Test Score Submit Rates for the Class of 2027
The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the way higher education institutions review applications, with many colleges choosing to adopt a test-optional application review process. However, with record-breaking applicant pools and record-low admit rates, families are worried that test-optional may not really mean test-optional at all. Here is what we know, so far.
What Exactly is a ‘Test-Optional’ Policy and Is It Here to Stay?
Test-optional institutions do not require submission of standardized testing scores but will still accept and review SAT and ACT scores when evaluating your application, should you choose to submit them. With the news that some schools may be sticking with test-optional, at least for a little while longer, it’s important to address just how optional test scores are to colleges with these policies.
It’s unclear how many colleges will choose to adopt a test-optional policy permanently. Many schools have committed to staying test-optional for the next few years. Some schools, like those in the University of California system, have even committed to remain test-blind for the foreseeable future, while Columbia University has implemented a permanent test-optional policy. On the other hand, some schools have already reinstated their testing requirements, like MIT, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale.
Should I Still Submit My Scores to a College with a Test-Optional Policy?
While a test-optional policy may work in your favor if you do not have the strongest test results, it is typically best to err on the side of caution and submit scores when you can. While choosing to withhold standardized testing results might not hinder your application, it could mean the difference of admission between you and another strong candidate who did opt to submit results.
It is also important to consider that test scores are one of the most significant metrics used in calculating college rankings and colleges that adopt test-optional policies may favor candidates who submit scores for their own ranking purposes. After all, many ranking systems (including the one developed by U.S. News & World Report) will only factor in a college’s test scores if a certain percentage of their applicants submit them.
Many colleges and universities have reported record-breaking applicant numbers with record-low acceptance rates in recent years, so to make your application competitive, you should strongly consider submitting test scores. Remember, many schools will superscore your SAT and ACT results to ensure you have the best chance of admission.
Curious about the test-optional data for the schools on your best-fit college list? Keep reading to learn more about which percentage of accepted applicants at those schools submitted their SAT/ACT scores during the 2022-2023 admissions cycle (class of 2027).
| College | Importance of Scores in Admission Decisions | Score Submit Rates by Admitted and Matriculated Students* | Additional Data on Test-Submission Rates |
| Amherst College | Very Important | 38% submitted SAT 17% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Babson College | Very important | 30% submitted SAT 6% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Barnard College | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Bates College | Considered | 18% submitted SAT 10% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Baylor University | Very important | 45% submitted SAT 26% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Boston College | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Boston University | Considered | 30% submitted SAT 10% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: 41% Enrollees submitting test scores: 38% |
| Bowdoin College | Considered | 36.7% submitted SAT 21.8% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 56% |
| Brown University | Very important | 54% submitted SAT 22% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Bucknell University | Important | 67% submitted SAT 22% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: 42.94% Admits submitting test scores: 56.75% |
| Case Western Reserve University | Considered | 43% submitted SAT 23% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Claremont McKenna College | Considered | 29% submitted SAT 16% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Clark University | Considered | 17% submitted SAT 4% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 23% |
| College of Charleston | Considered | 21% submitted SAT 11% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| College of the Holy Cross | Considered | 35% submitted SAT 19% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| College of William and Mary | Very Important | 45% submitted SAT 17% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: 70% Admits submitting test scores: 70% |
| Colorado College | Considered | 20% submitted SAT 17% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting tests scores: 53% |
| Columbia University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Cornell University | Unknown | 42% submitted SAT 14% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 53% |
| Dartmouth College | Very Important (Test scores required for fall 2025) |
Data not released | Unknown |
| Davidson College | Considered | 30% submitted SAT 27% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| DePaul University | Very Important | 42% submitted SAT ACT info not released |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 42% |
| Duke University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Elon University | Varies by program | 24% submitted SAT 16% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Emory University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Fairfield University | Considered | 21% submitted SAT 5% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 29% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Considered | 77% submitted SAT 35% submitted ACT |
Test scores required |
| Gonzaga University | Important | 25% submitted SAT 9% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Hamilton College | Considered | 33.77% submitted SAT 16.88% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Harvard University | Data not yet released(Test scores required for fall 2025) | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Harvey Mudd College | Considered | 51% submitted SAT 17% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Haverford College | Considered | 40% submitted SAT 14% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: ~50% |
| Indiana University | Important | 40.9% submitted SAT 16.2% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 54% |
