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Test-Optional vs Test-Required Colleges 2026-27

Standardized testing policies for 91 top colleges in the 2026-27 admissions cycle, verified by AlphaApply.ai, with published SAT/ACT middle-50% ranges where scores are considered.

Test scores required (20 schools)

These schools require an SAT or ACT score from every applicant.

CollegeSAT middle 50%ACT middle 50%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology1520–158034–36
Harvard University1510–158034–36
Stanford University1510–158034–35
Yale University1470–157033–35
University of Pennsylvania1510–157034–36
Johns Hopkins University1520–157034–36
California Institute of Technology——
Cornell University1500–157033–35
Brown University1510–158034–35
Dartmouth College1500–157033–35
Carnegie Mellon University1500–157034–35
Georgetown University1390–155031–35
The University of Texas at Austin1250–151027–33
University of Florida1320–148029–33
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus1370–154030–34
Ohio State University-Main Campus1310–148028–32
Purdue University-Main Campus1200–148027–34
University of Georgia1270–148029–34
Florida State University1270–141029–32
University of Miami1320–148030–33

Test-optional (62 schools)

You choose whether to submit scores. A score at or above the middle-50% range usually helps; below it, consider withholding.

CollegeSAT middle 50%ACT middle 50%
Princeton University1510–158034–35
Williams College1490–157034–35
Amherst College1490–158033–35
Swarthmore College1490–156033–35
Bowdoin College1470–155033–35
University of Chicago1510–158034–35
Duke University1500–157034–35
Northwestern University1510–157033–35
Hamilton College1450–155033–35
Columbia University in the City of New York1510–158034–35
Rice University1510–157034–35
Vanderbilt University1500–157034–35
Washington University in St Louis1500–157033–35
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor1360–153031–34
University of Notre Dame1455–156033–35
Emory University1470–155032–35
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill1390–153028–34
University of Virginia-Main Campus1410–154032–35
University of Southern California1450–155032–35
New York University1480–156034–35
Boston College1440–154033–35
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign1310–152030–34
University of Wisconsin-Madison1380–152029–33
Tufts University1470–156033–35
Boston University1420–153032–34
University of Maryland-College Park1400–153032–35
Rutgers University-New Brunswick1310–150028–33
University of Washington-Seattle Campus——
Northeastern University1440–154033–35
Lehigh University1370–150031–34
University of Rochester1410–154031–34
William & Mary1400–153032–34
Wake Forest University1410–152032–34
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University1280–145028–32
Case Western Reserve University1430–154032–34
Texas A&M University-College Station1150–140025–31
Villanova University1395–151032–34
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus1240–142027–32
George Washington University1350–150031–34
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities1300–150026–31
University of Massachusetts-Amherst1310–150030–33
Michigan State University1180–136025–31
North Carolina State University at Raleigh1300–147028–32
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute1375–151030–34
Brandeis University1390–152031–34
University of Connecticut1210–144028–33
Tulane University of Louisiana1400–152031–34
Indiana University-Bloomington1170–140027–33
Clemson University1240–141028–32
Stevens Institute of Technology1380–150531–34
Worcester Polytechnic Institute——
Southern Methodist University1340–149030–34
Rochester Institute of Technology1300–146029–33
University of Colorado Boulder1240–143029–33
Fordham University1320–148030–33
Arizona State University Campus Immersion——
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus1090–133026–30
George Mason University1160–136025–30
University of Vermont1290–144030–32
University of Mississippi1000–120021–29
The University of Alabama1170–140024–31
Babson College1390–153031–34

Test-blind (9 schools)

Scores are not considered at all, even if submitted.

CollegeSAT middle 50%ACT middle 50%
University of California-Berkeley——
University of California-Los Angeles——
University of California-San Diego——
University of California-Davis——
University of California-Irvine——
University of California-Santa Barbara——
University of California-Merced——
University of California-Riverside——
University of California-Santa Cruz——

Not sure whether to submit? Jim weighs your scores against each school on your list and gives you a straight answer. Free to start.

Ask Jim about your scores

Policies are for the 2026-27 cycle as verified by the AlphaApply.ai team and can change; always confirm on the school's admissions site.