Ivy League Admissions: An In-depth Analysis of Standardized Testing Policies for 2025

I. Introduction: The New Testing Landscape of the Ivy League

The landscape of undergraduate admissions at America’s most selective institutions is undergoing a period of profound transformation.

For students aspiring to join the Ivy League—a consortium of eight of the nation’s most prestigious private universities—the 2024-2025 application cycle marks a definitive end to the pandemic-era consensus on standardized testing.¹

The near-universal test-optional policies, adopted out of necessity in 2020, have given way to a fractured and more complex environment, creating significant uncertainty for applicants and their families.

At the heart of this shift is a phenomenon that can be described as the “Great Reversal.” Beginning in early 2024, a cascade of announcements from Ivy League universities signaled a rapid, data-driven retreat from test-optional admissions.³

Led by Dartmouth College, and quickly followed by Yale, Brown, and Harvard, a new majority has formed in favor of reinstating SAT or ACT requirements.⁶

This reversal was not a matter of reverting to tradition, but a calculated decision informed by several years of institutional research on student outcomes and equity.

This report serves as a definitive and exhaustive guide to the standardized testing policies of the eight Ivy League institutions for applicants seeking to matriculate in the fall of 2025.

It moves beyond a simple list of requirements to provide a deep analysis of the “why” behind these significant policy changes, offering a detailed, school-by-school breakdown of the specific rules, nuances, and rationales.

Finally, it provides a strategic framework to help applicants navigate this new and demanding era of elite university admissions.

II. Executive Summary: Ivy League Testing Policies for 2025 at a Glance

For the 2024-2025 application cycle, the Ivy League is no longer a monolith on standardized testing.

A clear majority—six of the eight member institutions—now mandate the submission of test scores, marking a pivotal departure from the policies of the past four years.

The admissions landscape is now divided into three distinct categories: Test-Required, Test-Optional, and a unique Test-Flexible model pioneered by Yale University.

The primary trend for applicants to understand is that the momentum at these highly selective institutions has decisively shifted back toward required testing.

This reversal is not arbitrary; it is a direct result of comprehensive, multi-year internal studies conducted by the universities themselves.

After analyzing the academic performance of students admitted both with and without test scores during the test-optional period, these institutions converged on a similar set of conclusions.

Data consistently showed that standardized test scores, when evaluated in the context of an applicant’s background, were a strong predictor of academic success on their campuses.

Furthermore, and perhaps counter-intuitively, research from schools like Dartmouth and Yale found that test-optional policies had created unintended barriers for some high-achieving, less-resourced students who chose not to submit scores that would have otherwise strengthened their applications.⁸

The following table provides a high-level overview of the policies for each of the eight Ivy League universities for first-year applicants in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.

