Why skipping SAT scores is no longer an option for top colleges
Anastasia Mordovskaya
6/8/20262 min read
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, universities across the United States abruptly dropped their standardized testing requirements in the college admission process. Given the immense disruptions students faced, suspending testing requirements made perfect sense. Moreover, the shift was quickly celebrated by critics who had long argued that a single test score shouldn't define a student's potential. By 2023, many schools extended these test-optional policies indefinitely, making it seem like "test-optional" was here to stay. But then, the data started coming in. After tracking the real-world academic performance of students admitted under test-optional policies, elite universities realized they needed that testing data back — and the reversals began. This June, Columbia University officially became the last Ivy League institution to review the data, give up on the test-optional experiment, and reinstate the requirement. So, what exactly caused this reversal? What did those results show?
To find the answers, we have to look at what the SAT is actually all about. What exactly do these exams test that colleges simply can't afford to ignore? The reality is that every high school inside or outside the US is completely different. A 4.0 GPA at a small rural school doesn't look the same as a 4.0 at an elite private institution, making it incredibly difficult for admissions officers to compare students fairly. That’s where the SAT comes in. It acts as a universal benchmark. It doesn't just measure memorization or content recall; it assesses core analytical skills, reading stamina, and math logic under pressure. Elite universities tracked their data and realized that these standardized test scores are actually the single best predictor of whether a student will succeed in tough college classes or not. In fact, landmark research published by Opportunity Insights alongside internal studies by schools like Dartmouth found that SAT scores strongly predict a student’s first-year college GPA. Surprisingly, they also discovered that dropping the test hurt diversity. A strong score gives a talented student from an underfunded or lesser-known high school a concrete way to prove they have the academic skills to handle elite coursework.
So, what’s the bottom line for high school students today? The takeaway is clear: if you are aiming for highly selective universities, treating the SAT as "optional" is no longer a realistic strategy. Standardized testing must be a core part of your college application plan, not a last-minute afterthought. Instead of hoping to slide by without a score, you need to be proactive. That means mapping out a timeline early, dedicating consistent hours to prep, and treating test preparation with the same seriousness as your high school GPA. Ultimately, the test is back - and the best thing you can do right now is get ready for it.