Updated 8/2/22
Standardized testing requirements and the college admissions landscape change frequently. At Private Prep, we want our students and families to be as informed as possible about these changes so that they can ultimately make the best decisions about their test prep and college admissions plans. To that end, we have compiled new and noteworthy standardized test policy changes in a central place below.
The majority of colleges and universities in the United States remain test optional through the 2022-23 application cycle. Notable exceptions include:
Who isn’t test-optional?
- Auburn University (for students with below a 3.6 GPA)
- Florida A&M University
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Florida International University
- Florida Polytechnic University
- Florida State University
- Georgetown University (requires full testing history)
- Georgia Tech
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- New College of Florida
- University of Central Florida
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of North Florida
- University of South Florida
- University of West Florida
- University of Florida
- West Point (students may submit PSAT in lieu of ACT or SAT)
Many of the colleges and universities with current test optional policies are piloting test optional programs through the end of 2023. As a result, testing requirements for the class of 2024 remain unknown in many cases. While we expect that a large group of colleges will decide to remain test optional — ultimately, it helped them boost application numbers — we don’t yet know exactly which colleges will extend their policies.
For a complete list of schools with test-optional and test-flexible policies, visit fairtest.org.
Test-free colleges for the Class of 2023
- Caltech
- Cal State system (all campuses)
- Catholic University
- Cornell University — CALS, Business School, Architecture ONLY
- Dickinson College
- Hampshire College
- Loyola University New Orleans
- Pitzer College
- Reed College
- University of California system (all campuses)
Have questions about test-optional policies?
Learn more about what “test optional” really means here and the differences between test optional and test free (previously called test blind) here.
As always, we are here to help you navigate the quickly changing landscape. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.
