To submit or not to submit: standardized test scores and test-optional colleges

Although the standardized test performance stakes have risen in recent years as top-tier colleges and universities have become increasingly selective, the pushback from critics of the tests’ effectiveness and fairness gained new impetus when the pandemic shut down in-person testing centers. Many institutions responded by switching to test-optional policies, eliminating the use of test scores in overall assessments and putting higher weight on high school grades, advanced placement course work, extracurricular activities, and application essays.

At these test-optional schools, admissions committees don’t downgrade an application if the student chooses not to submit scores; however, they may factor scores in if they’re submitted. Some schools further state that submission of a low score won’t count against the applicant versus a student who didn’t submit a score. Other colleges maintain test-blind admissions, meaning they don’t factor in scores positively or negatively, even if submitted.

In the meantime, with the pandemic further behind us, several colleges have switched back to the test-mandatory policies that they maintained prior to COVID-19; some of the nation’s most selective schools were among the earliest to go back with announcements made in the spring of 2024. The flurry of changes in recent years has left a patchwork of test score policies—and some degree of confusion—across public and private colleges and universities.

Determining which schools are test optional vs. test mandatory

If you’re a parent or an applicant interested in a specific school, check out the admissions section of its website or contact the admissions office for specifics on current policies. For a broader view of policies across higher education, consult one of the various online lists that track which schools are test optional, test blind, or test mandatory; around 90% remain test optional. Out of more than 2,300 schools, about 2,070 bachelor degree-granting institutions recently had test-optional or test-blind policies in effect for the freshman class that will enter in the fall of 2025, according to a list maintained by the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, an advocacy organization that’s critical of standardized tests.

More students are taking tests, but fewer are submitting scores with their college applications

Although test-mandatory colleges currently remain a small minority, a growing number of students have been taking the SAT. More than 1.9 million U.S. students in the high school class of 2023 took the SAT at least once, up from 1.7 million in 2022, according to the College Board, the private, nonprofit organization that owns the exam. As for the ACT, 1.4 million took that exam in the class of 2023, up from 1.3 million the previous year.

With the rise in test taking, overall student achievement on the tests has been declining. For example, the average SAT total score declined for the class of 2023 to 1,028 (out of a possible 1,600) compared with 1,050 for the class of 2022. As for the ACT, 2023’s average composite score was 19.5 (out of a possible 36)—the sixth consecutive annual decline and the lowest figure since 1991.

At the same time, with more colleges having recently gone test optional, far fewer applicants have been submitting test scores. Just 45% submitted SAT or ACT scores in the 2023/2024 academic year, down from 76% in 2019/2020, according to a report from Common App, the nonprofit developer of an application that can be submitted to over 1,000 colleges and universities.

The sharp decline in test score submissions by applicants begs the question: Would some of those applicants have been better off submitting their scores to test-optional schools than not submitting them?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as the calculation can vary depending on the strength of a student’s test scores, the strengths and weaknesses of an overall application, and the selectivity of a school’s admissions policies. Those issues aren’t necessarily easy to navigate, so here are four key considerations:

1 How strong are your scores relative to the average at the institution you’re applying to? Measure your score against the published median (50% were higher, 50% were lower) score for a school’s most recently admitted class. If you scored above or at that median, submitting is likely to improve your overall application; anything below might not help, though it also may not hurt at schools where admissions offices state that they don’t count submitted low scores. A score that’s right at the median or close to it could be considered evidence that you’re academically capable of performing at the school you’re applying to. If you have several schools on your application list, consider submitting scores only to those where you rank above or at the median and not submitting to those where you’re below it.

To find out a school’s median test scores, visit the freshmen profile page or common data set for the latest admitted class at colleges that are test mandatory and typically publish their data. In addition, college preparation companies such as The Princeton Review maintain online databases of test medians at U.S. colleges and universities, as does the U.S. Department of Education.  In addition, John Hancock Investment Management’s Education Planning Center offers a wealth of resources on choosing a college, the application process, and other college-related topics.

2 How does your test score stack up against the other pieces of your application?
If one of the test-optional schools that you’re applying to is a reach, submitting a strong test score could help offset any weaknesses in other areas of your application such as grades, advanced-placement coursework, extracurricular activities, and recommendation letters. If the situation is reversed and your test score is weak, it may be best to not submit. Even if a test score isn’t required, its inclusion in an application could help admissions officers get a more complete picture of an applicant’s potential. In addition, test scores may be seen as a more reliably consistent benchmark than grades for comparing among applicants, since grades may be subject to wide variations depending on grading practices and achievement levels at individual schools, as well as grade inflation.

3 Were you homeschooled?
An applicant who was homeschooled prior to college and didn’t receive formal school-issued grades may wish to submit test scores to demonstrate academic achievement in lieu of traditional grades. It may be more difficult for admissions officers to adequately assess homeschooled applicants relative to those who attended formal schools, so test scores may provide valuable additional information. 

4 Could scholarship eligibility be affected if you don’t submit scores?
Some schools may offer scholarships with eligibility criteria that require submission of grades and test scores. In such cases, submitting scores with a college application could help you qualify for scholarship consideration.

The bottom line? It makes sense to submit test scores if doing so would enhance an overall application to a specific school, but it wouldn’t if it’s more likely to detract.

That said, it’s also important to be willing to share whatever appropriate information that you believe is relevant to your application. Generally, the more admissions officers know about an applicant, the more likely it is that they’ll have a comprehensive picture of the individual’s potential and accurately assess whether the applicant may be a good match for the school and vice versa. After all, college admissions are essentially an exercise in matchmaking, and it doesn’t serve a student or school well if the student finds out midway through freshman year that the institution is beyond his or her capabilities.