University	Policy Status for 2025 Cycle	Key Nuances & Stated Rationale
Brown University	Test-Required 12	Nuances: Superscores both SAT and ACT. Emphasizes “testing in context,” evaluating scores based on an applicant’s socioeconomic background and educational opportunities.14	Rationale: Decision based on an Ad Hoc Committee report finding scores are a key predictor of academic success at Brown and, when used contextually, advance goals of equity and access.10
Columbia University	Test-Optional (Permanent) 16	Nuances: Superscores both SAT and ACT. Explicitly states that students who do not submit scores are at “no disadvantage.” The choice to submit scores is binding once the application is submitted.17	Rationale: Based on a multi-year internal study that found no diminishment in the academic performance of students admitted without test scores.17
Cornell University	Mixed (Test-Optional / Test-Blind by College) 18	Nuances: Policy is specific to each of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges. Some are test-optional (will consider scores if submitted), while others are test-blind (will not consider scores at all). A universal test requirement will be reinstated for all colleges for applicants to the Class of 2030 (Fall 2026 admission).19	Rationale: A transitional policy while the university completed its review. The future reinstatement signals the university’s conclusion on the value of scores.
Dartmouth College	Test-Required 21	Nuances: Superscores both SAT and ACT. Offers flexibility for international applicants, who may submit three AP exam scores or other national exam results in lieu of the SAT/ACT.21	Rationale: The first Ivy to reinstate, based on faculty research showing scores are highly predictive of success and help identify high-achieving, diverse students from under-resourced backgrounds who might otherwise be overlooked.8
Harvard University	Test-Required 23	Nuances: Allows submission of AP or IB exam results in “exceptional cases” where an applicant has no access to the SAT or ACT.24	Rationale: Based on faculty research concluding that scores are strongly predictive of success and that other application components (essays, recommendations) can be more prone to socioeconomic bias, making testing a valuable tool for promoting meritocracy.25
University of Pennsylvania	Test-Optional 27	Nuances: A test requirement has been announced, but it does not take effect until the 2025-2026 application cycle (for Fall 2026 matriculation). For the current 2024-2025 cycle, Penn remains test-optional.28	Rationale (for future change): To bring “clarity and transparency” to the admissions process and reduce applicant stress over the decision to submit scores.29
Princeton University	Test-Optional 32	Nuances: Policy has been extended for the 2025 cycle. States students who do not submit scores will not be at a disadvantage. Encourages the submission of all test scores if an applicant chooses to submit any.32	Rationale: The university is continuing to assess the role of standardized testing in its holistic review process.32
Yale University	Test-Flexible (Required) 34	Nuances: A unique policy where applicants must submit scores but can choose from four options: SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.34	Rationale: An innovative model designed to empower applicants to “put their best foot forward” while still providing the admissions committee with a valuable standardized data point. It acknowledges the predictive power of various tests beyond just the SAT and ACT.37

III. The Great Reversal: Understanding the Data-Driven Shift Back to Standardized Testing

The widespread return to mandatory testing in the Ivy League was not a simple reversion to pre-pandemic norms.

It was the culmination of a multi-year, data-intensive experiment that yielded unexpected and compelling results for university administrators and faculty.

Understanding the rationale behind this “Great Reversal” is crucial for any applicant seeking to navigate the current admissions landscape.

The Pandemic-Era Experiment (2020-2023)

In the spring of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and public life, access to standardized testing sites became severely limited and unreliable.

In response, nearly every selective college and university in the United States, including all eight Ivy League institutions, suspended their SAT/ACT requirements.¹⁸

This move was initially framed as a temporary, pragmatic measure to ensure that students facing logistical hurdles could still apply for admission.⁴¹

For many, it was also seen as a large-scale test of the long-debated proposition that admissions could be conducted more equitably without reliance on standardized tests.

The Catalyst and the Cascade

For nearly four years, the test-optional model remained the status quo.

The turning point arrived on February 5, 2024, when Dartmouth College announced it would reactivate its testing requirement for applicants to the Class of 2029.⁸

This decision, grounded in a comprehensive study by Dartmouth faculty, acted as a catalyst.

Within weeks, a cascade of similar announcements followed.

Yale unveiled its innovative “test-flexible” policy on February 22, Brown reinstated its requirement on March 5, and Harvard reversed its long-term test-optional commitment on April 11.⁴

This rapid domino effect demonstrated a powerful convergence of opinion among these peer institutions, all pointing to the same underlying evidence.

The Core Rationale: A Deeper Look at the “Why”

The public announcements from these universities were remarkably consistent in their reasoning, pointing to three primary justifications for reinstating testing requirements.

1. Predictive Validity of Test Scores

The most cited reason was the compelling evidence from internal research confirming the predictive power of standardized test scores.

