📝 Standardized Testing: College Admissions Questions
SAT, ACT, test-optional policies, and score benchmarks
Testing is the part of admissions families overthink the most. In a landscape where many schools are test optional and policies shift year to year, the real question is rarely what score is good enough in the abstract. It is whether your score helps your specific application at your specific list of schools, and how much time is worth spending to move it. As an MIT alumni interviewer, I see strong students waste months chasing another 30 points that will not change a single decision, while others skip a test that would have made their file far more competitive. The questions below cut through that. They cover what SAT and ACT scores actually target the schools you care about, when to take each test and when to stop, how superscoring and score choice really work, and how to decide whether to submit at a test optional college. The goal is not a perfect score. It is a testing plan that fits your timeline, your target schools, and the rest of your application, so you spend your effort where it actually moves the needle.
13 questions in this category
What SAT Score Do You Need for College? 2025–2026 Guide
An MIT interviewer on the SAT score you need for college, from state schools to the Ivies, why ranges beat cutoffs, and …
SAT vs. ACT: Which Test Is Better for College Admissions in 2025–2026?
An MIT interviewer on SAT vs ACT: how the tests differ, which suits your strengths, and how to choose the one to focus o…
Digital SAT vs. Paper SAT: What Changed and What It Means for Your Score
An MIT interviewer on the digital SAT vs the old paper SAT: what changed, how adaptive scoring works, and what it means …
SAT Subject Tests: Are They Still Required for College Admissions?
College Board permanently discontinued SAT Subject Tests in January 2021. Here's what replaced them and what current app…
What Is the National Merit Scholarship and How Do You Qualify?
How the PSAT feeds into National Merit Semifinalist and Finalist status, state cutoffs, and why it matters beyond schola…
Can You Get Into College Without SAT or ACT Scores?
An MIT interviewer on getting into college without SAT or ACT scores: how test-optional really works, when to skip testi…
What Is Superscoring for SAT and ACT? How Does It Work?
An MIT interviewer on SAT and ACT superscoring: how colleges combine your best section scores, why it helps you, and how…
What Is Score Choice and How Does It Work for College Applications?
An MIT interviewer on Score Choice: how it lets you choose which SAT or ACT scores to send, where it applies, and the sc…
How to Prepare for the SAT or ACT: A Complete Study Guide
An MIT interviewer on how to prepare for the SAT or ACT: a study plan that works, why pattern-based practice beats cramm…
When Should You Take the SAT or ACT? Complete Timing Guide
An MIT interviewer on when to take the SAT or ACT: the ideal timeline, how many times to test, and how to leave room to …
Is Paid SAT/ACT Test Prep Worth the Money?
What the evidence actually shows about paid test prep vs. free options, and when the money is worth spending.
How to Send SAT and ACT Scores to Colleges
SAT and ACT scores go through two separate systems, cost $13 to $16 per school, and take one to two weeks to process. He…
When to Stop Retaking the SAT or ACT
An MIT interviewer on when to stop retaking the SAT or ACT: when your score is good enough, diminishing returns, and whe…