{"answer":"Of 226 public universities we checked, 31 require an SAT or ACT score, 180 are test-optional, and 15 are test-blind. Among the 50 most-applied-to private nonprofit colleges, 12 require a score for fall 2027, 37 are test-optional, and 1 (Fordham University) could not be confirmed.","as_of":"October 2026","date":"2026-10-22","dek":"A state-by-state and college-by-college look at who wants a score from the high school class applying in 2026-27, and who waits until fall 2028.","faq":[{"a":"We checked 226 public universities, and 31 require an SAT or ACT score, while 180 are test-optional and 15 are test-blind.","q":"How many colleges require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?"},{"a":"Columbia stays test-optional for fall 2027 and returns to requiring scores for students enrolling in fall 2028.","q":"Is Columbia test-optional for fall 2027?"},{"a":"Twelve of the 50 most-applied-to private colleges require a score: Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Brown, the University of Miami, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Dartmouth, MIT and Georgetown.","q":"Which private colleges require a score for fall 2027?"},{"a":"Test-blind means the college will not read a score even if your child sends one, and 15 of the 226 public universities we checked are blind.","q":"What does test-blind mean?"},{"a":"Yes at some schools, and Liberty University states it plainly: scores from the CLT, SAT or ACT are not required for admission but may be used in consideration for merit-based aid.","q":"Do test-optional colleges still use scores for scholarships?"},{"a":"Among the flagships in our table, the ones marked required include Auburn University, Florida State University, the University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, Purdue University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Ohio State University.","q":"Which public flagships require a score for fall 2027?"},{"a":"We confirmed 23 public universities that accept the Classic Learning Test, including all six Florida publics in our table, four Arkansas schools, seven Georgia schools, Purdue, Ball State, the University of Iowa, Iowa State, the University of New Mexico and the University of Oklahoma.","q":"Which public universities accept the Classic Learning Test?"},{"a":"For fall 2027, none of the schools we re-checked this round have reinstated a requirement: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Washington University in St. Louis remain test-optional with no announced return date.","q":"Are big-name colleges like Michigan and Duke still test-optional?"}],"findings":[{"h":"Most public universities still do not require a score, but 31 do","p":"We checked 226 public universities. Of those, 31 require an SAT or ACT score, 180 are test-optional, and 15 are test-blind. The required group is not spread evenly. It clusters in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana and a few single schools in other states. For most families, the question is not national. It is about the short list on the kitchen table."},{"h":"Among the 50 most-applied-to private colleges, 12 require a score","p":"Of the 50 most-applied-to private nonprofit colleges, 12 require the SAT or ACT from fall 2027 first-year applicants, 37 are test-optional, and 1 could not be confirmed from the college's own page (Fordham University). The 12 include Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Brown, Cornell, Penn, Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Miami."},{"h":"Three famous names stay optional for fall 2027 and require scores later","p":"Columbia stays test-optional for fall 2027 and returns to requiring scores for students enrolling in fall 2028. Princeton and Notre Dame also return for the 2027-28 cycle, which means fall 2028 entry. Vanderbilt waits until fall 2029. A junior applying this coming year is not covered by those future rules, but a sophomore may be."}],"license":"CC BY 4.0 \u2014 quote with attribution to Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach)","method":"The policy for each college comes from that college's own admissions or catalog page, read in October 2026 for the fall 2027 application cycle. The public tables cover 226 public universities, shown here as the first 60 of 81 rows plus a 23-row list of schools that accept the Classic Learning Test; the private table covers the 50 most-applied-to private nonprofit colleges. Community colleges, graduate programs and transfer-only rules are not included, and policies for international applicants may differ. Rows are grouped by state or by college name, not ranked, and the policy labels copy each page's own wording. Three gaps stand: Fordham University's admissions pages sit behind a login wall and its policy is recorded as unknown, the University of Virginia's pages blocked every read attempt, and College of the Atlantic's site did the same, so none of the three is listed as optional or required here.","question":"Which colleges require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027 applicants?","related":[{"label":"The 2026 Public University Test Policy Report","url":"/test-policy"},{"label":"Do test scores still matter?","url":"/test-scores"},{"label":"SAT vs ACT","url":"https://www.prepgurus.com/sat-vs-act"},{"label":"Private colleges' test policies","url":"/research/private-college-test-policy-2026"}],"sections":[{"h2":"How many colleges require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?","paragraphs":["We checked 226 public universities, and 31 require an SAT or ACT score, while 180 are test-optional and 15 are test-blind. On the private side, 12 of the 50 most-applied-to private nonprofit colleges require a score from fall 2027 first-year applicants, 37 are test-optional, and 1 could not be confirmed.","Those two counts answer the headline question, but they hide how lopsided the map is. Testing requirements are not sprinkled evenly across the country. They sit in a few states and a few very selective private colleges. A family in Oregon and a family in Florida face different rules.","The honest way to read this is school by school. A list of 31 required publics sounds small next to 180 optional ones. But if your child wants the University of Florida, Georgia Tech or UNC Chapel Hill, the count that matters is one.","Our advice is simple. Write down the eight or ten colleges your child names most often. Find each one in the tables on this page. Then decide about testing based on that short list, not on a national average."]},{"h2":"Which public flagships require a score for fall 2027?","paragraphs":["Among the flagships in our table, the ones marked required include Auburn University, Florida State University, the University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, Purdue University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Ohio State University. Every other flagship in the first 60 rows is optional or blind.","Auburn is the one that often surprises people. Its row names fall 2027 first-year applicants directly. The University of Alabama, in the same state, is optional for the same term. Two big schools, one state, two different answers.","Florida is the clearest block. Florida State, the University of Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida all sit in the required column. The University of Florida row points to a statewide rule that binds every school in the system.","Georgia looks similar. Georgia Tech's row names fall 2026 and fall 2027. The University of Georgia's row names current first-year and dual-enrollment applicants for both of those terms. Augusta, Georgia College and State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Kennesaw State are all required as well.","For families in these states, the test is simply part of the plan. There is no version of the application where a score is skipped."]},{"h2":"Which private colleges require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?","paragraphs":["Twelve of the 50 most-applied-to private colleges require a score: Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Brown, the University of Miami, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Dartmouth, MIT and Georgetown. The other 37 are test-optional, and Fordham could not be confirmed.","The dates behind those rows differ a lot. Dartmouth and Harvard name the Class of 2029, which entered in fall 2025. MIT's row reaches back to fall 2022 entrants. Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Stanford and the University of Miami all point to fall 2026 and beyond, which covers fall 2027 too.","Georgetown is the odd one out. Its row says Georgetown never adopted test-optional admissions at all. There was no pause and no return. A score has always been part of the file there.","Carnegie Mellon needs a careful read. Its row says most colleges require a score of some kind, the School of Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT, and the College of Fine Arts stays test-optional. One university, three answers, depending on the program.","If any of those twelve names sit on your child's list, plan for a test date. The rest of the list does not change that."]},{"h2":"Is Columbia test-optional for fall 2027 or not?","paragraphs":["Columbia stays test-optional for fall 2027 and returns to requiring scores for students enrolling in fall 2028. Its row names the 2026-2027 cycle as the optional one and the 2027-2028 cycle as the first required one.","This is the single most confusing line in the whole data set, because headlines about Columbia's return ran well before the change takes effect. A student applying in the fall of 2026 for fall 2027 entry is not covered by the new rule.","Princeton and Notre Dame are in the same position. Princeton's row says testing is required beginning with the 2027-28 admission cycle, which means fall 2028 entry. Notre Dame's row uses the same cycle and the same entry year.","Vanderbilt stretches further out. Its row covers fall 2027 and fall 2028 applicants as optional, with testing required starting for fall 2029 entry. That is three full application years away from this one.","So the rule for parents is to match the announcement to your child's entry year. A current junior and a current sophomore can face opposite rules at the same college."]