Faculty-led studies at Dartmouth, Brown, Harvard, and Yale all concluded that, within their specific academic environments, SAT and ACT scores were a significantly stronger predictor of a student’s first-year GPA and overall academic success than high school GPA alone.⁴

Brown’s research, for example, found that test scores were a “much better predictor of academic success than high school grades”.¹¹

Dartmouth’s study noted that including test scores alongside high school GPA could explain almost three times as much variance in student performance as GPA alone.⁴

This data provided a powerful, evidence-based argument that scores were a valuable tool for identifying students most likely to thrive in the institutions’ rigorous curricula.

2. The Counter-Intuitive Equity Argument

Perhaps the most profound and influential finding was that test-optional policies, originally intended to promote equity, may have had the opposite effect.

This conclusion rests on a nuanced understanding of how elite admissions offices conduct “holistic” and “contextual” reviews.

The process unfolded as follows:

• First, admissions offices at these schools do not view a test score in a vacuum. A central practice is contextual review, where a score is evaluated relative to the average scores and academic opportunities available at an applicant’s specific high school and in their community.⁸
• Second, under test-optional policies, many high-achieving students from less-resourced backgrounds—who may have attended schools with fewer AP courses or less grade inflation—would see their own test scores (for example, a 1400 SAT) as “low” when compared to the university’s published median for all admitted students. As a result, they would often choose to withhold their scores.³⁸
• Third, this act of withholding a score removed what admissions officers considered a critical piece of contextual data. That same 1400 SAT, when viewed from a high school where the average score is 1000, would have been a powerful signal of that student’s exceptional academic potential and would have significantly helped their application.⁸
• Fourth, in the absence of a test score, admissions officers were forced to place greater weight on other application components, such as essays, recommendation letters, and the breadth of extracurricular activities.⁴⁵ However, research from Harvard and others suggested that these components are often
  more susceptible to socioeconomic bias than test scores, as students from affluent backgrounds frequently have greater access to private counseling, essay coaching, and expensive extracurricular opportunities.²⁵
• Therefore, the universities concluded that reinstating a test requirement ensures that admissions officers receive this valuable contextual data point for all applicants. This allows them to better identify “diamonds in the rough” from a wide range of backgrounds and, in their view, makes the process more equitable and meritocratic.⁹ As Yale’s Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Jeremiah Quinlan stated, research showed that requiring scores “serves to benefit and not disadvantage students from under-resourced backgrounds”.³⁸

3. Reducing Ambiguity and Applicant Stress

A secondary, but still significant, rationale articulated by institutions like the University of Pennsylvania was the desire to provide clarity and reduce applicant anxiety.

A test-optional policy forces every applicant into a high-stakes strategic decision about whether or not to submit their scores.

By reinstating a clear requirement, these universities aim to remove that “submission choice” stress, allowing students to focus their energy on other parts of their application.²⁹

The Ongoing Debate

It is important to note that this reversal is not without its critics.

Organizations like FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, argue that the Ivy League’s move is an outlier in the broader landscape of American higher education.

They contend that over 80% of U.S. four-year colleges remain test-optional for fall 2025 and that these policies broadly lead to more diverse applicant pools.⁴⁸

This highlights a central tension: while the nation’s most selective institutions are acting on their own internal data, the majority of colleges and universities continue to embrace the test-optional model.⁷

IV. Institutional Deep Dives: A School-by-School Analysis and Strategic Guide

The shift in the Ivy League has resulted in a fragmented landscape where each university has a distinct policy.

Understanding the specific rules, rationale, and nuances of each institution is essential for any prospective applicant.

