Standardized Testing Scores Are Required Again

As applications roll into different colleges nationwide, some seniors are struck by a sudden change in requirements for certain schools. After a major shift to test-optional policies during the pandemic, this year some colleges are returning to test-mandatory policies, prompting both relief and worry from Walls students. The colleges with these requirements include MIT, Harvard, Yale, Brown, and Dartmouth. 122 other colleges have stated they will return to doing so in the 2025-26 admissions cycle. 

Colleges that have reintroduced test-required policies have explained that test scores “help admissions officers evaluate a student in context and predict first-year college grades,” according to the University of Arizona. Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock stated that “Standardized test scores are an important predictor of a student's success in Dartmouth's curriculum, and this is true regardless of a student's background or family income.” 

Students have had mixed reactions to the broad reintroduction of test requirements. Some students worry that policies that require test scores cause outsized focus on one number. Mae Tuggle (‘26) argued that “Because there are so many factors that go into testing, I don’t think it's all about how much you know or how smart you are, so tests aren't always able to show your full abilities.” Tuggle added that, “Being test-optional isn’t harming anyone, because it still allows students to submit their scores. Overall, I think it’s harmful to the student population.” Kailas Campen (‘25) agreed, “I think the change will negatively affect people who aren’t great at standardized tests, and I hope schools will place less weight on it than they have in the past.” 

Students have spoken about the added pressure that the requirement gives them. Now, their SAT score will be compared to the score of everyone who applies to that college, not just those who choose to submit it. Wesley Freed (‘25) said, “It adds a lot of pressure to be in that top 50th percentile, because at that point, getting an above average score on the SAT is basically a requirement.” Adding in a required SAT score puts more pressure on students to perform well, and not all students are good test takers. Freed adds, “It's unfair to measure their ability as a student off of one test, because some things kids are really good at aren't tested at all, like speaking.” This is a major issue for many students, with academic skills outside those tested, and the SAT is known to favor majority white, educated students with families who have been to college, according to the NEA. 

Other members of the staff and student population at Walls pointed out the good that can come from this change. Soren Nguyen, (‘27), said “I think it will be good for a lot of people, because the SAT is a test, and it's not as subjective as other parts of college applications, like essays.” There is data to support this. David Leonhart, from the New York Times, says “Research has increasingly shown that standardized test scores contain real information, helping to predict college grades, chances of graduation and post-college success.” With grade inflation, standardized test scores can be an equalizer to help admissions officers accurately predict how a student can handle the workload at their university. Furthermore, the article explained, researchers say “test scores can be particularly helpful in identifying lower-income students and underrepresented minorities who will thrive.” 

The new test requirements are also viewed as a positive change from some members of the faculty. Kathryn Moore, the freshman counselor, says “Test scores are more predictive of a student's future success in college than even high school grades, which is one of the main motivators for colleges to return to test scores.” 

On the other hand, some teachers agree with students’ aversion to test requirements. Laura Webster, a humanities teacher, pointed to the fact that there are vast inequalities when it comes to the accessibility of testing resources and thus explained that, “I do not necessarily think that it is the best way to capture a student’s potential and attitude for higher education. I think it’s incredibly difficult to capture someone's aptitude for humanities or history based things, it’s almost impossible.” She added, “There’s going to be biases. The better background knowledge you have, the better reading skills, so it is going to be essentially luck based on the exam.” 

The SAT is not the best way of measuring academics, and with the reinstated requirements, many may find themselves in a situation where they have to submit something not necessarily reflective of themselves as a student. However, many understand why the colleges are implementing this. Webster argues, “[Colleges] want to standardize and have a sense of  what an ‘A’ means in one school versus the other, and there is a lot of grade inflation in schools.” She finishes, “I think it will really depend on how they actually use the SAT as a measure in deciding between applicants.”