Test Optional by the Numbers
As we head into another year with many schools opting for test optional policies, we wanted to present you with statistics and our insider understanding as you navigate making the right choices for your child.
Let’s look at some stats (remember, most schools don’t release these numbers!).
Some schools, even this year, will expect to see scores.
Released statistics are limited, so we are paying close attention to what is available.
At top universities scores help, oftentimes a lot.
Test optional policies help bolster admissions numbers, which schools love, but admissions officers have only raised their standards for applicants in recent years.
Test optional is here to stay at some schools and will go away at others (expect Harvard to return to tests next year, for example!).
Really strong applicants without test scores have a shot this year. There will be a handful of kids for whom the test optional makes sense!
Every school is different! Some schools care more than others about scores (compare Vanderbilt to Georgetown last year!), and expect more shifts in the years to come.
