Statement on Test-Optional and Test-Free Admissions
What is Test-Optional vs. Test-Free
Test-optional and test-free opportunities are available to students applying to colleges.
Test-optional is when students can decide if a test score reflects their academic capabilities and can apply to colleges/universities with/without a SAT/ACT score
We recommend every student and caretaker watch this video from American University explaining test-optional
Test-free is when a college decides it will not consider SAT/ACT scores even if they are submitted
Did Colleges/Universities go test-optional or test-free because of the COVID pandemic
While many people believe test-optional and test-free is a policy that came out of the pandemic, test-optional has been around for decades. In the Commonwealth of Virginia colleges such as Christopher Newport University and George Mason went test-optional in the 2000s. Learn more about test-optional colleges in Virginia here.
How do I learn more about test-optional and Test-free Policies
The most reliable source with a list of test-optional and test-free opportunities is Fairtest.org
We encourage all students and caretakers to discuss with admissions, enrollment, and/or financial aid how the SAT/ACT is used and if test-optional and/or test-free policies exist, and how they are applied at EACH COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY a student is considering.
There is no one size fits all for test-optional and test-free. The policies are specific to each college/university.
We cannot stress this enough: The ONLY reliable source for test-optional and test-free admissions is the college/university where your student is currently applying. Please ask for their MOST UPDATED policy.
College Board, ACT, Test-Prep Companies, Consultants, friends who were accepted, parents/caretakers of students accepted, family members, Facebook groups and those claiming to have inside information are not always reliable sources. Please verify ALL information you receive with the college(s) to which you are submitting an application.
In addition, test-optional and test-free policies can change from year to year. Please get the most updated information
We are updating our list of colleges and universities with test-optional opportunities weekly
Misinformation about test-optional and test-free
Warning: There is a lot of misinformation being spread in the marketplace about test-optional and test-free.
In fact, we have found that the College Board (SAT) and ACT as well as test-prep companies and admissions consultants have come out to claim:
During the pandemic when grades were in flux the SAT/ACT provides a reliable indicator of student success to colleges/universities (Janet Goodwin, CEO of ACT, Grown and Flown Interview during the pandemic)
Students without test scores are less competitive
If all things are equal students with higher scores win
Students who apply test-optional are not selected for acceptance over students with test scores
Test-optional is only for students who are underrepresented or first-generation students
Students from certain backgrounds are EXPECTED to take the SAT/ACT and if they do not they will be penalized
Test scores provide a competitive advantage in admissions, scholarships, and financial aid.
We have found no support for these claims. In our practice, we have found just the opposite.
Please note that test-prep companies, the College Board, and ACT as well as some college consultants and individuals who write or are cited in articles discussing the benefit of the SAT/ACT over test-optional can sometimes have a financial interest in having students continue to take the SAT/ACT.
As a result, we recommend students/caretakers confirm whatever they hear about test-optional/test-free WITH admissions/enrollment/financial aid at the colleges/universities where they intend on submitting an application.
Our experience with high/perfect scorers vs. Test-optional/test-Free applicants
While we support students in their test-prep journey we have also had a LOT of success with students applying test-optional and test-free.
We have seen many students/caretakers find that they invest in the SAT/ACT only to discover that their college/university does not give any competitive advantage to the SAT/ACT score.
We have coached students to perfect scores on the SAT/ACT. Some of our perfect/high scorers are accepted. Some of our perfect/high-scorers have received a rejection letter or have been waitlisted. Some of our perfect or near-perfect scorers of them did receive scholarships/merit aid offers and others did not receive any scholarship/merit aid offers. Read more about that here.
Do test-optional and test-free students receive acceptances, financial aid, merit aid, scholarships
In addition, we have had test-optional and test-free students receive scholarship/merit aid offers including full-ride offers and private scholarships. In fact, our current record for most scholarships and merit aid offers in one year is held by a student who applied test-optional.
We are updating our list of colleges and universities with test-optional opportunities weekly
Are students who apply test-optional/test-free at a disadvantage
We have not seen any evidence or proof that our test-optional and test-free students are disadvantaged in the process of college admissions. We have had students be accepted to the most rejective and “highly ranked” institutions in the country test-free and test-optional.
We have noticed at our test-optional and test-free students get accepted/rejected at the same rate as our high/perfect scorers AND receive similar financial benefits.
Test-optional and test-Free students and financial aid, Merit Aid, Scholarships
There is a pervasive myth that scholarships and merit aid are ONLY available to students with test scores. Before signing up and financially committing to test prep please check with your institution. In fact, some of our test-optional students have received MORE acceptances and financial aid offers than perfect/high-scorers.
We also recommend you ask that college(s) and scholarship(s) waive SAT/ACT requirements if all other requirements are met for a scholarship/merit aid. We have had score requirements waived in the past when we ask and had students accept/win scholarships.
We will say this- we find that there are more merit aid and scholarship opportunities for test-optional students than ever, especially when students and caretakers simply ask colleges/universities to waive the requirements.
My student “is not a good test taker” and/or has a sat/act score that doesn’t reflect their academic capabilities: should I invest in test prep
If your student has a low SAT/ACT score or the test does not reflect their capabilities then it is not always in their best interest to continue to test-prep and HOPE they receive a better score. It can be in their best interest to find colleges and universities that value they have in what they accomplished in the classroom and in other areas. There is a college out there looking for your student.
While we help many students in their test-prep journey we also prepare students and caretakers for the reality that sometimes a student has reached their highest score AND/OR sometimes SAT/ACT prep is not the best and/or most meaningful use of a student’s time. We have had students who invested their time elsewhere, stop test prep, and went on to get full-ride offers or partial scholarships. We want everyone to go into test prep with eyes wide open, with awareness of how the SAT/ACT are used, and to be aware that SAT/ACT prep is not the best use of every student’s time.
What questions should I ask Admissions, Enrollment, and Financial Aid about test-optional and Test-free
If you would like examples of questions to ask, please read them here.