In March of 2020, the whole world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many changes, such as mask mandates and social distancing protocols, were fully reverted by 2022. However, other aspects are finally returning to normal, including the test-optional status of college admissions.
Following the pandemic, many testing sites closed to slow the spread of Covid. As a result, colleges had to stop requiring the standardized tests that have been around since the 1900s (the SAT in 1926 and the ACT in 1959). While some universities have chosen to permanently remain test-optional, others have started to reinstate the requirement for the 2026 and 2027 fall admissions cycles.
“I think that particularly, our smaller schools are going to continue to be test-optional, just because they don’t always meet their application numbers that they need,” college and career counselor Jennifer Pollard said. “Bowling Green [State University], Ohio University, Kent State [University], [the University of] Akron, Youngstown [State University]; they’re probably going to continue to be test-optional would be my guess.”
As of now, the only in-state university to return to requiring test scores is the Ohio State University (OSU). The school receives around 72,800 applications a year and accepts around 44,000 students. Requiring students to submit their test scores makes it easier for OSU to sort through these applications.
“[Larger colleges] get so many applications that they’re probably using that test score as kind of a threshold, and if you don’t make it, then [admissions offices] just boot your application out of the pool,” Pollard said.
By requiring students to submit their scores, there is more reason for them to spend time studying for these standardized tests. If high schoolers know that they don’t have to submit their scores to get into college, they’re less likely to take time studying for a test that they think doesn’t benefit them.
“If it was test-optional, I probably wouldn’t have studied much at all,” said Violet Weber, a senior attending OSU this fall.
Additionally, students are more inclined to retake these tests at a later date to perfect their scores. Both the SAT and ACT offer test dates throughout the year; however, there is a fee to take them each time.
“I’m already seeing from the junior class, students are signing up for the June ACT or SAT at this point, and I assume that that trend is going to continue into the fall, where I’m going to see more people retaking,” Pollard said.
Furthermore, standardized tests are convenient for colleges. Many schools around the country offer a free school day SAT and/or ACT. On these days, schools proctor the test to students for free, making the tests more accessible.
Since so many students already test through their schools, and since these tests are standardized, test scores are much easier for universities to receive and evaluate rather than things such as GPAs, which can vary based on the school and what courses are offered.
“I think interviews and things like that for colleges are much more beneficial, but [they’re] not possible with such big schools and the competition in the U.S. specifically,” junior Leila Skosples said.
While colleges may be requiring test scores, they still factor in things like extracurriculars and grades. Standardized tests aren’t necessarily an indicator of a student’s intelligence, but more so how well they do under pressure.
Since the SAT and ACT are both timed tests, it adds another level of pressure toward test-takers.
This aspect can heighten test anxiety and cause students to make silly mistakes that may lower their scores. On the other hand, some students perform well under pressure and may do better on standardized tests than they do in class.
“Speaking as a student that is like this, some students do a lot worse with standardized testing, just cause, you know, all the elements are working against you,” Weber said. “You get test anxiety, you overthink things…I think the work that you do in class is more fitting to your actual skillset than one test.”