| Lafayette College | Important | 31% submitted SAT 14% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Lehigh University | Important | 33% submitted SAT 10% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: 50% |
| Loyola Marymount University | Considered | 22% submitted SAT 9% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Loyola University – Chicago | Considered | 38% submitted SAT 21% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Macalester College | Considered | 30% submitted SAT 28% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 44% |
| Marquette University | Important | 14% submitted SAT 27% submitted SAT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 38% |
| Middlebury College | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| New York University | Important | 27% submitted SAT 12% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Northeastern University | Very Important | 27% submitted SAT 8% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: ~50% |
| Northwestern University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Pomona College | Considered | 29% submitted SAT 15% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Princeton University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Providence College | Considered | 60% submitted SAT 13% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: 32% Admits submitting test scores: 41% Enrollees submitting test scores: 28% |
| Reed College | Test-blind | Test-blind | Test-blind |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Considered | 57% submitted SAT 13% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Rice University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Considered | 43.5% submitted SAT 19.7% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Southern Methodist University | Important | 17% submitted SAT 15% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Stanford University | Considered | 47% submitted SAT 22% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Swarthmore College | Considered | 40% submitted SAT 14% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Syracuse University | Considered | 22% submitted SAT 9% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Texas Christian University | Considered | 20% submitted SAT 15% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Texas A&M, College Station | Considered | 78% submitted SAT 22% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Trinity University | Considered | 40% submitted SAT 19% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 54% Enrollees submitting test scores: 43% |
| Tufts University | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Applicants submitting test scores: 50% Admits submitting test scores: 40% |
| Tulane University | Important | 14% submitted SAT 31% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 50% A majority of enrolling students did not submit test scores. |
| University of Colorado – Boulder | Considered | 31% submitted SAT 14% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| University of Denver | Important | 27% submitted SAT 16% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 39% Enrollees submitting test scores: 38% |
| University of Georgia | Important | 69.73% submitted SAT 46.69% submitted ACT |
Test scores required |
| University of Maryland – College Park | Considered | 41% submitted SAT 7% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 48.35% |
| University of Massachusetts – Amherst | Considered | 27% submitted SAT 3.9% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: <40% |
| University of Miami | Very Important | 32% submitted SAT 21% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| University of Michigan | Important | 52% submitted SAT 18% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| University of Notre Dame | Considered | 30% submitted SAT 28% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 63% |
| University of Pennsylvania | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| University of Richmond | Important | 21% submitted SAT 16% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| University of Texas – Austin | Considered | Not released | Not released |
| University of Southern California | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| University of Virginia | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Data not yet released |
| University of Washington – Seattle | Importance of Scores in Admission Decisions: Not Considered (“At the UW, you will not be disadvantaged for sending low scores or for not sending scores. In fact, when reading your application, the reviewers will not see your test scores, if provided. However, test scores that fall above their middle 50% (see the freshman profile for more information) may be considered for a handful of students who may not otherwise be admitted.”) | 14% submitted SAT 5% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| University of Wisconsin – Madison | Considered | 16% submitted SAT 38% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Vanderbilt University | Important | 25% submitted SAT 26% submitted ACT |
Applicants submitting test scores: 53.70% Admits submitting test scores: Similar to the percentage of applicants who submitted test scores |
| Vassar College | Considered | 26% submitted SAT 13% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 40% |
| Virginia Tech | Considered | 45% submitted SAT 9% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Washington and Lee University | Considered | 27% submitted SAT 25% submitted ACT |
Enrollees submitting test scores: 52% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Data not yet released | Data not yet released | Applicants submitting test scores: 57% Enrollees submitted test scores: 56% |
| Wellesley College | Considered | 42% submitted SAT 17% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Wesleyan University | Considered | 52% submitted SAT 19% submitted ACT |
Admits submitting test scores: 58% |
| Williams College | Considered | 42% submitted SAT 18% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Test-blind | Test-blind | Test-blind |
| Yale University | Considered | 56% submitted SAT 26% submitted ACT |
Unknown |
*Data includes any students who submitted both the SAT and ACT.
Keep checking back for updates as more colleges release data!
Not sure whether you should apply test-optional or not? IvyWise can help! Our team of expert college admissions counselors can give a thorough evaluation of your applicant profile and create a strategic plan of action based on your grades, test scores, activities, interests, and more. Contact us today for more information and to set up an Initial Consultation.