A. Brown University: Test-Required

• Policy Statement: For the 2024-25 application cycle, Brown University has returned to a policy that requires all first-year applicants to submit standardized test scores, either from the SAT or the ACT.¹² This marks an end to the test-optional policy that was in place for the previous three cycles.
• Detailed Nuances:

• Superscoring: Brown will “superscore” both the SAT and the ACT. This means the admissions office will consider the highest section scores from multiple test dates to create the strongest possible composite score for the applicant.¹²
• Score Choice: The university accepts Score Choice, which allows applicants to choose which test dates to send. However, Brown will superscore within each test type (e.g., combining the best sections from multiple SATs), but not across test types (e.g., taking a math score from the SAT and a reading score from the ACT).¹⁵
• Testing Deadlines: To ensure scores are received in time, Early Decision applicants must complete testing by the last October test date. Regular Decision applicants must complete testing by the last December test date.¹⁴
• Testing in Context: Brown’s admissions office places paramount importance on its philosophy of “testing in context.” They explicitly state there are no minimum score requirements and that a score below the average range should not deter an applicant. The evaluation of a score is based on multiple factors, including the applicant’s socioeconomic status, educational background, and the resources available at their home and school.¹²

• Rationale: Brown’s decision was the direct result of a six-month review by its Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions Policies. The committee’s report concluded that SAT/ACT scores are among the key indicators that help predict a student’s ability to succeed in Brown’s demanding academic environment.¹⁰ Provost Francis J. Doyle III stated, “Consideration of test scores in the context of each student’s background will advance Brown’s commitment to academic excellence and the University’s focus on ensuring that talented students from the widest possible range of backgrounds can access a Brown education”.¹⁰ The reinstatement aims to provide greater clarity in the admissions process and allow for more data-informed, mission-driven decisions.¹¹
• Strategic Guidance: For applicants to Brown, submitting an SAT or ACT score is mandatory. The core strategy should be to prepare for and achieve the strongest possible score, while simultaneously understanding that the university’s commitment to contextual review is genuine. This means that a strong score can be a significant asset, but it will always be interpreted as part of a larger, holistic narrative. Applicants from less-resourced backgrounds should not be discouraged by scores that fall below Brown’s published medians, as the contextual evaluation is designed specifically to identify their achievements relative to their opportunities.

B. Columbia University: Permanently Test-Optional

• Policy Statement: Columbia University is the only Ivy League institution to have announced a permanent test-optional policy for first-year applicants to Columbia College and Columbia Engineering.¹⁶ This policy was affirmed after a multi-year internal review.¹⁷
• Detailed Nuances:

• “No Disadvantage” Clause: Columbia’s official policy explicitly states that “students who choose not to submit test scores, however, will not be at a disadvantage in our process”.¹⁷ The admissions review will instead focus more heavily on curriculum rigor, academic achievement, and intellectual curiosity.¹⁷
• Superscoring: For applicants who choose to submit scores, Columbia superscores both the SAT and the ACT, considering the highest scores from each section across all test dates.¹⁷
• Binding Choice: When applying, students must indicate whether they want their scores considered. This choice is binding; an applicant who opts to have scores reviewed cannot later withdraw them.¹⁷
• Optional Sections: The ACT Writing and Science sections are optional and not required for review.¹⁷

• Rationale: Columbia’s decision to remain permanently test-optional is based on an internal study which found that the policy, provisionally introduced during the pandemic, “did not lead to a diminishment of the academic performance of our admitted classes or the academic success of our enrolled students”.¹⁷ The policy is designed to provide the “greatest possible opportunity and flexibility for students to represent themselves fully”.¹⁷
• Strategic Guidance: Despite the official “no disadvantage” policy, the term “optional” can be misleading in the hyper-competitive context of Ivy League admissions. For applicants to Columbia, the decision to submit scores should be a strategic one. Students with SAT or ACT scores that are at or above the median for previously admitted classes (typically in the 1524+ range for the SAT) should strongly consider submitting them to provide an additional, powerful data point of academic readiness.⁵⁰ For applicants who choose to withhold scores, the rest of their application must be exceptionally strong to compensate for the missing data point. This means demonstrating overwhelming strength through a flawless academic record in the most rigorous courses available, uniquely compelling essays, and glowing letters of recommendation that speak to superlative intellectual abilities.¹⁷

