At the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the fate of standardised tests for college admissions this year — and for some, this anxiety is stretching into next year as well. We thought it would be prudent to put down some good information here about the current state of things, and how we see it playing out for students applying this year and for those applying next.
For students applying this year, things might seem very complicated at the moment. However, there is a simple way to look at it. There is a list of colleges that have gone test-optional for you. If you are okay limiting your college list to those colleges then you can safely disregard preparing for the ACT/SAT. Here is a list of top colleges that have gone test-optional for your class:
| SNO | COLLEGE | TIME PERIOD FOR WHICH IT IS TEST OPTIONAL | RANK | CONSIDER SCORES IF SUBMITTED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BROWN | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #14 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 2 | CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | NEXT 2 ADMISSIONS CYCLES | #12 (NATIONAL) | NO |
| 3 | CARNEGIE MELLON | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #25 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 4 | COLUMBIA | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #3 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 5 | CORNELL | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #17 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 6 | DARTMOUTH | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #12 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 7 | HARVARD | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #2 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 8 | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #10 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 9 | THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #28 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 10 | TUFTS | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #29 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 11 | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEM All 10 COLLEGES |
2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | UCLA #20 (NATIONAL) |
YES (UNTIL 2023) |
| 12 | UNIVERSITY OF PENNYSYLVANIA | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #6 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 13 | UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #22 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 14 | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AT ST LOUIS | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #19 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 15 | YALE | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #3 (NATIONAL) | YES |
| 16 | AMHERST | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #2 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 17 | BARNARD COLLEGE | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #25 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 18 | CARLETON COLLEGE | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #7 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 19 | CLAREMONT MCKENNA | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #7 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 20 | COLGATE UNIVERSITY | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #17 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 21 | DAVIDSON COLLEGE | NEXT 3 ADMISSIONS CYCLES | #17 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 22 | GRINNELL COLLEGE | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #14 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 23 | HAMILTON COLLEGE | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #14 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 24 | HAVERFORD COLLEGE | NEXT 3 ADMISSIONS CYCLES | #11 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 25 | KENYON COLLEGE | TEST OPTIONAL 2021 ONWARDS | #27 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 26 | MACALASTER COLLEGE | TEST OPTIONAL 2021 ONWARDS | #25 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 27 | MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE | NEXT 3 ADMISSIONS CYCLES | #7 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 28 | POMONA | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #5 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 29 | SWARTHMORE | NEXT 2 ADMISSIONS CYCLES | #3 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 30 | UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #23 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 31 | VASSAR | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #14 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 32 | WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #10 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 33 | WELLESLEY COLLEGE | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #3 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
| 34 | WILLIAMS | 2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE | #1 (LIBERAL ARTS) | YES |
However, if you want to apply to colleges outside this list then you still need to take the ACT/SAT. Top colleges like Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Yale still require you to take the ACT/SAT. These scores are an important component of their admissions processes.
How will these tests be administered? At the moment, this is unclear. However, both the SAT and the ACT are starting to develop systems for at home testing. The ACT is already administering the test online in centres around the world, and the SAT already administered at-home testing for this year's APs. They will need strong systems to ensure test security, and this is probably what they are working on now.
So, what does this mean for you seniors who are applying this fall? If you want to apply to a college outside the list of test-optional colleges, then we think you should prep for the tests this fall/winter. The SAT and ACT are working to get there; we think the students should too. However, if you are not interested in non-test-optional colleges, then wave goodbye to your test-prep books and do something productive this summer to add to your activities list, study hard for your school exams, and be good to your teachers. Those other components of your application are now going to be way more important.
If you are a rising junior (grade 11) this year and thinking of applying to college next year (admission in 2022), then you should definitely be preparing for these tests. Why? In all likelihood, the ACT and the SAT (and the world hopefully) will have new systems in place. Remember that a vast majority of the colleges on that list above have only gone test-optional for this year.
We understand that all this shifting news, college announcements, new testing formats add to the already existing anxiety that surrounds college admissions. This is a hard year. And undoubtedly, it is especially hard for students who will be applying this year. However, we believe, in the face of anxiety, it is important to face it, look at it, experience it (don't write about it in your Common App essay, but perhaps in your journal), and then with a cold, dispassionate eye make a decision based on practical realities — like the table above.