Test-optional and test-blind college admissions
Test-optional admissions lets applicants decide whether to submit SAT or ACT scores for consideration. Under a test-blind policy, the college excludes those scores from its admissions decision, even if an applicant sends them. Check the policy for the college, program, and entry year on your application before ordering a score report.
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Test-optional admissions is a college policy that gives you a choice about including SAT or ACT scores in your application review. A test-blind college leaves those scores out of its admissions decision even when it receives an official score report. The difference matters when you decide where to send a result.
Imagine that you are applying to two colleges after taking the ACT. At the test-optional college, you can ask to have your result considered alongside your transcript, or you can apply using the other required materials. At the test-blind college, the admissions reader evaluates your application using those other materials either way. When you look up the policy, check that it applies to your intended entry year.
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Frequently asked questions
What happens to a score I submit to a test-optional college?
If you choose to have it considered, the admissions office can review the score alongside the other parts of your application.
What happens if my scores are already on file at a test-blind college?
A test-blind admissions policy excludes SAT and ACT scores from the admission decision, including scores already on file.
How do I find the rule that applies to me?
Look up the college’s testing policy for your application cycle and check any instructions for your intended program. If you apply for a scholarship too, check its testing instructions separately.
Sources
- College Admission Glossary · College Board
- Does College Board tell colleges how to use SAT scores in admissions? · College Board
