Colleges Extending Test-Optional Policies for 2021-22
UPDATED: List of Colleges Extending Test-Optional Policies
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the college entrance exam testing industry, which resulted in a number of colleges shifting to test-optional admissions process for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. Now that schools have a glimpse into 2021, many colleges are extending their test-optional policies for the 2021-22 admissions cycle (and beyond!)
Limited testing availability for both the ACT and SAT in 2020, and the decision to not move forward with at-home testing, has forced colleges and universities across the US to suspend the requirement for SAT or ACT scores as part of the admissions process.
72% of colleges and universities adopted test-optional policies this year, and now some schools that implemented a one year test-optional policy are now extending that policy for the next 1-2 years.
Cornell University and Columbia University were the two first Ivy League schools to announce that they are extending their test-optional policies for the 2021-22 admissions cycle. This means that current juniors planning to apply to those schools will NOT be required to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their undergraduate applications. Harvard has also extended it’s test-optional policy for another year.
Earlier in 2020 when schools first announced they were going test-optional, over 400 colleges and universities affirmed that students will not be penalized for the absence of SAT or ACT scores with their applications this fall. However, some schools still made it clear that they value these scores in some capacity, so they were encouraging students to submit them if they already have them. Other schools, like Princeton, give students more time to get their applications together (including test scores if possible) by eliminating the early application round and accepting applications only in the regular round. US News and World Report has also announced it will rank test-blind colleges, giving more flexibility to schools that have decided not to accept test scores at all this year and in the next admissions cycle.
Curious if any of the colleges on your best-fit list are extending their test-optional policies ? Keep reading to learn more about which institutions are putting a pause on requirements for SAT and/or ACT scores.
| School | Test-Optional for: |
| Alfred University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Alma College | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Amherst College | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| Anderson University | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Babson College | Extended through Fall 2025 admission |
| Barnard College | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| Baylor University | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| Bentley University | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| Bethel University | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Boston College | Extended through 2022-23 application cycle |
| Boston University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Brown University | Extended through 2021-22 application cycle |
| Buena Vista University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Butler University | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Cal State system | Extended through Spring 2023 admission |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 2-year period beginning with the 2020-21 admissions cycle |
| California Lutheran University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Carleton College | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Case Western Reserve University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Centre College | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 admissions cycle |
| Claremont McKenna College | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Coastal Carolina University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Colgate University | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| College of Charleston | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University (Minnesota) | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| College of Wooster | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Columbia University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Cooper Union | 2-year period beginning with the 2020-21 admissions cycle |
| Concordia University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Cornell University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Dartmouth College | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Davidson College | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Drexel University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Drury University | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Duke University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Elon University | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Emory University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Fordham University | 2-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Georgetown University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Gonzaga University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Grand Valley State University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Grinnell College | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Hamilton College | Extended through 2023 admission |
| Harvard University | Extending for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Harvey Mudd College | Extended through 2022 admission |
| Haverford College | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Indiana University – Bloomington | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Indiana University – South Bend | Permanently beginning in for fall 2020 admission |
| Johns Hopkins University | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| Lafayette College | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| Lehigh University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Limestone University | Fall 2020 admission |
| Loyola Marymount University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Loyola University – New Orleans | Permanently test-blind beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Macalester College | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Mansfield University | Fall 2020 admission |
| Meredith College | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Middlebury College | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Millersville University | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| MIT | 2020-21 application cycle (Will also no longer accept SAT Subject Test scores for consideration starting with the 2020-21 admissions cycle.) |
| Montana University system | 2020-21 application cycle |
| New York University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Northeastern University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Northwestern University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Oakland University | 2-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Oberlin College | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Oregon State University | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Penn State University | 2020-21 application cycle; extended through 2022-23 cycle |
| Pepperdine University | International students for the 2020-21 application cycle |
| Pomona College | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Princeton University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Rhodes College | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Rice University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Rutgers University | Extended through 2022 admission |
| Saginaw Valley State University | 2020-21 application cycle for students with 3.0 or higher GPA |
| Saint Louis University | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| Santa Clara University | 2-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Scripps College | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| St. Mary’s University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| St. Olaf College | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| St. Thomas Aquinas College | Fall 2020 admission |
| Stanford University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Swarthmore College | 2-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Syracuse University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Texas Christian University | Extended through the 2023 admission |
| Texas Tech University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Trinity University | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Tufts University | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Tulane University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| Union College | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| University of California system | 2020-21 application cycle |
| University of Connecticut | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| University of Delaware | 2020-21 application cycle |
| University of Hawaii | 2020-21 application cycle |
| University of Louisville | Extended through 2022 admission |
| University of Miami | 2020-21 application cycle |
| University of Michigan | 2020-21 application cycle |
| University of Notre Dame | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| University of Oregon | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| University of Pennsylvania | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
| University of Pittsburgh | Extended through 2022-23 application cycle |
| University of Richmond | Extended through Spring 2022 admission |
| University of San Diego | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| University of Southern California | Extended through Spring 2024 admission |
| University of Texas – Austin | Extended for the 2021-22 cycle |
| University of Toledo | Permanently beginning in the 2020-21 cycle |
| University of Virginia | Extended two years through 2022-23 application cycle |
| UVA Wise | 2020-21 application cycle |
| University of Washington | Permanently beginning the 2020-21 cycle |
| Vanderbilt University | Extended through 2022 admission |
| Vassar College | Extended through Fall 2023 admission |
| Villanova University | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| Virginia Tech | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Washington & Lee University | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| Wayland Baptist University | 2020-21 application cycle |
| Wellesley College | Extended through Fall 2022 admission |
| Westminster College | Permanently beginning the 2020-21 cycle |
| William & Mary | 3-year period beginning with the 2020-21 cycle |
| Williams College | Extended for next two years (2021-22 & 2022-23 cycles) |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) | Permanently test-blind beginning in 2021-22 cycle |
| Yale University | Extended for 2021-22 application cycle |
While there have been significant changes to the college search and application process due to COVID-19, it is possible to feel confident about your applications by doing your research and preparing accordingly. If you are in the midst of your own college search and looking for expert guidance, our team of college admissions counselors can offer personalized insight.
Also check out our IvyWise Knowledgebase for the latest updates on how COVID-19 is impacting admissions and download our free 2020-21 College Prep Guide for information and insight on how to prepare for college admissions this fall.