},{"h2":"Which colleges brought back the SAT after dropping it?","paragraphs":["At least 20 selective US colleges have reinstated an SAT or ACT requirement after a pandemic-era pause. The wave ran from MIT, through Dartmouth, Yale, Brown, Harvard and Caltech for fall 2025, to UT Austin, Ohio State, the University of Miami and most of Florida's publics, and then Cornell, Penn, Johns Hopkins and Stanford for fall 2026.","The order matters less than the pattern. Most of these are highly selective schools that found they wanted the score back. They did not all move together, and a few, like Georgetown, Purdue, Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, never really left.","The University of Georgia's own row explains its short pause: fall 2022 came after a single test-optional cycle in fall 2021. That is why Georgia feels different from, say, Michigan, where no reinstatement has been announced.","The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the newest name on the list. Its row names fall 2027 as the first required class, with a self-report deadline of January 20, 2027. That is a live deadline for this year's seniors.","Watching this wave is useful for younger students. A college that is optional today may not be optional when a current ninth grader applies."]},{"h2":"Which big-name colleges are still test-optional with no return announced?","paragraphs":["For fall 2027, none of the schools we re-checked this round have reinstated a requirement: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Washington University in St. Louis remain test-optional with no announced return date. Duke, Northwestern, Rice, Emory and the University of Chicago are also still optional with no reinstatement announced.","Michigan's own page says the 2027 application cycle is test-optional and that students will not be penalized for leaving a score out. That is about as plain as these pages get.","Wisconsin ties its policy to a board authorization that runs through the spring 2028 term, with an application deadline of October 1, 2027. Illinois is optional partly because state law makes every Illinois public university test-optional, so it is not purely the campus's choice.","UNC Chapel Hill is the exception that breaks the yes-or-no frame. Its policy is optional but tied to grades: a student with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above does not have to submit a score, and a student below that line does.","We could not confirm the University of Virginia from its own site, since the admissions pages blocked every attempt to read them. We leave that one open rather than guess."]},{"h2":"What does test-blind mean, and which colleges are test-blind?","paragraphs":["Test-blind means the college will not read a score even if your child sends one, and 15 of the 226 public universities we checked are blind. The confirmed list includes all 9 University of California undergraduate campuses and all 23 California State University campuses.","Outside California, the blind list is short: Washington State University, Northern Illinois University, Reed College, Hampshire College, Lewis and Clark College and Augsburg University. Pitzer College is blind for fall 2027 entrants and plans to return to test-optional for fall 2028.","A lot of colleges get called test-blind when they are only test-optional. We checked a long second tier and found that Dickinson, Catholic University, Loyola New Orleans, the University of Washington, Western Washington, Eastern Washington, Central Washington, Evergreen State, Antioch, Sarah Lawrence, Whitman and Southern Oregon are all optional, not blind.","The difference is practical. At a blind school, a strong score adds nothing to the admission file. At an optional school, a strong score can still help. Sending a score to Berkeley or UCLA will not move the decision.","One warning: blind for admission does not always mean blind for placement or scholarships. Read what each school says about those two uses separately."]},{"h2":"Does a test-optional college still use scores for scholarships?","paragraphs":["Yes at some schools, and Liberty University states it plainly: scores from the CLT, SAT or ACT are not required for admission but may be used in consideration for merit-based aid. That split between admission and money is common.","Eastern Washington University's page says students may still submit scores and that all applicants get the same consideration either way. Drexel calls its review a No Harm Test-Optional review, which means a score that does not help is not held against the student.","Arkansas Tech University shows a third use. Its page says first-time students admitted without test scores must still submit ACT, SAT, CLT or ACCUPLACER scores for placement before they register. The test moves from the admission file to the course schedule.","Central Washington University says something similar: scores are not required for admission, but a student can send them for class placement. So the exam does not vanish just because admission does not ask for it.","For a family deciding whether to test, this is the honest middle ground. Even at an optional school, a score can shape aid offers or first-semester courses. That is a real reason to sit for one test date."]},{"h2":"Which public universities accept the Classic Learning Test?","paragraphs":["We confirmed 23 public universities that accept the Classic Learning Test, including all six Florida publics in our table, four Arkansas schools, seven Georgia schools, Purdue, Ball State, the University of Iowa, Iowa State, the University of New Mexico and the University of Oklahoma.","Florida is the most direct. The University of Florida's page says it has no test preference and superscores the SAT, ACT and CLT. The University of South Florida asks for at least one college entrance exam, naming all three.","Georgia's rows are dated. The Georgia schools in our CLT table are marked yes beginning fall 2027, which means the CLT becomes an accepted substitute that year. The University of Georgia is one of two system schools left out of that substitution.","Several optional schools accept it too. The University of Oklahoma says submitting ACT, SAT or CLT scores is optional. Iowa State says students may choose whether to self-report ACT, SAT or CLT scores. The University of New Mexico says scores are not required but may help in some cases.","If your child already sits for the CLT at school, this list tells you where that score can count. It is still a short list, so the SAT or ACT remains the safer default for most families."]},{"h2":"Do the same rules apply if my child applies for spring instead of fall?","paragraphs":["Often yes, and a few pages say so directly. The University of South Florida's row says fall, summer and spring applicants are all reviewed under the fall cycle, so the same requirement applies.","Stony Brook University names both Fall 2027 and Spring 2027 entry terms on the same page. Syracuse University's quote covers Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 in one sentence. The University of Maryland names Spring and Fall 2027 cycles together.","The University of Central Florida names Summer and Fall 2027 freshman admission. Clark Atlanta names the Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 cycle. The University of Idaho names Spring 2027 and Summer 2027 and later.","The lesson is to read the term names, not just the year. Colleges write these pages one entering term at a time, and a spring start sometimes falls under a different sentence.","When a page does not name your child's term at all, treat that as a blank, not as a no. Several rows in our table say plainly that no entering term was stated on the page."]},{"h2":"How do I tell if a college changed its policy since last year?","paragraphs":["Look at the change column in our private college table, which names 12 colleges with a past or future switch. Cornell, Penn, Harvard, Stanford, Brown, Johns Hopkins, the University of Miami, MIT and Dartmouth all list a past reinstatement.","Yale's row describes a narrower change. It moved from a test-flexible policy that took AP or IB scores to an SAT-or-ACT-only rule starting with the 2026-2027 cycle. A family that planned on sending AP scores instead now needs a different test.","Carnegie Mellon's change line says most of its colleges moved from test-optional to test-flexible starting fall 2026, meaning some accepted score is required. The School of Computer Science asks for the SAT or ACT in particular.","Four rows point forward rather than back: Columbia, Princeton, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. Each names the future cycle when testing starts. None of those four requires a score for fall 2027.","Policies move, and they move at odd times of year. We date this page so you can see how fresh it is, and we name the schools whose pages we could not read instead of filling the blank with a guess."]