May 30 (edited) • 🎓 Strategy Posts
đź“š SAT & ACT: Should You Submit Your Score at Test-Optional Schools?
In the last post, we broke down the role of standardized testing in college admissions.
Now comes the real question: If your school is test-optional, should you submit your score—or not?
❗ It’s not a simple yes or no. The right decision depends on each school’s admitted score range—and how yours compares.
🎯 Start Here: Know the Data
- Before anything else, look up the school’s Common Data Set (CDS) --> Section C9.T
- There, you’ll find the middle 50% SAT/ACT range for admitted students.
- That range is your starting point—and your benchmark.
📌 (See separate post on how to read the CDS — linked in the One-Stop Hub.)
âś… Submit Your Score If:
- Your score is above or in the upper half of that middle 50%
- You have a lower GPA or less course rigor, and the score adds balance
- You’re applying for merit scholarships that factor in test scores
👉 In these cases, a strong score strengthens your academic profile or fills a gap.
đźš« Do Not Submit If:
- Your score is below or in the lower half of the middle 50%
- The rest of your application is already academically strong
- You’re confident your GPA, coursework, and narrative stand on their own
👉 A low score doesn’t go unnoticed. Submitting it can weaken your file.
🤔 Borderline Score? Ask Yourself:
- Does it support or distract from your academic story?
- Does it match the level of your GPA and course rigor?
- Would you feel confident with this score front and center?
If unsure: leave it out. The risk rarely pays off.
📝 If You Don’t Submit
Totally valid—but everything else has to work harder:
- High grades in challenging courses
- Strong essays that show intellectual depth
- Teacher recs that reinforce your academic strengths
- Submit AP or IB scores if strong (which you should submit regardless)
🎓 Examples of Test-Optional Schools (as of 2025)
These schools do not require SAT/ACT—but will review if submitted:
- UChicago
- Princeton
- NYU
- Boston University
- Wesleyan
- Tufts
- Wake Forest
- Brandeis
👉 Always verify with each school’s admissions site—policies change yearly.
📌 Coming next: What to do if you're applying to test-required schools but your score isn’t ideal 🤍
6
3 comments
đź“š SAT & ACT: Should You Submit Your Score at Test-Optional Schools?
powered by
skool.com/the-ivy-wizard-2876
🎓 Free group for students applying to U.S. colleges — run by The Ivy Wizard (Harvard x2, Oxford). Strategy made accessible.
Suggested communities
Powered by