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Test-optional, explained

What the policy means, what it doesn't, and how to decide whether to send scores.

4 min read · Updated September 2026

Test-optional means a school will review your application without SAT or ACT scores. It does not mean scores are ignored when submitted, and some schools have returned to requiring them.

Send or withhold

Compare your score to the school's middle 50% range. At or above the midpoint, send. Below the 25th percentile, withhold. In between, consider how strong the rest of the file is.

Where scores still matter

Merit scholarships, honors colleges and some majors often use scores even when admission does not. Check each program separately.

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