After several years of test-optional admissions, a growing number of selective universities have reinstated testing requirements, while many others remain optional. For students applying in 2026, the question is no longer “should I test?” but “how do I use testing to my advantage?”
The current landscape
Policies now fall into three groups: test-required, test-optional, and test-blind. Because each university sets its own rule — and some change them year to year — check every school on your list directly rather than relying on general advice.
When a score helps
- Your score is at or above the middle 50% range for the school
- Your GPA is slightly below the school’s typical range and a strong score adds context
- You attend a school whose grading is unfamiliar to the admissions office
- You are applying for merit scholarships that use test scores
At test-optional schools, submitted scores are usually stronger than average — if yours is below the range, leaving it out rarely hurts.
Plan testing early
Take a full-length practice SAT and ACT in the spring of your sophomore year to see which format suits you better. Focus on one test, sit it first in the autumn of junior year, and leave room for one or two retakes. Cramming for both tests at once is inefficient.
Two well-prepared attempts beat five rushed ones.
Prepare efficiently
Free official practice materials cover the vast majority of what you need. Work through timed sections, review every wrong answer until you understand why, and track error patterns. Most score gains come from fixing a few repeated mistakes, not from learning new content.
Keep it in proportion
Testing is one input among many. Coursework rigour, grades, essays, and recommendations carry more weight at nearly every university. Prepare seriously, then let it go and focus on the parts of the application you control more directly.
Key takeaways
- Check each school’s current testing policy directly
- Submit scores when they fall at or above the middle range
- Choose one test early and plan for a retake
- Use official practice materials and review mistakes systematically
- Testing matters, but grades and essays matter more
