Test-Optional Policies Are Changing in 2026

A new Kaplan survey of 212 admissions officers found that 16 percent of test-optional schools are either considering or will definitely reinstate SAT or ACT requirements — roughly double last year's figure. Meanwhile, 64 percent of officers at test-optional schools already say a strong test score helps applicants. If you're applying this fall and skipped the SAT assuming scores wouldn't matter, this article explains what that means for you now.

The "test-optional is the new normal" story dominated college counseling for four years. Students stopped prepping. Families stopped budgeting for retakes. And for the most part, colleges held the line.

That is starting to change.

What the New Survey Says

Kaplan polled 212 admissions officers at top national, regional, and liberal arts colleges between July and September 2026. The findings, released October 7:

  • 90 percent predict the 2026-27 admissions cycle will be at least as competitive as last year
  • 16 percent of officers at test-optional schools say their institutions are considering or will definitely reinstate an SAT or ACT requirement
  • 64 percent of officers at test-optional schools say submitting a competitive score helps an applicant's chances

The 16 percent figure stands out. That is roughly double what Kaplan found in the same survey a year ago, and it reflects active internal deliberations happening at hundreds of schools right now — not a hypothetical future scenario.1

What Most Students Get Wrong About Test-Optional

Test-optional has never meant scores don't matter. It means you aren't penalized for not submitting them. That is a real and important distinction.

When 64 percent of admissions officers at test-optional schools say a strong score helps, they are describing what selective schools have always done: a score above the school's 75th percentile is a genuine differentiator. The policy removed the downside of a low score — not the upside of a high one.

If you have a strong score, submitting it at a test-optional school almost always helps. The question isn't whether to take the test. It's whether to submit the score you already have. Our guide on whether to submit your SAT scores walks through the exact framework.

Don't rely on the school's marketing page for score data. Find the Common Data Set instead — search "[school name] Common Data Set 2026" and go to Section C9. The 75th percentile score is the line that separates "this score adds something" from "this score is average here." A score at or above it is almost always worth submitting.

Why Schools Are Reconsidering

Two forces are driving the shift.

High-profile schools have moved first. Columbia ended its test-optional policy this cycle, completing the Ivy League's near-full return to requirements. Yale now requires SAT or ACT scores for the class of 2031. Public universities have started following suit. Once enough schools move, the ones that haven't face pressure to explain why.

The enrollment cliff is creating a second, counterintuitive pressure. Schools losing applicants have reason to tighten their processes to protect rankings and signal selectivity. Some admissions offices see reinstatement as a credibility move. The Kaplan survey also found that overall admissions competition isn't softening: 11 percent of officers expect the next cycle to be much more competitive than last year.

There is also data suggesting test-optional has increased score submissions at selective schools, since students with strong scores send them anyway. That makes the "we don't need scores" argument harder for institutions to sustain over time.

What This Means for Applicants Right Now

If you're submitting applications this fall, check the current policy directly on the admissions page of every school on your list. Third-party databases go stale. The Kaplan data suggests more schools may announce changes between now and when applications close.

If you haven't taken the SAT yet, you still have time. The October SAT is upcoming, with scores available in about two weeks. Most schools with January 1 deadlines leave room for fall test dates. Upcoming 2026-27 SAT dates include November options.

For students with a score already in hand, the decision is simpler: compare your score against the school's middle 50 percent range from its Common Data Set. A breakdown of how test-optional schools evaluate submitted scores explains what happens behind the scenes.

If a school on your list was test-optional when you started researching it last year, verify its current policy now on the school's own website — not a third-party database. Policies can change between your initial research and your application deadline, and the admissions office is the only authoritative source.

The direction of travel is clear: more schools will require scores in future cycles, and submitting a strong score at test-optional schools is already working in applicants' favor. The students in the strongest position right now are the ones treating test-optional as a filing decision rather than a study-skip decision.

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Footnotes

  1. Kaplan. (2026, October 7). Kaplan Survey: College Admissions Officers See Competitive Application Cycle Ahead, but Worry About Enrollment Cliff. Business Wire via Yahoo Finance. https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/kaplan-survey-college-admissions-officers-125500102.html ↩

  2. Kaplan. (2026, October 7). Kaplan Survey: Competitive Application Cycles Ahead. Kaplan Press & Media. https://kaplan.com/about/press-media/kaplan-survey-shows-college-admissions-competition-remains-high ↩