},{"h2":"What should our family actually do about testing this year?","paragraphs":["Start by sorting your child's list into the three buckets in our tables: required, optional and blind. With 31 required publics and 12 required private colleges, most lists have at least one school that asks for a score.","If even one required school is on the list, the decision is made. Pick a test date, prepare for it, and send the score everywhere it helps. There is no way around a required score at Florida, Georgia Tech, UNC Chapel Hill, Harvard or MIT.","If the list is all optional, the choice is about strength. A score that sits above a college's usual range helps. A score that sits well below it can sit at home at a true optional school. Watch for the aid and placement uses we described earlier.","If the list is all blind, such as a California-only list of UC and CSU campuses, the test does not shape admission. Those families can spend the time on grades, course rigor and essays instead.","Keep one more thing in mind for younger students. Columbia, Princeton and Notre Dame return for fall 2028, and Vanderbilt for fall 2029. A current sophomore or freshman should plan to test even if today's page says optional."]}],"slug":"which-colleges-require-sat-act-fall-2027","sources":[{"label":"Reach's 2026 Public University Test Policy Report (each university's own admissions page)","url":"https://highschoolreach.com/test-policy"},{"label":"NYU - All Freshmen Applicants","url":"https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/how-to-apply/all-freshmen-applicants.html"},{"label":"Northeastern - Admissions FAQ","url":"https://admissions.northeastern.edu/application-information/frequently-asked-admissions-questions/"},{"label":"USC - Test Optional FAQ","url":"https://admission.usc.edu/test-optional-faq/"},{"label":"Boston University - Test Policy","url":"https://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/first-year/test-policy/"},{"label":"Cornell - First-Year Applicants","url":"https://admissions.cornell.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants"},{"label":"Penn - Testing","url":"https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/preparing-your-application/testing"},{"label":"Columbia - Testing Policy Update","url":"https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/testing-policy-update"},{"label":"Harvard - Application Requirements","url":"https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/application-requirements"},{"label":"Stanford - Standardized Testing","url":"https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/first-year/testing.html"},{"label":"Yale - Requirements","url":"https://admissions.yale.edu/requirements"},{"label":"Northwestern - Application Materials","url":"https://admissions.northwestern.edu/apply/requirements.html"},{"label":"Brown - Standardized Tests","url":"https://admission.brown.edu/ask/standardized-tests"},{"label":"Miami - Test Optional Admissions","url":"https://admissions.miami.edu/undergraduate/application-process/admission-requirements/test-optional-admissions/index.html"},{"label":"Duke - Resources + FAQs","url":"https://admissions.duke.edu/resources/"},{"label":"Vanderbilt - Testing Policies","url":"https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/apply/testing-policies/"},{"label":"SNHU - What is the SAT","url":"https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/education/what-is-the-sat"},{"label":"Fordham - Admission Facts (login-gated)","url":"https://www.fordham.edu/undergraduate-admission/why-fordham/admission-facts/"},{"label":"Syracuse - First-Year Requirements","url":"https://www.syracuse.edu/admissions-aid/application-process/undergraduate/first-year/requirements/"},{"label":"Loyola Chicago - First-Year Students","url":"https://www.luc.edu/undergrad/admissions/first-yearstudents/"},{"label":"Drexel - Standardized Tests","url":"https://drexel.edu/admissions/apply/undergrad-instructions/first-year-instructions/standardized-tests"},{"label":"Baylor - 2027-2028 Application Process","url":"https://admissions.web.baylor.edu/admissions/incoming-freshman/application-process"},{"label":"Princeton - Standardized Testing","url":"https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing"},{"label":"Case Western - Test Optional","url":"https://case.edu/admission/apply/application-requirements-enhancements/test-optional"},{"label":"Johns Hopkins - Standardized Testing","url":"https://apply.jhu.edu/how-to-apply/application-deadlines-requirements/standardized-testing/"},{"label":"UChicago - Admissions FAQ","url":"https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-admissions-faq/"},{"label":"Liberty - Admissions Resident Program Catalog","url":"https://catalog.liberty.edu/undergraduate/admission/admissions-resident-program"},{"label":"Boston College - Test Optional Policy","url":"https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/admission/apply/test-optional.html"},{"label":"University of Tampa - First-Year Admissions","url":"https://www.ut.edu/admissions/first-year-admissions"},{"label":"Tufts - SAT and ACT Tests","url":"https://admissions.tufts.edu/apply/applying-to-tufts/sat-and-act-tests/"},{"label":"Carnegie Mellon - Standardized Testing","url":"https://www.cmu.edu/admission/admission/standardized-testing"},{"label":"WashU - First-Year US Applicants","url":"https://admissions.washu.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-us-applicants/"},{"label":"DePaul - Test Optional FAQs","url":"https://www.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/Pages/test-optional-faqs.aspx"},{"label":"Emory - Standardized Exam Policies","url":"https://apply.emory.edu/apply/requirements/exams"},{"label":"Rice - Standardized Testing Policy","url":"https://admission.rice.edu/policies/standardized-testing"},{"label":"Howard - First-Year Admissions","url":"https://admission.howard.edu/undergraduate/first-year"},{"label":"Dartmouth - Are standardized test scores required?","url":"https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/glossary-question/are-standardized-test-scores-required"},{"label":"Pace - Undergraduate Admission","url":"https://www.pace.edu/admission-and-aid/undergraduate-admission"},{"label":"Notre Dame - Standardized Testing Policy","url":"https://admissions.nd.edu/apply/standardized-testing-policy/"},{"label":"Tulane - Standardized Tests","url":"https://admission.tulane.edu/apply/instructions/standardized-tests"},{"label":"Clark Atlanta - Undergraduate Admissions","url":"https://www.cau.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions"},{"label":"George Washington - Test Optional","url":"https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/apply/test-optional"},{"label":"MIT - Tests and Scores","url":"https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/tests-scores/"},{"label":"University of San Francisco - Test Optional","url":"https://www.usfca.edu/admission/undergraduate/test-optional"},{"label":"Georgetown - FAQ High School Credits and Tests","url":"https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/faq/faq-high-school-credits-and-tests/"},{"label":"St. John's - Test Optional","url":"https://www.stjohns.edu/test-optional"},{"label":"RIT - Undergraduate FAQs","url":"https://www.rit.edu/admissions/undergraduate-faqs"},{"label":"Seton Hall - Test Optional Admission","url":"https://www.shu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/test-optional-admission.html"},{"label":"LMU - First-Year Applicants","url":"https://admission.lmu.edu/learnmore/prospectivestudents/first-yearapplicants/"},{"label":"Villanova - First-Year Applicants","url":"https://www.villanova.edu/university/undergraduate-admission/applying-to-villanova/first-year-applicants.html"},{"label":"Hofstra - Standardized Testing Policy","url":"https://www.hofstra.edu/admission/standardized-testing-policy/"},{"label":"MIT: Q&A on SAT/ACT reinstatement (MIT News)","url":"https://news.mit.edu/2022/stuart-schmill-sat-act-requirement-0328"},{"label":"Purdue: Need-to-Know Updates for Counselors","url":"https://admissions.purdue.edu/support-your-student/counselors/need-to-know/"},{"label":"Dartmouth: FAQ: Standardized Testing Reactivation","url":"https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/sat-reactivate-faqs"},{"label":"Yale: Announcement of new test-flexible admissions policy (2024)","url":"https://news.yale.edu/2024/02/22/yale-announces-new-test-flexible-admissions-policy"},{"label":"Yale: Application Update 2026-2027","url":"https://admissions.yale.edu/posts/2026-08-17-application-update-2026-2027"},{"label":"Brown: University news release reinstating test requirement","url":"https://www.brown.edu/news/2024-03-05/admissions"},{"label":"Harvard: Return to Required Testing (FAS)","url":"https://www.fas.harvard.edu/2024/04/11/return-to-required-testing"},{"label":"Caltech: Caltech Restores Standardized Test Requirement","url":"https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-restores-standardized-test-requirement-for-undergraduate-admission"},{"label":"Cornell: Cornell to reinstate standardized test requirements for fall 2026","url":"https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/04/cornell-reinstate-standardized-test-requirements-fall-2026"},{"label":"Penn: Penn reinstates standardized testing for undergraduate admissions","url":"https://penntoday.upenn.edu/announcements/penn-reinstates-standardized-testing-undergraduate-admissions"},{"label":"Johns Hopkins: Application Deadlines & Requirements","url":"https://apply.jhu.edu/how-to-apply/application-deadlines-requirements/"},{"label":"Carnegie Mellon: Standardized Testing policy by school","url":"https://admission-pantheon.cmu.edu/admission/standardized-testing"},{"label":"UT Austin: UT Austin Reinstates Standardized Test Scores in Admissions","url":"https://news.utexas.edu/2024/03/11/ut-austin-reinstates-standardized-test-scores-in-admissions/"},{"label":"Georgia Tech: Standardized Tests requirement page","url":"https://visits.gatech.edu/first-year/standardized-tests"},{"label":"UGA: Fall 2022 and Test Scores (admissions blog)","url":"https://admissions.uga.edu/blog/fall-2022-and-test-scores/"},{"label":"Florida Board of Governors Regulation 6.002","url":"https://www.flbog.