You may have seen your junior and senior friends skipping the SAT because many colleges waived the requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic. And even before the pandemic, many schools began to do away with testing requirements. The College Board also recently discontinued the SAT Essay and SAT II Subject Tests, and many colleges in the U.S. have chosen to be test-optional or test-blind. While this may have your classmates throwing away their test prep books, you might want to think twice.
Some colleges have decided to bring back the SAT or ACT testing requirement, and others are looking to follow their lead. Take a close look at the colleges on your list to see if any have reverted to “testing-required” or “test-optional” status.
Can I skip it if colleges on my list are test-optional?
We advise our students to take the SAT or ACT. Why? Because achieving a high score on these tests will prove you have the critical thinking skills to handle college coursework. Colleges may also consider test scores for scholarships or entry into honors programs. If you are unsure about which type of exam to take, we encourage you to try taking a practice SAT and ACT exam. For a list of free online resources providing full-length practice tests and test prep, click here.
Although test-optional colleges won’t discriminate against students who choose not to submit their test scores, it is an additional data point that may help balance out parts of your application that may not be as strong. Of course, if your test scores on these exams are low, we advise you not to submit those scores.
Should I take the tests more than once?
There is no limit to the number of times you can sit for the SAT/ACT exams. Many students take the test two or three times to take advantage of super-scores and because the results of a first test might have been affected by a student’s test-anxiety. But unless you change your study patterns, preparation levels, or approach, taking the tests more than three times is not recommended.
If you do take a test more than once, many colleges will accept your “super score”. For the SAT, that is the sum of your highest Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores from the SAT exams. For the ACT, a super score is the average of your highest Math, Science, Reading, and English section scores.
If it turns out that all of the colleges to which you ultimately apply are test blind, don’t despair. Taking the SAT or ACT is a good refresher of your grammar and math skills, and that’s never a bad thing. And don’t forget that some schools or organizations require scores for scholarships or entry into specific programs. And if you’ve taken the SAT or ACT, you guarantee you won’t end up in a situation where you’ve skipped the exam only to find a college that’s perfect for you… but requires the test.