Hope you're all doing well. So, I'm sort of confused about the SAT test requirements for college admissions. Is it crucial to take the SAT for applying to colleges? Has the test become optional at a lot of schools after COVID, or should I still be preparing to take it?
It's an excellent question - a lot has changed with regard to standardized test requirements in recent years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many colleges became test-optional for the 2020 and 2021 admission cycles, which means they did not require an SAT or ACT score as part of the application. However, this has not been universally adopted or maintained by all colleges, and the policies can vary from year to year and school to school.
For example, during the 2024-2025 application cycle, some of the most selective colleges, such as Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Purdue University, Brown University, Yale University, The University of Texas at Austin, and California Institute of Technology will be requiring all applicants to submit an SAT or ACT score.
On the other hand, other leading institutions like Columbia University, Princeton University, Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, and the University of Chicago continued their test-optional policies.
Furthermore, entire university systems, like the University of California and California State universities, are test-blind, meaning they will not consider SAT or ACT scores at all.
In general, it would be a good idea to keep abreast of the specific requirements of each college you're interested in. Meanwhile, even if a school is test-optional, submitting a strong SAT score can still potentially strengthen your application, especially if your GPA is lower than the average for admitted students at that school.
Remember, though, that even if you do take the SAT, your score is only one part of your application. Colleges also consider your academic performance, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and personal essays. In other words, they take a holistic view of your application rather than basing their decision solely on your test scores.
Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions!
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