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Regulation-6.002.pdf"},{"label":"Ohio State: Ohio State shares decision on test requirements","url":"https://news.osu.edu/ohio-state-shares-decision-on-test-requirements/"},{"label":"University of Miami: Standardized test score policy reinstated for fall 2026","url":"https://news.miami.edu/stories/2025/01/standardized-test-score-policy-reinstated-for-fall-2026-undergraduate-admissions-cycle.html"},{"label":"UT Knoxville: First Year Test Score Policy","url":"https://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate-application/test-score-policy/"},{"label":"Cooper Union: Test Optional Program page","url":"https://cooper.edu/cooper.edu/about/admissions/test-opt"},{"label":"Columbia: Update on Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Testing Policy","url":"https://communications.news.columbia.edu/news/update-columbia-college-and-columbia-engineering-testing-policy"},{"label":"Michigan: Test-optional Policy for SAT and ACT","url":"https://teamdynamix.umich.edu/TDClient/154/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=7490"},{"label":"UNC Chapel Hill: How does UNC look at ACT or SAT test scores?","url":"https://admissions.unc.edu/faqs/how-does-unc-look-at-act-or-sat-test-scores/"},{"label":"Wisconsin: Apply as a First-Year Student page","url":"https://admissions.wisc.edu/apply-as-a-freshman/"},{"label":"Illinois: How to Apply: First-Year page","url":"https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/process"},{"label":"Northwestern: Standardized Testing Policy FAQ","url":"https://admissions.northwestern.edu/faqs/standardized-testing-policy/"},{"label":"Rice: First-Year Domestic Applicants page","url":"https://admission.rice.edu/apply/first-year-domestic-applicants"},{"label":"Emory: Standardized Exam Policies page","url":"https://apply.emory.edu/apply/first-year/tips/standardized-exam-policies.html"},{"label":"Notre Dame: Apply FAQs page","url":"https://admissions.nd.edu/apply/faqs/"},{"label":"UChicago: Required Materials page","url":"https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/application/required-materials/"},{"label":"UC: Fact Sheet: Fall 2026 First-Year and Transfer Admissions (data tables)","url":"https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/_files/factsheets/2026/admissions-fact-sheet-data-tables.pdf"},{"label":"CSU/SDSU: First-Years admissions page","url":"https://admissions.sdsu.edu/first-years"},{"label":"Pitzer College: Test-Free / Test-Optional Policy page","url":"https://www.pitzer.edu/admission-aid/how-apply/test-free-test-optional-policy"},{"label":"Washington State University: First-Year Students apply page","url":"https://admission.wsu.edu/apply/first-year-students/"},{"label":"Northern Illinois University: Freshman requirements page","url":"https://www.niu.edu/admissions/apply/requirements/index.shtml"},{"label":"Reed College: First-year applicant guide","url":"https://www.reed.edu/apply/guide-to-applying/first-year/"},{"label":"Hampshire College: No to SATs/ACTs: Not Even Optional","url":"https://www.hampshire.edu/admissions/apply-hampshire/no-sats/acts-not-even-optional"},{"label":"Dickinson College: Standardized Testing page","url":"https://www.dickinson.edu/homepage/1716/standardized_testing"},{"label":"Catholic University of America: Application Process page","url":"https://www.catholic.edu/admission-aid/undergraduate-admission/first-year-students/application-process"},{"label":"Loyola University New Orleans: Test-Optional Admissions page","url":"https://www.loyno.edu/test-optional-admissions"},{"label":"University of Washington: How to Apply (first-year)","url":"https://admit.washington.edu/apply/first-year/how-to-apply/"},{"label":"Western Washington University: First-Year Apply page","url":"https://admissions.wwu.edu/first-year/apply"},{"label":"Eastern Washington University: EWU Becomes Test-Optional story","url":"https://www.ewu.edu/stories/ewu-becomes-test-optional-to-increase-equity-in-college-admissions/"},{"label":"Central Washington University: Undergraduate Admissions page","url":"https://www.cwu.edu/admissions-aid/apply/undergraduate-admissions.php"},{"label":"The Evergreen State College: Test Optional Admissions page","url":"https://www.evergreen.edu/admissions-and-aid/test-optional-admission"},{"label":"Antioch College: Application Instructions page","url":"https://antiochcollege.edu/admission/apply/"},{"label":"Sarah Lawrence College: First-Year Applicants page","url":"https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/admission/apply/first-year.html"},{"label":"Whitman College: Testing Policy page","url":"https://www.whitman.edu/admission-and-aid/applying-to-whitman/testing-policy"},{"label":"Lewis & Clark College: Test-Free Policy page","url":"https://college.lclark.edu/offices/admissions/apply/testing_policy/"},{"label":"Augsburg University: Test-Free Admissions Policy page","url":"https://www.augsburg.edu/firstyear/inquire-and-apply/test-optional/"},{"label":"Cal Poly Maritime Academy homepage","url":"https://maritime.calpoly.edu/"},{"label":"Cal Maritime (archived First-Time Freshmen requirements page)","url":"https://maritime-archive.calpoly.edu/admissions/requirements/first-time-freshmen.html"},{"label":"Southern Oregon University: Apply page","url":"https://sou.edu/admissions/apply/"},{"label":"University of Idaho: First-Year Students admissions-apply page","url":"https://www.uidaho.edu/admissions-apply/first-year-students"}],"tables":[{"columns":[{"fmt":"str","key":"state","label":"State"},{"fmt":"str","key":"university","label":"University"},{"fmt":"str","key":"policy","label":"Policy"},{"fmt":"str","key":"applies_to","label":"Applies to"},{"fmt":"bool","key":"flagship","label":"Flagship"},{"fmt":"url","key":"source_url","label":"Source"}],"h2":"Which public universities require the SAT or ACT, state by state?","intro":"These are the first 60 rows of our public university review, covering flagships in every state plus every public that requires a score. The policy column uses three words: required, optional, and blind. The applies_to column copies what each university's own page says about which entering term the policy covers.","link_base":"/test-policy/","note":"Table trimmed to the first 60 of 81 rows for this page; the full table lives at /research/public-flagships-and-required.","rows":[{"applies_to":"fall 2027 first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"alabama","source_url":"https://onthelawn.auburn.edu/2025/10/17/fall-2026-freshmen-admissions-process-dates-deadlines-decision-types-and-next-steps/","state":"Alabama","university":"Auburn University","url":"/test-policy/alabama"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"alabama","source_url":"https://admissions.ua.edu/testing-requirements/","state":"Alabama","university":"University of Alabama","url":"/test-policy/alabama"},{"applies_to":"2026-2027 catalog (current policy, no end date stated)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"alaska","source_url":"https://catalog.uaf.edu/getting-started/admission/","state":"Alaska","university":"University of Alaska Fairbanks","url":"/test-policy/alaska"},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants (page did not state a specific entering term)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"arizona","source_url":"https://www.arizona.edu/admissions/undergraduate/first-year","state":"Arizona","university":"University of Arizona","url":"/test-policy/arizona"},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants (no specific entering term stated on page)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"arkansas","source_url":"https://admissions.uark.edu/apply/test-scores-and-applying.php","state":"Arkansas","university":"University of Arkansas","url":"/test-policy/arkansas"},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants (automatic admission pathway)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"arkansas","source_url":"https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/undergraduate-admissions/undergraduate-admissions-requirements.html","state":"Arkansas","university":"Arkansas State University","url":"/test-policy/arkansas"},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants (no specific entering term stated on page)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"arkansas","source_url":"https://ualr.edu/admissions/freshmen/","state":"Arkansas","university":"University of Arkansas at Little Rock","url":"/test-policy/arkansas"},{"applies_to":"same as UC systemwide policy","flagship":true,"policy":"blind","slug":"california","source_url":"https://admissions.berkeley.edu/application-faqs/","state":"California","university":"University of California, Berkeley","url":"/test-policy/california"},{"applies_to":"same as UC systemwide policy","flagship":true,"policy":"blind","slug":"california","source_url":"https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshman/freshman-requirements","state":"California","university":"University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)","url":"/test-policy/california"},{"applies_to":"2027 first-year application cycle","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"colorado","source_url":"https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/process/first-year/plan","state":"Colorado","university":"University of Colorado Boulder","url":"/test-policy/colorado"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 admitted students (Class of 2030)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"connecticut","source_url":"https://admissions.uconn.edu/apply/first-year/","state":"Connecticut","university":"University of Connecticut","url":"/test-policy/connecticut"},{"applies_to":"current first-year admissions","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"delaware","source_url":"https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/colleges/university-of-delaware/admissions","state":"Delaware","university":"University of Delaware","url":"/test-policy/delaware"},{"applies_to":"current