Do SAT/ACT Scores Still Matter? Yes — But the Real Question Is How
If you have been following college admissions at all, you have probably heard the same phrase repeated over the past few years: “Most schools are test-optional now.” It sounds simple, and that simplicity is exactly what makes it easy to misinterpret.
Many students hear “optional” and assume that testing no longer plays a meaningful role, or that it is something they can safely set aside while focusing on everything else. If you are already balancing a strong academic schedule, extracurricular commitments, and early thinking around college, it is completely reasonable to question whether adding testing into that mix is even necessary.
But the reality at the most selective level is more specific than that.
Over the past two admissions cycles, several highly selective universities have moved back toward requiring standardized testing, while others have kept test-optional policies in place but continue to evaluate applicants in increasingly competitive pools. In practice, this means testing has not disappeared—it has simply become a decision that students need to handle more deliberately.
Because of that, the more useful question is no longer whether scores matter, but how a score would change the way your application is read.
At highly selective schools, most applicants already meet a very high academic bar. Their transcripts are strong, their coursework is rigorous, and their activities show depth and commitment. In that context, testing is not what gets a student admitted, but it can make the academic side of the application easier to understand and compare across a very competitive pool.
As our founder, Adam Nguyen, has pointed out, grades and test scores at this level tend to function as a baseline rather than a differentiator. That means strong scores do not set a student apart on their own, but they do establish a clear reference point in a process where most other parts of the application are evaluated in context and are more subjective.
This is what makes “optional” a strategic choice rather than a simple policy. Choosing not to submit scores is not a neutral move—it leaves part of your academic profile less clearly defined. In some cases, that is the right decision. In others, it removes a data point that could have strengthened how your application is read.
Students who handle this well tend to keep the option open. They prepare, they test, and then they decide based on whether the result actually adds value to their application. That approach allows them to make a decision using real information, rather than guessing what “optional” might mean for them.
For a high-achieving student, this often comes down to positioning. If testing is one of the few parts of the application that can be directly compared across applicants, then handling it well can help clarify where you stand academically within a very competitive group. If it does not add value, you still have the option not to submit.
That is the advantage of approaching testing this way—it gives you control over the decision, instead of taking that control away too early.
Admissions at this level is rarely about a single factor. It is about how different parts of an application come together to form a clear and coherent picture. In a process where so much is contextual and difficult to compare directly, having one element that is more standardized—and knowing when to use it—can still be meaningful.
If you are thinking through how testing should factor into your own plan, this is the kind of decision that benefits from a more structured framework. Ivy Link is hosting a focused session led by Cory Bragar, our Director of Standardized Testing, where we walk through how families are approaching SAT vs ACT, how testing is currently being evaluated in admissions, and how to think about timing and preparation in a way that fits alongside everything else you are balancing.
You can view the upcoming sessions and register here:
https://www.myivylink.com/workshops