C. Cornell University: The Most Complex Policy (Mixed)

• Policy Statement: For the 2024-2025 application cycle, Cornell University employs the most complex and nuanced testing policy in the Ivy League. The requirement is bifurcated and depends entirely on the specific undergraduate college to which a student is applying. Some colleges are test-optional, while others are fully test-blind.¹⁸
• Detailed Nuances:
• Test-Optional Colleges: The following colleges will consider SAT or ACT scores if an applicant chooses to submit them:

• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Engineering
• College of Human Ecology
• Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy
• School of Industrial and Labor Relations.¹⁸
• Test-Blind Colleges: The following colleges will not consider SAT or ACT scores at all, even if they are submitted:

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
• Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business (which includes the School of Hotel Administration and the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management).¹⁸
• A Policy in Transition: This mixed policy is a temporary holdover. Cornell has announced that for students applying for Fall 2026 admission and beyond, all undergraduate colleges will reinstate a standardized testing requirement.¹⁹

• Rationale: The current mixed policy is a remnant of the university’s phased approach to re-evaluating testing after the pandemic. The decision to reinstate a universal requirement for future cycles signals that the university’s internal review ultimately affirmed the value of standardized test scores in its holistic admissions process, with the university stating that scores “provide valuable insights into a student’s potential for academic success while at Cornell”.²⁰
• Strategic Guidance: An applicant’s testing strategy for Cornell is entirely dependent on their choice of undergraduate college. For those applying to the test-blind colleges, test scores are irrelevant and should not be a factor in their preparation. For those applying to the test-optional colleges, the strategic guidance is similar to that for Columbia: submit scores that are strong relative to the admitted student profile to add a competitive data point. The university’s impending shift to a universal test requirement should be seen as a clear signal to all prospective students that Cornell, as an institution, values the information provided by standardized tests.

D. Dartmouth College: The Test-Required Catalyst

• Policy Statement: Dartmouth College requires the submission of standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) for all applicants to the Class of 2029.⁸ As the first Ivy to reinstate the requirement, its policy set the tone for the subsequent “Great Reversal.”
• Detailed Nuances:

• Superscoring: Dartmouth automatically superscores both the SAT and the ACT, considering the highest individual section scores across all test dates and formats.²¹
• International Applicant Flexibility: In a notable nod to global access, Dartmouth offers flexibility for students attending high school outside the United States. These applicants can fulfill the testing requirement by submitting SAT/ACT scores, or alternatively, by submitting the results of three Advanced Placement (AP) exams, predicted or final International Baccalaureate (IB) scores, or predicted or final British A-Level results.²¹
• Contextualized Holistic Review: The university strongly emphasizes that testing is just one component of its holistic review and that scores are always interpreted in context.²¹

• Rationale: Dartmouth’s decision was highly publicized and driven by a rigorous internal study conducted by faculty members in its economics and sociology departments.⁸ The research produced two key findings: first, that test scores were a more reliable predictor of academic success at Dartmouth than high school grades alone; and second, that a testing requirement—when paired with contextual review—was a valuable tool for identifying high-achieving applicants from low-income, first-generation, and rural backgrounds who might otherwise be missed in a test-optional pool.⁹
• Strategic Guidance: All U.S.-based applicants to Dartmouth must plan to take and submit either the SAT or ACT. The key for these applicants is to understand that their scores will be viewed through a contextual lens. International applicants have a strategic choice to make: they should carefully assess whether their SAT/ACT scores or their results from AP, IB, or A-Level exams present a more compelling academic profile to the admissions committee. This decision should be based on which set of scores best demonstrates their readiness for Dartmouth’s curriculum.