freshman admission cycle","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"florida","source_url":"https://admissions.fsu.edu/node/586","state":"Florida","university":"Florida State University","url":"/test-policy/florida"},{"applies_to":"current freshman admission cycle (per BOG Reg 6.002, binding on all SUS schools including UF)","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"florida","source_url":"https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/freshman","state":"Florida","university":"University of Florida","url":"/test-policy/florida"},{"applies_to":"Summer/Fall 2026 admitted students","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"florida","source_url":"https://www.fau.edu/admissions/freshman/","state":"Florida","university":"Florida Atlantic University","url":"/test-policy/florida"},{"applies_to":"first-time-in-college applicants, current cycle","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"florida","source_url":"https://admissions.fiu.edu/admission-standards/index.html","state":"Florida","university":"Florida International University","url":"/test-policy/florida"},{"applies_to":"Summer and Fall 2027 freshman admission","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"florida","source_url":"https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/freshman/","state":"Florida","university":"University of Central Florida","url":"/test-policy/florida"},{"applies_to":"Fall 2026 and other terms (Fall/Summer/Spring all reviewed under the Fall cycle)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"florida","source_url":"https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/academic-requirements.aspx","state":"Florida","university":"University of South Florida","url":"/test-policy/florida"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 (AY 2026-27) and fall 2027 (AY 2027-28)","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://admission.gatech.edu/first-year/standardized-tests","state":"Georgia","university":"Georgia Institute of Technology","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"current first-year and dual-enrollment applicants (fall 2026 and fall 2027; UGA is one of the two USG schools excluded from the fall-2027 CLT substitution)","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://admissions.uga.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/first-year-criteria/","state":"Georgia","university":"University of Georgia","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 (AY 2026-27)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","university":"Augusta University","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 (AY 2026-27); also required in AY2025-26","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","university":"Georgia College & State University","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 (AY 2026-27)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","university":"Georgia Southern University","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 (AY 2026-27)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://admissions.gsu.edu/bachelors-degree/understanding-test-requirements-freshman-index/","state":"Georgia","university":"Georgia State University","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 (AY 2026-27)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"georgia","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","university":"Kennesaw State University","url":"/test-policy/georgia"},{"applies_to":"current first-year freshman applicants (page did not state a specific future entering term; snapshot data referenced was Fall 2025)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"hawaii","source_url":"https://manoa.hawaii.edu/admissions/freshman/","state":"Hawaii","university":"University of Hawai'i at Manoa","url":"/test-policy/hawaii"},{"applies_to":"Spring 2027 and Summer 2027+ first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"idaho","source_url":"https://www.uidaho.edu/admissions/apply/first-year/admission-requirements/gpa-and-test-scores","state":"Idaho","university":"University of Idaho","url":"/test-policy/idaho"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"illinois","source_url":"https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/process","state":"Illinois","university":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","url":"/test-policy/illinois"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 entering class and current cycle","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"indiana","source_url":"https://www.admissions.purdue.edu/counselors/newsletter-know.php","state":"Indiana","university":"Purdue University (West Lafayette)","url":"/test-policy/indiana"},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"indiana","source_url":"https://iu.edu/admissions/admissions-standards.html","state":"Indiana","university":"Indiana University Bloomington","url":"/test-policy/indiana"},{"applies_to":"current first-year (fall-semester) applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"iowa","source_url":"https://admissions.uiowa.edu/apply/how-apply/first-year-admissions","state":"Iowa","university":"University of Iowa","url":"/test-policy/iowa"},{"applies_to":"freshman applicants for summer 2022 and later (current as of fall 2026/2027 cycles)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"kansas","source_url":"https://admissions.ku.edu","state":"Kansas","university":"University of Kansas","url":"/test-policy/kansas"},{"applies_to":"through the 2028-29 academic year","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"kentucky","source_url":"https://admission.uky.edu/news/test-optional","state":"Kentucky","university":"University of Kentucky","url":"/test-policy/kentucky"},{"applies_to":"fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"louisiana","source_url":"https://www.lsu.edu/admissions/apply/test-optional-faq.php","state":"Louisiana","university":"Louisiana State University (LSU A&M)","url":"/test-policy/louisiana"},{"applies_to":"current cycle","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"louisiana","source_url":"https://subr.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2024-2026/undergraduate-catalog/office-of-enrollment-management/undergraduate-admissions/admissions-for-first-time-freshman","state":"Louisiana","university":"Southern University and A&M College","url":"/test-policy/louisiana"},{"applies_to":"all applicants, current cycle","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"maine","source_url":"https://umaine.edu/admissions/apply/apply-info/","state":"Maine","university":"University of Maine","url":"/test-policy/maine"},{"applies_to":"Spring and Fall 2027 application cycles","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"maryland","source_url":"https://admissions.umd.edu/apply/freshman-applicants","state":"Maryland","university":"University of Maryland, College Park","url":"/test-policy/maryland"},{"applies_to":"first-year applicants, all majors; no end date stated on the live policy page -- in effect for fall 2026 and fall 2027 applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"massachusetts","source_url":"https://www.umass.edu/admissions/test-optional-policy","state":"Massachusetts","university":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","url":"/test-policy/massachusetts"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"michigan","source_url":"https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/first-year/act-sat-test-optional","state":"Michigan","university":"Michigan State University","url":"/test-policy/michigan"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 first-year applicants (and continuing from prior cycles)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"michigan","source_url":"https://teamdynamix.umich.edu/TDClient/154/Portal/KB/Article/7490/Test-optional-Policy-for-SAT-and-ACT","state":"Michigan","university":"University of Michigan-Ann Arbor","url":"/test-policy/michigan"},{"applies_to":"freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term (per the dedicated ACT/SAT policy page); a separate freshman checklist page on the same site states 'through fall 2027'","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"minnesota","source_url":"https://admissions.tc.umn.edu/admissions/freshman-admission/act-sat-information","state":"Minnesota","university":"University of Minnesota Twin Cities","url":"/test-policy/minnesota"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 freshman applicants, Mississippi residents and non-residents","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"mississippi","source_url":"https://olemiss.