Which colleges make SAT and ACT scores optional?

Test-optional lets eligible applicants choose

At a test-optional college, eligible applicants can choose whether SAT or ACT scores are considered in their admissions review. Examples include Bowdoin, Wake Forest, Penn State, Illinois, Texas A&M, UW–Madison, and George Washington. Princeton also remains test-optional for fall 2027 entry, but has announced a change for fall 2028.

The list below is a starting point for undergraduate first-year applicants, checked on September 20, 2026. It is not a complete directory or a promise that every program and applicant category follows the same rule. Match the policy to the year you will enroll, not just the year you submit an application.

Examples of colleges where SAT and ACT are optional

Where a college publishes an end date, it is shown below. A policy without an end date in this summary should still be rechecked for your entry term. Follow the official links for the full requirements.

Selected first-year test-optional policies, checked September 20, 2026
College	Published policy	Detail to check
Bowdoin College	SAT and ACT submission is optional.	Homeschooled applicants have an additional paper/lab-assignment or testing requirement; review the alternatives.
Wake Forest University	SAT and ACT scores are optional application materials.	English-proficiency requirements for international applicants are separate.
Penn State	Applicants choose whether SAT or ACT scores are used in review.	Follow the application’s score-reporting instructions and check special-program requirements.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	First-year applicants can choose whether to include SAT or ACT scores.	If reporting, follow its highest-total and section-score instructions; it does not create a superscore.
Texas A&M University	Freshman applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores to complete an admission file.	Some separate eligibility routes, including non-traditional schooling rules, have additional criteria.
University of Wisconsin–Madison	Optional through the spring 2028 entry term.	The published waiver does not yet cover fall 2028 or later; confirm the term you need.
George Washington University	Test-optional for many first-year applicants.	Exceptions include B.A./B.S.-M.D., homeschooled applicants, and applicants from schools using only narrative evaluations.
Princeton University	Optional for fall 2027 entry.	Testing returns for fall 2028 entry; the published policy includes an active-military exception.

Test-optional is different from test-free

At a test-optional college, submitting a score can make it part of your review. A test-free or test-blind admissions policy means SAT and ACT scores are not used in that admissions decision. The University of California states that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admissions decisions or scholarships, although scores can have other uses, such as certain eligibility or placement purposes.

A college requiring SAT or ACT scores is a third category. Do not assume all selective colleges have the same rule. Yale, for example, currently requires first-year and transfer applicants to include SAT or ACT results.

Should you submit a score when it is optional?

Start with the college’s own guidance and the context of your application. A score may add useful evidence of your preparation, especially if it reflects a strength relevant to your goals. Compare it with the latest published class profile, but check who is included in the reported range: all enrolled students, admitted students, or only score submitters.

Do not use a rigid rule such as ‘always withhold below the 25th percentile’ or ‘a high score guarantees admission.’ A reported range is context, not a cutoff. If you are unsure, discuss your transcript, opportunities, and score with a school counselor who knows your circumstances.

If you choose not to submit, use your time to make the rest of the application accurate and complete. A test-optional application still needs the required academic records, recommendations, essays, and any program-specific materials.

Understand score percentiles and college ranges

Check scholarships, applicant categories, and language requirements

Admission, scholarship eligibility, course placement, and English proficiency are separate decisions. Ask about each one that matters to you. An optional SAT or ACT policy does not by itself waive TOEFL, IELTS, or another language requirement. Wake Forest, for example, does not require international applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, but separately requires English-proficiency testing for international applicants whose first language is not English.

Special programs can also change the answer. At George Washington, B.A./B.S.-M.D. applicants must provide SAT or ACT scores, and ACT submissions for that program must include Science. Check the specific program before treating the university’s general test-optional label as permission to omit testing.

Confirm your choice before submitting the application

Record your college, entry term, applicant category, testing choice, and score deadline in one place. Follow the application’s instructions for selecting whether scores should be considered. Sending a report and selecting a review preference are not always the same action, and some colleges limit later changes.

Choose practice based on your actual college plan. A student applying to a mixture of test-required and test-optional colleges may still benefit from preparing for one exam. If your list does not call for scores, consider the time and cost before adding a testing schedule.

I checked the policy for my entry year, campus, and program.
I checked any applicant-category and scholarship exceptions.
I know whether the college accepts self-reported or official scores.
I understand the deadline and whether I can change my testing choice.
My application choice matches the materials I intend the college to review.

Try this next

Decide which colleges on your list need a test score. If you plan to test, use a free Bilubi diagnostic to identify practice priorities. A free account is required, with no credit card; Bilubi scores are independent practice estimates, not official admissions results.