Ivy Leagues and Tech Giants Bring Back SAT/ACT Tests

After years of test-optional policies that dominated college admissions during the pandemic, elite universities are making a dramatic reversal. Dartmouth College led the charge in February 2024, becoming the first Ivy League institution to reinstate standardized testing requirements following compelling faculty research. Yale quickly followed suit, with Brown and Harvard announcing similar changes by April.

These elite schools aren't alone—MIT, Georgetown, Caltech, and Stanford have all committed to bringing back test requirements by 2026.

You might wonder what prompted this shift when test-optional policies seemed to be gaining momentum. The answer lies in surprising research findings. Dartmouth's thorough study revealed that SAT and ACT scores actually predict college success more accurately than high school GPA—even for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Contrary to popular belief, test-optional policies created unintentional barriers for underprivileged applicants and didn't greatly increase diversity as many had hoped.

For college-bound students, understanding the rationale behind these decisions is essential. Elite universities cite the need to standardize academic preparedness metrics across vastly different high school systems and grading practices. Tests help them identify high-potential students from under-resourced schools who might otherwise be overlooked due to grade inflation or limited access to advanced coursework.

The statistical analysis demonstrated that high school GPA explained only 9% of variation in college performance, while SAT scores alone explained approximately 22% of this variation. Technical institutions like MIT and Caltech emphasize that standardized tests provide objective benchmarks for quantifying problem-solving abilities—skills particularly important in STEM fields. These measurable metrics also help admissions officers compare global applicants fairly, reducing reliance on potentially subjective application components.

You've likely heard arguments that standardized tests disadvantage marginalized groups, but recent data contradicts this assumption. Research shows that test scores can actually help identify high-achieving disadvantaged students who might otherwise be missed in holistic reviews.

Schools are also addressing concerns about test prep inequity by pairing these requirements with improved financial aid programs. The digital SAT now provides students with scaled scores that maintain consistent meaning across different test versions through equating.

The trend extends beyond elite private universities. Public systems like UT Austin and UW-Madison have announced similar plans, with many institutions implementing gradual phase-ins over the next 2-4 years. The public university systems of Florida and Georgia have already reinstated testing requirements for their institutions.

This shift suggests we'll see reduced application surges, improved yield rates, and increased transparency in admissions criteria moving forward.

For students preparing for college applications, this change offers clarity amid years of uncertainty. While standardized tests are just one component of your application, their renewed importance signals a return to more predictable, data-informed admissions processes that might actually benefit students from all backgrounds. 

Competitive applicants should aim for 1550 or higher to maximize their chances at Ivy League institutions where average scores typically range from 1468 to 1564. International students should focus on achieving competitive scores since most universities require minimum scores for admission consideration. The reversal stands in stark contrast to test blind policies that had gained popularity for their complete elimination of standardized test scores from the evaluation process.