E. Harvard University: Test-Required

• Policy Statement: Reversing a previous commitment to remain test-optional through 2026, Harvard University has reinstated its standardized testing requirement for applicants to the Class of 2029. Applicants are required to submit either SAT or ACT scores.⁵
• Detailed Nuances:

• “Exceptional Cases” Clause: Harvard’s policy includes a provision for “exceptional cases” where an applicant is unable to access SAT or ACT testing. In these rare circumstances, applicants may substitute other exam results, such as AP or IB scores.²³ The university emphasizes that applicants are not expected to go to extraordinary measures to access a test site.
• Self-Reporting: Applicants are permitted to self-report their scores on the application, with official scores required only upon matriculation.²³

• Rationale: Harvard’s decision was heavily influenced by research from leading Harvard faculty, including Raj Chetty and David Deming. Their findings indicated that standardized tests are not only strongly predictive of college success but can also make the admissions process more meritocratic.²⁵ The rationale posits that other application components, like recommendation letters and extracurriculars, are even more prone to socioeconomic bias. Therefore, a universally available test provides a fairer metric for identifying talented students from all backgrounds, especially those from less-resourced high schools.⁴³ Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra stated, “more information, especially such strongly predictive information, is valuable for identifying talent from across the socioeconomic range”.²⁶
• Strategic Guidance: An SAT or ACT score is a required component of the Harvard application. The “exceptional cases” clause should be interpreted narrowly; it is intended for students facing genuine, documented barriers to testing, not as a strategic loophole. The university’s detailed rationale suggests that a strong test score is viewed as a powerful and valuable data point, particularly for applicants whose backgrounds might not afford them access to other forms of application enhancement.

F. University of Pennsylvania: The “One More Year” Test-Optional

• Policy Statement: This is a critical point of clarification for 2025 applicants. While the University of Pennsylvania has announced a return to required testing, that policy does not take effect until the 2025-2026 application cycle (for students matriculating in Fall 2026).²⁸ Therefore, for the current 2024-2025 application cycle, Penn
  remains test-optional.²⁷
• Detailed Nuances (for the upcoming 2025-26 change): When the requirement is reinstated next year, it will include a straightforward hardship waiver for students unable to access testing. The university will also superscore both the SAT and ACT.²⁸
• Rationale (for the upcoming change): Penn’s stated goal for reinstating the requirement is to bring “clarity and transparency to the application process”.²⁹ The university acknowledged that the flexibility of a test-optional policy has escalated decision-making stress for many prospective applicants.
• Strategic Guidance (for the current 2024-25 cycle): Applicants for Fall 2025 admission are not required to submit a test score. However, they should view this policy as a “soft” requirement. The university has made its institutional preference clear by announcing the future reinstatement. This signals that the admissions office values the data provided by test scores. Therefore, applicants in the current cycle who have strong scores that align with or exceed Penn’s admitted student profile should submit them. Those who choose not to submit must ensure the rest of their application is exceptionally compelling.

G. Princeton University: The Test-Optional Holdout

• Policy Statement: Princeton University has extended its test-optional policy for first-year and transfer applicants for the 2024-2025 application cycle. Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required.³²
• Detailed Nuances:

• “No Disadvantage” Claim: Like Columbia, Princeton’s policy states that “students who opt to apply to Princeton without an ACT or SAT score will not be at a disadvantage in our process”.³²
• Score Submission Policy: For those who do submit scores, Princeton allows the use of Score Choice for the SAT. For the ACT, it considers only the highest composite score from a single test date. However, the university “encourage[s] the submission of all test scores”.³² This encouragement of a full testing history is a notable distinction from other test-optional policies.
• Superscoring: Princeton does not superscore between the paper and digital versions of the SAT.³²

• Rationale: Princeton has framed its policy as part of a continued assessment of the role of standardized testing in its holistic review process in a post-pandemic world.³² It has not yet committed to a permanent policy or a reinstatement.
• Strategic Guidance: The strategic considerations for Princeton are similar to those for Columbia, with one important caveat. The university’s encouragement to submit a full testing history suggests a preference for seeing an applicant’s entire testing record, valuing consistency. Applicants with a single very high score but other much lower scores face a more complex decision than at other schools. Withholding scores at Princeton requires an application that is truly exceptional in every other dimension to overcome the lack of a key data point in a pool where most competitive applicants will submit scores.⁵⁵

