According to Forbes magazine, more than 80% of schools will not require students to submit SAT or ACT scores when applying for admission this year. But that doesn’t mean the majority of schools have gone test-blind. In reality, there are a very limited number of universities that don’t take standardized testing into account at all. Most schools are test optional. What does that mean for college hopefuls wondering if they should take the SATs this Spring?
Should You Take the SATs Before Applying to Test-Optional Schools?
Right now, the answer to this question is always yes. Unless you are applying to 100% test-blind schools that don’t take standardized testing into account at all, you should still be taking the SAT. Why?
- If you score well, it could still help your application – Imagine an admissions officer looking at two student profiles for one final spot, and their applications are nearly identical. Wouldn’t the officer choose the application that shows high test scores over the one that opted out of submitting them?
- If you leave your scores off the application, it raises questions – Really, there are only two reasons to take advantage of optional testing: (1) You scored poorly. (2) You didn’t want to put forth the effort to take the test.
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College Planning Source can help you to put your best foot forward during admissions season. Give us a call today at 858.676.0700, or you can request a planning assessment online. Don’t forget to check out our free webinars with topics like Standardized Testing.
