech Part of the University System of Georgia requirement Harvard University Required; AP/IB accepted only in rare cases Johns Hopkins University Required MIT First to reinstate, in 2022 Ohio State University (Columbus) Required Stanford University Required University of Florida (and Florida's public universities) Required University of Georgia Part of the University System of Georgia requirement University of Miami Required, limited exceptions University of Pennsylvania Required; hardship waiver available University of Tennessee (all campuses) Self-reported scores required; tests through December 2026 count University of Texas at Austin Required Yale University Required; AP/IB no longer substitute for SAT/ACT Required starting next year (still test-optional for the Class of 2027): Princeton, Columbia and Notre Dame begin with the 2027-28 cycle. Vanderbilt begins with the high school Class of 2029. List compiled from Compass Education Group, Dewey Smart's test policy tracker and college announcements, as of September 2026. "Optional" is not the same as "doesn't matter"Most colleges are still test-optional, but the label now covers a wide range of policies:
What this means for your studentSeniors (Class of 2027):
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