TL;DR: Yes, but mostly at the top. The most selective colleges are reinstating SAT and ACT requirements after going test-optional during the pandemic, while the majority of U.S. colleges still let you apply without scores. Six of the eight Ivy League schools require testing for the 2026–27 cycle, and Princeton and Columbia join them in 2027–28, making all eight test-required. Colleges say scores predict college success, offset high school grade inflation, and can even help disadvantaged applicants get noticed.

Key Takeaways

• The shift back to required testing is concentrated at highly selective colleges; most U.S. colleges remain test-optional.
• Six of the eight Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Penn) require SAT or ACT scores for the 2026–27 cycle; Princeton and Columbia require them starting 2027–28, making all eight test-required.
• Other selective schools requiring scores include MIT, Stanford, Caltech, Georgetown, and UT Austin, along with the public university systems of Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.
• Colleges cite three main reasons: scores predict college readiness, high school grade inflation made GPAs less comparable, and research from Dartmouth and MIT found test-optional policies could hurt some low-income and first-generation applicants.
• Even where tests are optional, a strong score can help your admission and scholarship odds, and published score ranges have climbed because mostly high scorers submitted during the test-optional years.

Are colleges bringing back the SAT and ACT?

Yes, but the reversal is happening at the most selective schools, not everywhere. During the pandemic, roughly 1,600 colleges dropped SAT and ACT requirements. MIT reinstated testing in 2022, and a wave of elite schools followed starting in 2024, including Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, Brown, Caltech, and Stanford.

For the broad middle of American higher education, though, test-optional is still the norm. If you’re applying to less selective or open-admission colleges, you likely won’t be required to submit a score.

Which colleges require the SAT or ACT now?

The clearest way to see the shift is by school. Here’s where major selective institutions stand for the 2026–27 admissions cycle.

Some schools also add fine print. A handful still want the ACT’s Science section even though the ACT made it optional in its 2025 redesign, and superscoring policies (combining your best section scores across test dates) vary from school to school.

Why did colleges reverse test-optional policies?

Colleges point to three main reasons, and they all start with looking at their own data.

First, they argue that scores predict college readiness and help compare students from very different high schools. Second, high school grade inflation has made transcripts and GPAs harder to trust, so a standardized measure adds a common yardstick. Third, and most surprising, research suggested test-optional admissions could backfire on the students it was meant to help.

The Dartmouth finding When Dartmouth returned to required testing in 2024, it published a faculty study showing that some lower-income and first-generation applicants had withheld scores that would have actually strengthened their applications. MIT made a similar case.

None of this means scores are the only thing that matters. Admissions stays holistic, so a strong transcript with a rigorous course load still carries real weight alongside your test results.

What does this mean for you?

If you’re aiming at selective colleges, plan to take the SAT or ACT. Even for test-optional schools, a strong score usually helps your admission and scholarship chances, so testing is rarely wasted effort. Fold it into your overall admissions strategy rather than treating it as a separate box to check. A few practical moves make testing far less stressful:

• Check the policy for every school on your list. Requirements differ by school, and sometimes by major, honors college, or scholarship. Treat testing policy as one factor when you confirm the current policy for every school you’re considering.
• Build a testing timeline. Aim to take your first SAT or ACT in the spring of junior year, which leaves room for a retake in the fall of senior year before deadlines.
• Know the details. Confirm whether a school wants the ACT Science section and whether it superscores, since that changes your retake strategy.
• Remember the rest of your application. Scores are one piece; the rest of your application still matters, from essays to activities. And always cross-check each school’s admission requirements directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to take the SAT or ACT in 2026?

‍If you’re applying to highly selective colleges, almost certainly yes. Many elite schools now require scores, and a strong score helps even at test-optional schools. Most other colleges remain test-optional.

Which colleges require the SAT or ACT?‍

For 2026-27, six of the eight Ivies require scores (Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Penn), along with MIT, Stanford, Caltech, Georgetown, UT Austin, and the Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee public systems. Princeton and Columbia require scores starting 2027-28.

Why did colleges bring back testing?‍

Colleges say scores predict college success, counter high school grade inflation, and provide a common measure across different schools. Research from Dartmouth and MIT also found test-optional policies could hurt some disadvantaged applicants.

Are most colleges still test-optional?‍

Yes. The reversal is concentrated among the most selective schools. Thousands of colleges remain test-optional, so check the current policy at each school on your list.

The bottom line

The safest move in this shifting landscape is simple: if a selective school is anywhere on your list, plan to test, and start early enough to retake if you need to. Build your testing timeline into junior year, confirm each college’s current policy before you apply, and keep the rest of your application strong. Scores are back in the spotlight, but they’re still one piece of who you are.

Building your college application? Level All walks you through every step, from testing and essays to deadlines and financial aid. Explore Level All.

Keep going: see how testing fits into the full college application process from start to submit.

By the Level All Team. Level All is a college and career readiness platform that helps students navigate admissions with clear, current guidance. Testing policies change often; always confirm each college’s requirement on its official admissions page before you apply.