H. Yale University: The “Test-Flexible” Innovator

• Policy Statement: Yale University requires all applicants to submit standardized test scores. However, it has implemented a unique “test-flexible” policy that gives applicants a choice of which scores to submit from a list of four options: SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB).³⁴
• Detailed Nuances:

• How the Choice Works: The policy has a specific structure. Applicants who choose to fulfill the requirement with AP or IB scores must submit the results from all subject exams they have completed prior to applying. Applicants who choose to fulfill the requirement with SAT or ACT scores may also, optionally, include any AP or IB scores they wish to share.³⁴
• Superscoring: Yale will superscore both the SAT and the ACT for applicants who submit those tests.⁵⁶
• No Preference: The admissions office explicitly states that it does not prefer one type of test over another.³⁴

• Rationale: Yale’s innovative policy is a direct result of its extensive internal research. It is designed to achieve two goals simultaneously: first, to provide the admissions committee with a necessary and predictive standardized data point for every applicant; and second, to empower applicants to “put their best foot forward” by choosing the test that best reflects their academic strengths.³⁷ The policy acknowledges the predictive power of various types of tests and moves away from a singular focus on the SAT and ACT, reflecting a changing testing landscape.³⁸
• Strategic Guidance: Yale’s policy requires applicants to perform a strategic self-assessment of their entire “testing portfolio.” The decision is not a simple “submit/don’t submit” binary. Applicants must thoughtfully consider which set of scores tells the most compelling story of their academic readiness. For example, a prospective STEM major with a moderately high composite SAT score but perfect scores on the AP Calculus BC, Physics C, and Chemistry exams might choose to submit their AP scores to highlight subject-matter mastery. Conversely, a student from a school with no AP or IB program can use a strong SAT or ACT score to demonstrate their academic potential on a level playing field. The choice should align with the applicant’s overall narrative and intended area of study.

V. Strategic Framework for Applicants: A Practical Guide

Navigating the varied testing policies of the Ivy League requires a tailored, school-specific strategy.

The following framework provides practical guidance for applicants based on the three types of policies in effect for the 2025 cycle.

Section 1: The “Test-Optional” Decision Matrix

For applicants considering Columbia, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and the test-optional colleges at Cornell, the decision to submit scores is a critical one.

The following matrix provides a structured approach to this choice.

• Step 1: Know Your Numbers. The first step is to research the 25th and 75th percentile SAT/ACT score ranges for the most recent admitted class at the target institution. This data provides a crucial benchmark for competitiveness. For example, the middle 50% SAT range for admitted students at Columbia is typically 1490-1570, while at Princeton it is 1500-1580.⁵⁰
• Step 2: Assess Your Score.

• Submit: If an applicant’s score (or superscore) is at or above the 50th percentile (the median) for their target school, submitting the score is almost always advantageous. It provides a clear, positive data point that confirms academic readiness.
• Withhold: If an applicant’s score is below the 25th percentile, withholding the score is generally the more prudent strategy. Submitting a score in this range could raise questions about academic preparedness that would not otherwise exist.
• The Gray Area (25th to 50th Percentile): This is the most difficult range. The decision here requires a holistic self-assessment. An applicant should consider their score in the context of their high school transcript. A score in this range paired with a perfect GPA in the most rigorous curriculum available may still be worth submitting. However, if the rest of the application is not exceptionally strong, withholding might be the safer choice.
• Step 3: The Non-Submitter’s Gauntlet. Applicants who choose to withhold scores must understand that they are asking the admissions committee to evaluate them with less data. To be successful, their application must demonstrate overwhelming strength in every other area. This includes a near-perfect academic record in the most challenging courses offered, exceptionally insightful essays, glowing letters of recommendation that speak to once-in-a-generation talent, and a unique, compelling, and well-developed extracurricular profile that shows significant impact or leadership.⁴⁵

Section 2: Curating Your Portfolio for Yale’s “Test-Flexible” Policy

Yale’s policy moves beyond the “submit/don’t submit” binary and requires a more sophisticated strategic curation of one’s testing portfolio.