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/index.php","state":"Mississippi","university":"University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)","url":"/test-policy/mississippi"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 freshman applicants (policy unchanged from the fall 2026 cycle -- no reinstatement of a testing requirement was found)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"missouri","source_url":"https://admissions.missouri.edu/apply/freshmen/test-optional/","state":"Missouri","university":"University of Missouri (Mizzou)","url":"/test-policy/missouri"},{"applies_to":"page does not state a specific entering term; policy described as 'effective immediately and for the foreseeable future'","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"montana","source_url":"https://www.montana.edu/admissions/apply/freshman.html","state":"Montana","university":"Montana State University","url":"/test-policy/montana"},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 first-year applicants (page shows 'Fall 2027 Application Open Now'; same policy covered fall 2026)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"montana","source_url":"https://www.umt.edu/admissions/apply-undergraduate.php","state":"Montana","university":"University of Montana","url":"/test-policy/montana"},{"applies_to":"Fall 2026 (per the Common Data Set page's own language)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"nebraska","source_url":"https://iea.unl.edu/common-data-set-2024-2025/c-first-time-first-year-admission/sat-and-act-policies/","state":"Nebraska","university":"University of Nebraska-Lincoln","url":"/test-policy/nebraska"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"nevada","source_url":"https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/undergraduate/first-year","state":"Nevada","university":"University of Nevada, Las Vegas","url":"/test-policy/nevada"},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 and fall 2027 first-year applicants (page shows Spring 2027/Fall 2027 deadlines)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"nevada","source_url":"https://www.unr.edu/admissions/freshman/requirements","state":"Nevada","university":"University of Nevada, Reno","url":"/test-policy/nevada"},{"applies_to":"unknown - no entering term/class stated on the page; confirmed in effect as of check date 2026-10-08","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"new-hampshire","source_url":"https://admissions.unh.edu/apply/test-optional","state":"New Hampshire","university":"University of New Hampshire","url":"/test-policy/new-hampshire"},{"applies_to":"through 2027 (per page: \"maintains test-optional and test-blind policies through 2027\")","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"new-jersey","source_url":"https://admissions.rutgers.edu/apply/first-year-applicants","state":"New Jersey","university":"Rutgers University-New Brunswick","url":"/test-policy/new-jersey"},{"applies_to":"not specified on source page; current general freshman admission requirements as published","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"new-mexico","source_url":"https://admissions.unm.edu/future-students/freshmen/admission-requirements.html","state":"New Mexico","university":"University of New Mexico","url":"/test-policy/new-mexico"},{"applies_to":"Fall 2027 and Spring 2027 entry terms, as stated on the source page","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"new-york","source_url":"https://www.stonybrook.edu/undergraduate-admissions/apply/first-year.php","state":"New York","university":"Stony Brook University","url":"/test-policy/new-york"},{"applies_to":"current policy as published, for fall and spring admission terms; no end date stated","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"new-york","source_url":"https://www.buffalo.edu/admissions/apply/first-year.html","state":"New York","university":"University at Buffalo","url":"/test-policy/new-york"},{"applies_to":"2026-2027 academic year and beyond","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"north-carolina","source_url":"https://admissions.unc.edu/apply/types-of-applications/first-year/","state":"North Carolina","university":"University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill","url":"/test-policy/north-carolina"},{"applies_to":"current policy as published; follows UNC System Policy 700.1.1 (fall 2026 and beyond)","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"north-carolina","source_url":"https://admissions.ncsu.edu/apply/first-year/","state":"North Carolina","university":"North Carolina State University","url":"/test-policy/north-carolina"},{"applies_to":"Fall 2027 applicants, as stated on the source page","flagship":false,"policy":"required","slug":"north-carolina","source_url":"https://admissions.charlotte.edu/apply/first-year-students/application-requirements/","state":"North Carolina","university":"University of North Carolina at Charlotte","url":"/test-policy/north-carolina"},{"applies_to":"current freshman admission requirements as published; no specific entering term stated","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"north-dakota","source_url":"https://und.edu/admissions/freshmen/index.html","state":"North Dakota","university":"University of North Dakota","url":"/test-policy/north-dakota"},{"applies_to":"2026 admissions cycle and beyond (Columbus campus); current policy as published (regional campuses)","flagship":true,"policy":"required","slug":"ohio","source_url":"https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply/freshmen-columbus/apply-step-by-step","state":"Ohio","university":"The Ohio State University","url":"/test-policy/ohio"},{"applies_to":"first-time freshman admission (current page; no specific entering term stated)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"oklahoma","source_url":"https://www.ou.edu/admissions/apply/freshman/requirements-factors/test-scores","state":"Oklahoma","university":"University of Oklahoma","url":"/test-policy/oklahoma"},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants (page does not state a specific entering term such as fall 2026 or fall 2027)","flagship":true,"policy":"optional","slug":"oregon","source_url":"https://www.uoregon.edu/admissions/undergraduate/find-your-path/first-year-students/test-optional-policy/","state":"Oregon","university":"University of Oregon","url":"/test-policy/oregon"}]},{"columns":[{"fmt":"str","key":"name","label":"College"},{"fmt":"str","key":"policy","label":"Policy"},{"fmt":"str","key":"applies_to","label":"Applies to"},{"fmt":"str","key":"changed","label":"Change noted"},{"fmt":"url","key":"source_url","label":"Source"}],"h2":"Which private colleges require a score for fall 2027?","intro":"These are the 50 most-applied-to private nonprofit colleges. The changed column copies what each college said about a past or future switch. Read the applies_to column closely, because a few colleges name a future cycle rather than this one.","note":"Fordham's own admissions pages sit behind a login wall, so its policy is recorded as unknown rather than guessed.","rows":[{"applies_to":"the upcoming application term (current cycle, fall 2027 entry)","changed":null,"name":"New York University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/how-to-apply/all-freshmen-applicants.html","unitid":193900},{"applies_to":"the foreseeable future (includes fall 2027)","changed":null,"name":"Northeastern University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.northeastern.edu/application-information/frequently-asked-admissions-questions/","unitid":167358},{"applies_to":"first-year applicants to the 2027-28 academic year","changed":null,"name":"University of Southern California","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admission.usc.edu/test-optional-faq/","unitid":123961},{"applies_to":"fall 2028 and spring 2029 (covers fall 2027)","changed":null,"name":"Boston University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/first-year/test-policy/","unitid":164988},{"applies_to":"first-year applicants, fall 2026 and beyond (covers fall 2027)","changed":"reinstated beginning fall 2026 entry after a test-optional pandemic-era period","name":"Cornell University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.cornell.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants","unitid":190415},{"applies_to":"2026-2027 admissions cycle (fall 2027 entry)","changed":"reinstated for the 2025-26 cycle after a test-optional period","name":"University of Pennsylvania","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/preparing-your-application/testing","unitid":215062},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 applicants (2026-2027 cycle)","changed":"required from the 2027-2028 cycle (students enrolling fall 2028)","name":"Columbia University in the City of New York","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/testing-policy-update","unitid":190150},{"applies_to":"Class of 2029 applicants (fall 2025 entry) and continuing","changed":"reinstated for the Class of 2029 after a test-optional pandemic-era period","name":"Harvard University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/application-requirements","unitid":166027},{"applies_to":"current first-year applicants (fall 2027 entry)","changed":"required again starting with Class of 2030 applicants (fall 2026 entry) after Class of 2029 was test-optional","name":"Stanford University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/first-year/testing.html","unitid":243744},{"applies_to":"current first-year and transfer applicants","changed":"narrowed from a test-flexible (SAT/ACT/AP/IB) policy to SAT-or-ACT-only starting the 2026-2027 cycle","name":"Yale University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.yale.edu/requirements","unitid":130794},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (2026-27, fall 2027 entry)","changed":null,"name":"Northwestern University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.northwestern.edu/apply/requirements.html","unitid":147767},{"applies_to":"first-year applicants beginning with the 2024-25 admission cycle (covers fall 2027)","changed":"reinstated beginning with the 2024-25 admission cycle","name":"Brown University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admission.brown.edu/ask/standardized-tests","unitid":217156},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 undergraduate admission and beyond (covers fall 2027)","changed":"reinstated starting fall 2026 entry","name":"University of Miami","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.miami.edu/undergraduate/application-process/admission-requirements/test-optional-admissions/index.html","unitid":135726},{"applies_to":"2026-2027 admissions cycle (fall 2027 entry)","changed":null,"name":"Duke University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.duke.edu/resources/","unitid":198419},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 and fall 2028 applicants","changed":"testing will be