For nearly a decade, the narrative in U.S. higher education has been that standardized test scores (SAT, ACT) are declining in importance. Many colleges adopted test-optional or even test-blind policies, arguing that these tests unfairly penalize students from under-resourced schools and overemphasize one moment in time versus long-term performance.
Yet in 2024–2025, the pendulum is swinging back. An increasing number of institutions are reinstating testing mandates or subtly elevating the weight of submitted scores. Below I explore the key drivers of this shift and what it means for applicants.
Why Test Scores Are Gaining Traction Again
Admissions Offices Seek More “Objective” Comparisons.
One enduring challenge in admissions is comparing students from different high schools, curricula, grading standards, and regions. Even with holistic review, admissions officers often crave a common metric. A standardized test offers one:
- The College Board argues the SAT is a strong predictor of college success and can help confirm or correct impressions gleaned from transcripts.
- In practice, at very selective schools where many applicants have near-identical GPAs and rigorous curricula, a high SAT/ACT may tip the balance.
When institutions reinstate testing, they’re signaling that in close calls, the data point of a test score still matters. For example, Harvard is reinstating its SAT/ACT requirement starting fall 2025.
As Competition Intensifies and Differentiation Matters More
As application volumes rise and acceptance rates fall, every distinguishing factor counts. In 2024–2025:
- The Common App reported an 11% increase in applicants submitting SAT/ACT scores, even in test-optional systems.
- Some schools that reinstated testing saw drops in early applications — suggesting students are reacting to the policy shift.
- Counselors and students are increasingly treating test scores not as optional extras but as strategic, even in “optional” systems.
In effect, the optionality window is narrowing: when many applicants already submit test scores, not submitting may become a disadvantage by default.
Introducing New Testing Formats & Innovation
The SAT has shifted to a digital format, with shorter test times and adaptive sections. Such changes can improve accessibility, cut logistical barriers, and make testing more attractive to both students and institutions. When tests become less burdensome to administer and take, schools may feel more confident in reinstating them.
Why This Shift Matters — Especially for Students and Counselors
Strategy Becomes More Complex.
If test scores are gaining importance again, students and their advisors must re-think strategy:
- You can’t assume “test-optional means optional.” Taking one (or both) tests remains a hedge.
- It’s wise to monitor each target institution’s policy changes constantly — some shifts are sudden.
- For students from under-resourced high schools, a strong test score may become one of the few objective signals of readiness, potentially helping mitigate otherwise invisible disadvantages.
The Role of Scholarships, Placement, and Retention
Even in test-optional systems, scores often influence scholarship decisions, course placement, and early identification of support needs.
- Colleges still use SAT/ACT as one input to place students into appropriate first-year courses.
- High test scores may unlock merit-based scholarship eligibility.
- Some institutions collect test scores after admission to help allocate support services or diagnostics.
Thus, the utility of test scores extends beyond admission alone. The era of guaranteed decline for SAT/ACT significance may be over — in fact, we’re witnessing a recalibration. For selective institutions, the need for robust, comparable data is pushing many to re-embrace standardized testing. For students and counselors, the lesson is clear: treat test prep and submission as a strategically important element of your application plan — even in a “test-optional” world.