The core objective is to select the set of scores that best aligns with the applicant’s overall narrative and academic focus.

This requires a careful self-assessment.

Applicants should lay out all of their available scores—SAT, ACT, and all AP/IB results—and ask which combination tells the most powerful story.

• Example 1 (Humanities Focus): An applicant intending to major in History has a 1550 SAT (790 EBRW, 760 Math) and AP scores of 5 in AP U.S. History, 5 in AP English Literature, and 4 in AP Calculus AB. Submitting the SAT score would be a strong choice, as the near-perfect EBRW score directly supports their intended field of study.
• Example 2 (STEM Focus): An applicant intending to major in Physics has a 1520 SAT (720 EBRW, 800 Math) and AP scores of 5 in AP Physics C: Mechanics, 5 in AP Physics C: E&M, and 5 in AP Calculus BC. While the SAT score is strong, submitting the three AP scores might tell a more compelling story of deep, subject-specific mastery directly relevant to their academic goals.
• Example 3 (No AP/IB Access): An applicant from a rural high school with no AP or IB courses has an ACT score of 34. For this student, submitting the ACT score is essential. It provides the admissions committee with a standardized metric that demonstrates their academic ability is competitive with students from more resourced schools. This is precisely the type of student Yale’s policy is designed to help identify.

Section 3: The “Test-Required” Application: Why Context is King

For applicants to Brown, Dartmouth, and Harvard, the mandate to submit a score is clear.

The strategic focus here shifts from whether to submit to how to frame the submitted score.

The most important concept for these applicants to internalize is that these universities have explicitly and repeatedly stated their commitment to a deep, contextual review of test scores.⁸

They are not simply looking at the number, but at what that number represents given the applicant’s life circumstances and educational environment.

Applicants should not hesitate to provide concise, factual context where necessary.

The “Additional Information” section of the Common Application is an appropriate place to briefly explain any significant extenuating circumstances that may have impacted testing preparation or performance (e.g., prolonged illness, family crisis, lack of access to safe or quiet testing centers).

This should be a factual statement, not an excuse.

By doing so, applicants can help the admissions committee in its stated goal of conducting a truly holistic and contextual evaluation.

VI. Conclusion: Navigating the New Testing Era in Elite Admissions

The 2024-2025 application cycle represents a clear inflection point in elite college admissions.

The era of a nearly uniform test-optional Ivy League, born of pandemic-era necessity, is definitively over.

It has been replaced by a more complex and demanding landscape, defined by three distinct policy types—Test-Required, Test-Optional, and Test-Flexible.

This “Great Reversal” is not a return to the past, but a forward-looking shift grounded in several years of institutional data.

The primary findings are clear: at these highly selective universities, standardized test scores have proven to be a valuable predictor of academic success and, when used contextually, a tool that can enhance rather than hinder the search for talented students from all backgrounds.

Despite the renewed emphasis on testing at a majority of the Ivies, it is crucial to recognize that the fundamental principles of holistic review remain the bedrock of their admissions philosophy.¹³

A test score, however high, is never the sole factor in a decision.

The comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s academic record, intellectual curiosity, personal character, and potential to contribute to the campus community continues to be the central task of every admissions committee.

For the 2025 applicant, the message is one of diligence and strategy.

The ambiguity of the past few years has been replaced by a new set of rules that demand more research, more self-assessment, and more careful planning.

Success in this new testing era will belong to the students who not only demonstrate exceptional talent and achievement but also understand each institution’s specific policy and its underlying rationale, using that knowledge to craft an application that is both fully compliant and deeply compelling.

Works cited

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