Yes, many colleges and universities are test optional for the Class of 2022 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, read on
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect many aspects of life, including education, it’s no surprise that colleges and universities have had to make adjustments to their admissions policies. One of the most significant changes has been the shift to test-optional admissions for the Class of 2022.
According to FairTest, an organization that advocates for fair and open standardized testing practices, over 1,600 colleges and universities have adopted a test-optional policy for incoming students in 2022. This shift was a response to a number of factors, including the widespread cancellation of SAT and ACT test dates, the difficulty of administering tests safely during a pandemic, and concerns about equity and access for students who may not have had the same opportunities to prepare for and take these exams.
While the specific policies vary by institution, test-optional typically means that students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application materials. This doesn’t necessarily mean that test scores won’t be considered at all, but rather that they are one of several factors that may be evaluated by admissions committees. Instead, other factors may carry more weight, such as high school GPA, essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities.
Overall, the shift to test-optional admissions has been seen as a positive development by many educators and advocates. As Mark Lemley, a professor at Stanford Law School, argued in an op-ed for CNN, “The pandemic has revealed deep cracks and inequalities in our society. One major step universities can take towards addressing them is getting rid of the SAT and ACT requirements, which have perpetuated all sorts of biases in America’s educational system.”
While some colleges and universities, such as the Ivy League schools, have historically placed a heavy emphasis on standardized testing in their admissions processes, many have been reconsidering this approach in recent years. The pandemic has served as a catalyst for broader changes and increased attention to issues of access and equity in higher education.
Below is a table of some well-known colleges and universities that have either gone test-optional or test-blind for the Class of 2022:
| Institution | Policy |
|---|---|
| Harvard University | Test-optional |
| Yale University | Test-optional |
| University of California system | Test-blind (SAT/ACT scores not considered at all) |
| Bowdoin College | Test-optional |
| Smith College | Test-optional |
| Bucknell University | Test-optional |
| University of Maryland | Test-optional |
| American University | Test-optional |
| Middlebury College | Test-optional |
| Loyola Marymount University | Test-optional |
Overall, if you’re a high school junior or senior considering applying to college in the coming years, it’s worth checking the admissions policies of the schools you’re interested in. While testing policies may continue to evolve in response to the pandemic and other factors, the trend towards test-optional admissions seems to be gaining momentum.
A visual response to the word “Are colleges test optional for Class of 2022?”
The majority of top US universities for the 2022-2023 admissions cycles have adopted a test optional, flexible, or suggested policy, according to SuperTutorTV’s Brook. A significant number have yet to announce their stance in light of the pandemic, which may affect their admissions and lead to variations in admit rates based on whether candidates submitted test scores. While 38.5% of universities have declared they will remain test optional, blind, or suggested, students are advised to continue preparing for tests to stand out and review fine print as some may require scores for those with low GPA or applying for scholarships.
Other responses to your inquiry
Admissions Testing Policies: Will Colleges Continue to be Test Optional? We recently have seen many colleges and universities including Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia announce that they will continue to remain test optional for the high school class of 2022 in response to COVID-19.
Furthermore, people are interested
Are most colleges test-optional for 2022?
Answer to this: More than two-thirds of colleges and universities won’t require the SAT for 2022 admission. That includes elite institutions such as Harvard and Stanford as well as the University of California system, which has dropped the test as an admission requirement permanently.
Do you need SAT for College 2022?
Response will be: SAT and ACT scores are important in the 2022-2023 college admissions cycle when applying to test-required schools. As a matter of fact, especially if they’re high, standardized test scores can be beneficial when applying to test-optional institutions. They don’t count only when applying to test-blind colleges.
Are colleges still test-optional for class of 2023?
In reply to that: Columbia University: Test-Optional for 2023 and 2024. Cornell University: Test-Optional for 2023 and 2024. Dartmouth College: Test-Optional for 2023. Harvard University: Test-Optional for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Should I send my SAT scores to test-optional schools 2022?
The response is: You Fall in or Above the Middle 50%
Many colleges publish SAT/ACT score percentiles for admitted and/or enrolled students. If your scores fall in or above the middle 50% at a prospective school, you’ll likely benefit from submitting your scores.
Is the ACT/SAT required for the class of 2022?
As you may know by now, many schools have become “test-optional” or “test blind” for Class of 2022 admissions. Test-optional policies mean that you are not required to submit a test score, but, if you do, admissions officers will look at them and may use the score to help determine admission.
Which colleges are going test-optional in 2022?
As an answer to this: However, he said that those who still take the tests and score well should submit their results because it will positively impact their application. Some colleges going test-optional in 2022 include Abraham Lincoln University, Alabama State University, Augsburg University, Columbia University, and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Which high school schools are test optional in 2023?
As a response to this: Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Dartmouth, and Stanford have all recently announced that they will remain test optional through the high school class of 2023, with Cornell going a step further remaining test optional through the high school class of 2024, and Harvard through 2026!
What will the 2021-2022 college acceptance rate be like?
The reply will be: We believe that this trend will continue into the 2021-2022 cycle, and both top-tier colleges, as well as liberal arts colleges, will have lower acceptance rates. Additionally, students who applied “test-optional” last year were accepted at lower rates than those who applied with a test.
Is the ACT/SAT required for the class of 2022?
The answer is: As you may know by now, many schools have become “test-optional” or “test blind” for Class of 2022 admissions. Test-optional policies mean that you are not required to submit a test score, but, if you do, admissions officers will look at them and may use the score to help determine admission.
Which colleges are going test-optional in 2022?
However, he said that those who still take the tests and score well should submit their results because it will positively impact their application. Some colleges going test-optional in 2022 include Abraham Lincoln University, Alabama State University, Augsburg University, Columbia University, and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Which high school schools are test optional in 2023?
Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Dartmouth, and Stanford have all recently announced that they will remain test optional through the high school class of 2023, with Cornell going a step further remaining test optional through the high school class of 2024, and Harvard through 2026!
What will the 2021-2022 college acceptance rate be like?
The response is: We believe that this trend will continue into the 2021-2022 cycle, and both top-tier colleges, as well as liberal arts colleges, will have lower acceptance rates. Additionally, students who applied “test-optional” last year were accepted at lower rates than those who applied with a test.