After the COVID-era test-optional wave, most US colleges are still test-optional — but the meaning of 'optional' varies wildly between schools. Submitting a 1380 to MIT (where the median is 1550) hurts you. Not submitting at all to Georgetown (where most admits do submit) signals something. The decision is per-school, not blanket.
What 'test-optional' actually means
There are three common policies, and the difference matters:
- Test-required: You must submit SAT or ACT. (MIT, Georgetown, Caltech as of 2026, US service academies.)
- Test-optional: You may submit; if you do, scores are considered. If you don't, scores are ignored and the rest of the application is weighted more. (Most US colleges as of 2026 — about 80% of selective schools.)
- Test-blind: Scores are not considered even if submitted. (UC system, Cooper Union, others — about 5% of selective schools.)
The submit-or-not decision
Standard rule of thumb: submit if your score is at or above the 50th percentile of the admitted class. Don't submit if it's below the 25th. The middle is judgment.
Practical examples:
- Stanford 25th-50th-75th: 1500 / 1540 / 1570. Submit if ≥1530. Skip if <1480.
- Penn 25th-50th-75th: 1490 / 1520 / 1560. Submit if ≥1510. Skip if <1470.
- Vanderbilt 25th-50th-75th: 1470 / 1510 / 1550. Submit if ≥1500. Skip if <1450.
- UNC Chapel Hill 25th-50th-75th: 1340 / 1430 / 1500. Submit if ≥1410. Skip if <1340.
Numbers shift slightly each year. Each school publishes the 25/50/75 percentile range in its Common Data Set Section C9. AdmitPath surfaces these on each college detail page.
When 'optional' isn't really optional
Some test-optional schools have admit rates that diverge significantly between submitters and non-submitters. The most-discussed examples (per published data 2023-2025):
- Georgetown: roughly equal admit rates with vs without scores; non-submitters need extra strength elsewhere.
- Notre Dame: similar — historical preference for scores still shows up in the admitted class data.
- Top public flagships (UNC, Wisconsin, UVA, Michigan): test-optional but submitters are admitted at noticeably higher rates because scores tilt the close calls.
If your reach list includes any of these, lean toward submitting if your score is even at the 25th percentile.
When NOT submitting is the right move
- Your unweighted GPA is at or above the 50th percentile of the admitted class but your test score is well below the 25th. The gap will be read as 'doesn't test well, but ya the academics.'
- You're a first-generation, low-income, or under-resourced applicant whose narrative is well-articulated in the essays. Holistic review can fully replace the score if the rest is strong.
- Your school's profile shows that most students don't take APs or have test-prep access. Admissions reads context.
- You took the test multiple times and never broke the school's 25th percentile. Submitting confirms a weakness; not submitting leaves it open.
When you must submit even if low
Test-required schools (MIT, Georgetown, Caltech, US service academies) require submission. There is no opt-out at these schools.
Some merit scholarships also require scores even at test-optional schools (Alabama Presidential, Auburn Spirit, Florida State Presidential — many of the auto-merit programs in the AdmitPath /merit-match tool). If your strategy depends on auto-merit money, submit.
What about the writing section?
The SAT essay was discontinued in 2021. The ACT writing section is still optional and still ignored by most schools as of 2026. Don't pay extra for it unless a specific target school explicitly recommends it.