required starting with applicants for fall 2029 entry","name":"Vanderbilt University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/apply/testing-policies/","unitid":221999},{"applies_to":"general undergraduate admission (ongoing)","changed":null,"name":"Southern New Hampshire University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/education/what-is-the-sat","unitid":183026},{"applies_to":null,"changed":"secondary sources describe Fordham as test-optional for the foreseeable future, but Fordham's own admissions pages are gated behind a CAS login wall and could not be read directly","name":"Fordham University","policy":"unknown","source_url":"https://www.fordham.edu/undergraduate-admission/why-fordham/admission-facts/","unitid":191241},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 admission (named explicitly)","changed":null,"name":"Syracuse University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.syracuse.edu/admissions-aid/application-process/undergraduate/first-year/requirements/","unitid":196413},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Loyola University Chicago","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.luc.edu/undergrad/admissions/first-yearstudents/","unitid":146719},{"applies_to":"fall entry (current)","changed":null,"name":"Drexel University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://drexel.edu/admissions/apply/undergrad-instructions/first-year-instructions/standardized-tests","unitid":212054},{"applies_to":"2027-2028 application process","changed":null,"name":"Baylor University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.web.baylor.edu/admissions/incoming-freshman/application-process","unitid":223232},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 entry (2026-27 admission cycle)","changed":"standardized testing will be required beginning with the 2027-28 admission cycle (fall 2028 entry)","name":"Princeton University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing","unitid":186131},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Case Western Reserve University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://case.edu/admission/apply/application-requirements-enhancements/test-optional","unitid":201645},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 and beyond (covers fall 2027)","changed":"reinstated for fall 2026 after a test-optional period","name":"Johns Hopkins University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://apply.jhu.edu/how-to-apply/application-deadlines-requirements/standardized-testing/","unitid":162928},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (all applicants)","changed":null,"name":"University of Chicago","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-admissions-faq/","unitid":144050},{"applies_to":"general undergraduate resident program admission","changed":null,"name":"Liberty University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://catalog.liberty.edu/undergraduate/admission/admissions-resident-program","unitid":232557},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Boston College","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/admission/apply/test-optional.html","unitid":164924},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"The University of Tampa","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.ut.edu/admissions/first-year-admissions","unitid":137847},{"applies_to":"all undergraduate applicants (current cycle, fall 2027)","changed":null,"name":"Tufts University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.tufts.edu/apply/applying-to-tufts/sat-and-act-tests/","unitid":168148},{"applies_to":"fall 2026 applicants and beyond (covers fall 2027); College of Fine Arts remains test optional","changed":"most colleges moved from test optional to 'test flexible' (a score from some accepted exam is mandatory) starting fall 2026; School of Computer Science requires SAT or ACT specifically","name":"Carnegie Mellon University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.cmu.edu/admission/admission/standardized-testing","unitid":211440},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Washington University in St Louis","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.washu.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-us-applicants/","unitid":179867},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (permanent policy since 2016)","changed":null,"name":"DePaul University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/Pages/test-optional-faqs.aspx","unitid":144740},{"applies_to":"2026-2027 application cycle (fall 2027 entry)","changed":null,"name":"Emory University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://apply.emory.edu/apply/requirements/exams","unitid":139658},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (recommended, not required, since the 2024-25 cycle)","changed":null,"name":"Rice University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admission.rice.edu/policies/standardized-testing","unitid":227757},{"applies_to":"2026-27 admission cycle (fall 2027 entry)","changed":null,"name":"Howard University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admission.howard.edu/undergraduate/first-year","unitid":131520},{"applies_to":"Class of 2029 applicants (fall 2025 entry) and continuing","changed":"reactivated the testing requirement beginning with the Class of 2029 after a test-optional pandemic-era period","name":"Dartmouth College","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/glossary-question/are-standardized-test-scores-required","unitid":182670},{"applies_to":"the foreseeable future (includes fall 2027)","changed":null,"name":"Pace University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.pace.edu/admission-and-aid/undergraduate-admission","unitid":194310},{"applies_to":"fall 2027 applicants","changed":"Notre Dame will reinstate a standardized testing requirement beginning with the 2027-2028 admissions cycle (fall 2028 entry)","name":"University of Notre Dame","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.nd.edu/apply/standardized-testing-policy/","unitid":152080},{"applies_to":"Fall 2027 first-year and transfer admission (named explicitly)","changed":null,"name":"Tulane University of Louisiana","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admission.tulane.edu/apply/instructions/standardized-tests","unitid":160755},{"applies_to":"Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Clark Atlanta University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.cau.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions","unitid":138947},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (policy in place since 2015)","changed":null,"name":"George Washington University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/apply/test-optional","unitid":131469},{"applies_to":"current and future admissions cycles (since fall 2022 entrants)","changed":"reinstated after a two-cycle pandemic-era suspension (fall 2021 and fall 2022 applications were test-optional)","name":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","policy":"required","source_url":"https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/tests-scores/","unitid":166683},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"University of San Francisco","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.usfca.edu/admission/undergraduate/test-optional","unitid":122612},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (Georgetown never adopted test-optional admissions)","changed":null,"name":"Georgetown University","policy":"required","source_url":"https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/faq/faq-high-school-credits-and-tests/","unitid":131496},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"St. John's University-New York","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.stjohns.edu/test-optional","unitid":195809},{"applies_to":"current application cycle (since fall 2021)","changed":null,"name":"Rochester Institute of Technology","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.rit.edu/admissions/undergraduate-faqs","unitid":195003},{"applies_to":"through the Fall 2029 admissions cycle (covers fall 2027)","changed":null,"name":"Seton Hall University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.shu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/test-optional-admission.html","unitid":186584},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Loyola Marymount University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admission.lmu.edu/learnmore/prospectivestudents/first-yearapplicants/","unitid":117946},{"applies_to":"2026-27 admission cycle, Class of 2031 (fall 2027 entrants)","changed":null,"name":"Villanova University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.villanova.edu/university/undergraduate-admission/applying-to-villanova/first-year-applicants.html","unitid":216597},{"applies_to":"current application cycle","changed":null,"name":"Hofstra University","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.hofstra.edu/admission/standardized-testing-policy/","unitid":191649}]},{"columns":[{"fmt":"str","key":"college","label":"College or system"},{"fmt":"str","key":"state","label":"State"},{"fmt":"str","key":"policy_2026","label":"Policy"},{"fmt":"url","key":"source_url","label":"Source"}],"h2":"Which colleges are test-blind for fall 2027?","intro":"Test-blind means a score is not read even if a student sends it. This table also names the schools we checked that turned out to be test-optional instead, plus two that are neither.","note":"College of the Atlantic blocked every attempt to read its admissions pages, so its policy is not listed here.","rows":[{"college":"University of California (systemwide: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz)","policy_2026":"blind","source_url":"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/statement-uc-academic-senate-chair-ahmet-palazoglu-boars-undergraduate-admissions-review","state":"CA"},{"college":"California State University (systemwide, 23 campuses)","policy_2026":"blind","source_url":"https://admissions.sdsu.edu/first-years","state":"CA"},{"college":"Pitzer College","policy_2026":"blind (through fall 2027 entrants; college has announced a return to test-optional for fall 2028 entrants)","source_url":"https://www.pitzer.edu/admission-aid/how-apply/test-free-test-optional-policy","state":"CA"},{"college":"Washington State University","policy_2026":"blind","source_url":"https://admission.wsu.edu/apply/first-year-students/","state":"WA"},{"college":"Northern Illinois University","policy_2026":"blind","source_url":"https://www.niu.edu/admissions/apply/requirements/index.shtml","state":"IL"},{"college":"Reed College","policy_2026":"blind -- RESOLVED this session. Reed's own first-year applicant checklist lists self-reported scores as something it will not use in evaluation, settling the prior ambiguity in favor of test-blind rather than merely test-optional.","source_url":"https://www.reed.edu/apply/guide-to-applying/first-year/","state":"OR"},{"college":"Hampshire College","policy_2026":"blind","source_url":"https://www.hampshire.edu/admissions/apply-hampshire/no-sats/acts-not-even-optional","state":"MA"},{"college":"Lewis & Clark College","policy_2026":"blind (test-free, starting with the fall 2025 entering class)","source_url":"https://college.lclark.edu/offices/admissions/apply/testing_policy/","state":"OR"},{"college":"Augsburg University","policy_2026":"blind (test-free, since the 2021/fall 2022 cycle)","source_url":"https://www.augsburg.edu/firstyear/inquire-and-apply/test-optional/","state":"MN"},{"college":"California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) -- now operating as Cal Poly Maritime Academy after its 2026 merger into Cal Poly, and still a CSU/Cal Poly campus","policy_2026":"blind","source_url":"https://maritime-archive.calpoly.edu/admissions/requirements/first-time-freshmen.html","state":"CA"},{"college":"Dickinson College","policy_2026":"optional (not blind -- test-optional since 1994)","source_url":"https://www.dickinson.edu/homepage/1716/standardized_testing","state":"PA"},{"college":"Catholic University of America","policy_2026":"optional (not blind -- was test-blind 2020 through the pandemic era, reverted to test-optional)","source_url":"https://www.catholic.edu/admission-aid/undergraduate-admission/first-year-students/application-process","state":"DC"},{"college":"Loyola University New Orleans","policy_2026":"optional (not blind -- was briefly test-blind in 2020 per contemporaneous press, current own page is test-optional)","source_url":"https://www.loyno.edu/test-optional-admissions","state":"LA"},{"college":"University of Washington (Seattle)","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://admit.washington.edu/apply/first-year/how-to-apply/","state":"WA"},{"college":"Western Washington University","policy_2026":"optional (not blind; permanently test-optional starting fall 2021)","source_url":"https://admissions.wwu.edu/first-year/apply","state":"WA"},{"college":"Eastern Washington University","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://www.ewu.edu/stories/ewu-becomes-test-optional-to-increase-equity-in-college-admissions/","state":"WA"},{"college":"Central Washington University","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://www.cwu.edu/admissions-aid/apply/undergraduate-admissions.php","state":"WA"},{"college":"The Evergreen State College","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://www.evergreen.edu/admissions-and-aid/test-optional-admission","state":"WA"},{"college":"Antioch College","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://antiochcollege.edu/admission/apply/","state":"OH"},{"college":"Sarah Lawrence College","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/admission/apply/first-year.html","state":"NY"},{"college":"Whitman College","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://www.whitman.edu/admission-and-aid/applying-to-whitman/testing-policy","state":"WA"},{"college":"Southern Oregon University","policy_2026":"optional (not blind)","source_url":"https://sou.edu/admissions/apply/","state":"OR"},{"college":"University of Idaho","policy_2026":"conditional -- optional at GPA 3.00+; at GPA 2.60-2.99 a test score (or the Vandal Gateway Program) is required; not test-blind at any GPA tier","source_url":"https://www.uidaho.edu/admissions-apply/first-year-students","state":"ID"},{"college":"Cornell University (all 8 undergraduate colleges)","policy_2026":"required -- no Cornell college remains score-free for fall 2026 or fall 2027 applicants","source_url":"https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/04/cornell-reinstate-standardized-test-requirements-fall-2026","state":"NY"}]},{"columns":[{"fmt":"str","key":"state","label":"State"},{"fmt":"str","key":"university","label":"University"},{"fmt":"str","key":"policy","label":"Policy"},{"fmt":"str","key":"clt","label":"Accepts CLT"},{"fmt":"url","key":"source_url","label":"Source"}],"h2":"Which public universities accept the Classic Learning Test?","intro":"Some families ask about the CLT, a third exam that a growing group of public universities will read. These are the public universities we confirmed accept it, with the policy each one applies.","note":"23 rows, drawn from the same review of 226 public universities.","rows":[{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.uark.edu/apply/test-scores-and-applying.php","state":"Arkansas","state_slug":"arkansas","university":"University of Arkansas"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://ualr.edu/admissions/freshmen/","state":"Arkansas","state_slug":"arkansas","university":"University of Arkansas at Little Rock"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.atu.edu/admissions/requirements.php","state":"Arkansas","state_slug":"arkansas","university":"Arkansas Tech University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://uca.edu/admissions/apply/freshman/","state":"Arkansas","state_slug":"arkansas","university":"University of Central Arkansas"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.fsu.edu/node/586","state":"Florida","state_slug":"florida","university":"Florida State University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/freshman","state":"Florida","state_slug":"florida","university":"University of Florida"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.fau.edu/admissions/freshman/","state":"Florida","state_slug":"florida","university":"Florida Atlantic University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.fiu.edu/admission-standards/index.html","state":"Florida","state_slug":"florida","university":"Florida International University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/freshman/","state":"Florida","state_slug":"florida","university":"University of Central Florida"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/academic-requirements.aspx","state":"Florida","state_slug":"florida","university":"University of South Florida"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027)","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"Augusta University"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027)","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"Georgia College & State University"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027)","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"Georgia Southern University"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027, per usg's clt-substitution policy)","policy":"required","source_url":"https://admissions.gsu.edu/bachelors-degree/understanding-test-requirements-freshman-index/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"Georgia State University"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027)","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"Kennesaw State University"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027)","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"University of West Georgia"},{"clt":"yes (beginning fall 2027)","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.usg.edu/announcements/usg-admission-requirements-for-academic-years-2025-26-2026-27-2027-28/","state":"Georgia","state_slug":"georgia","university":"Valdosta State University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"required","source_url":"https://www.admissions.purdue.edu/counselors/newsletter-know.php","state":"Indiana","state_slug":"indiana","university":"Purdue University (West Lafayette)"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.bsu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/apply-now/test-information","state":"Indiana","state_slug":"indiana","university":"Ball State University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.uiowa.edu/apply/how-apply/first-year-admissions","state":"Iowa","state_slug":"iowa","university":"University of Iowa"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.iastate.edu/admission-and-aid/admissions/first-year-students","state":"Iowa","state_slug":"iowa","university":"Iowa State University"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://admissions.unm.edu/future-students/freshmen/admission-requirements.html","state":"New Mexico","state_slug":"new-mexico","university":"University of New Mexico"},{"clt":"yes","policy":"optional","source_url":"https://www.ou.edu/admissions/apply/freshman/requirements-factors/test-scores","state":"Oklahoma","state_slug":"oklahoma","university":"University of Oklahoma"}]}],"title":"Which Colleges Require the SAT or ACT for Fall 2027? 31 Publics, 12 Top Privates","updated":null,"url":"https://highschoolreach.com/research/which-colleges-require-sat-act-fall-2027"}