The short answer is yes — many excellent colleges do not require standardized test scores. But the decision of whether to submit or withhold scores requires careful strategic thinking.
Three Categories of Testing Policy
Test-Required: Schools that require SAT or ACT scores from all applicants. As of 2025–2026, this category has grown significantly as many elite schools reinstated requirements: Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, and others.
Test-Optional: Schools that allow applicants to choose whether to submit scores. Your application is considered complete either way. However, at most test-optional schools, the majority of admitted students do submit scores — because strong scores are still advantageous.
Test-Blind: Schools that do not accept or consider standardized test scores even if submitted. The University of California system (Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis, etc.) is the largest test-blind system in the country.
The Strategic Question at Test-Optional Schools
At test-optional schools, the decision to submit depends on where your score falls relative to that school's admitted student profile. Use this guideline: if your score is at or above the 50th percentile for admitted students, submit it. If your score is significantly below the 25th percentile, withhold it. Find these ranges in each school's Common Data Set.
Important: Check Current Policies
Testing policies change frequently. A school that was test-optional last cycle may be test-required this cycle. Always verify each target school's current testing policy on their official admissions website before applying.