Peterson's Blog

AUGUST 5, 2025

History of Standardized Tests in the United States Since 1926, the SAT has been the go-to test for assessing college readiness. In 1959, the ACT was introduced to the standardized testing sphere for college admissions. Since then, this test has expanded and has been adopted by many schools.

ACT

AdmissionSight

JUNE 7, 2025

2021 31,056 6% 2020 29,303 6.5% 2020 25,074 4.4% 2020 4,229 18.6% To get there, take plenty of practice tests and zero in on your weak spots. Let’s dig into how these numbers have shifted over the years: Princeton Class Total Applications Overall Acceptance Rate 2028 40,468 4.6% 2027 39,644 4.5% 2026 38,019 5.7%

Acceptance

AdmissionSight

APRIL 13, 2025

2020-2021 12,533 10.6% Standardized test scores (if required). Heres a closer look at how the numbers have shifted in recent years: Academic Cycle Total Applications Acceptance Rate 2024-2025 19,931 7.4% 2022-2023 14,577 9.4% 2022-2023 13,607 10.5% 2021-2022 14,343 8.8% Letters of recommendation.

Bachelor's Degree

AdmissionSight

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

2020 32,122 13.2% 2021 Undisclosed Undisclosed 2020 29,455 11.0% 2021 Undisclosed Undisclosed 2020 2667 37.9% Target test scores Northwestern remains test-optional for the Class of 2029, meaning you are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores with your application. 2027 52,233 7.2% 2026 51,558 7.2% 2023 40,585 9.1%

Acceptance

AdmissionSight

DECEMBER 29, 2024

2020 6,855 553 8.1% Target test scores Caltech is back to requiring standardized tests for first-year applicants, and high scores can set you apart. Take a look at Caltechs admissions data : Caltech Class Total Applications Total Admitted Students Overall Acceptance Rate 2028 13,863 315 2.3% 2027 13,136 412 3.1%

Acceptance

AdmissionSight

JANUARY 20, 2025

2020 43,997 4.8% Standardized test scores (optional). They accept both, but standardized test scores are optional. Even though its hard to get into Stanford with or without test scores, submitting your best results can only help. 2026 56,378 3.7% 2025 55,471 3.9% 2024 45,227 5.2% 2023 47,498 4.3%

Admissions

AdmissionSight

JANUARY 23, 2025

For example, Harvard received 40,248 applications in the 2019-2020 admissions cycle, but in 2020-2021, that number soared to a record-high of 57,000 ! This is because of a massive increase in applications, leaving the Ivy League schools unprepared for the influx.

Ivy League

Marks Education

APRIL 25, 2025

Skip to content Enrollment is now open for the 2025-26 Academic Year Summer Tutoring Programs College Counseling Packages Contact Us Search Instagram-square Facebook Linkedin Youtube Yelp Why Marks?

Academic Tutors

AdmissionSight

JULY 29, 2025

<p>Is Caltech test-optional? Applicants must submit standardized test scores as part of the admissions process. </p> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><a href="#Is Is &lt;yoastmark class=">Caltech Test-Optional in 2025? </h2> The short answer is no.

Testing

AdmissionSight

MARCH 20, 2025

For example, Harvard received 40,248 applications in the 2019-2020 admissions cycle, but in 2020-2021, that number soared to a record-high of 57,000 ! This is because of a massive increase in applications, leaving the Ivy League schools unprepared for the influx.

Ivy League

Top Tier Admissions

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The landscape of college admissions continues to shift as universities re-evaluate the role of standardized testing in the application process. In a major policy change, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) has announced that it will reinstate its standardized testing requirement for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.

Testing

AdmissionSight

JANUARY 7, 2025

Good news for those of you who cringe at the thought of standardized tests: Northwestern has been test-optional since 2020, and theyre keeping it that way for students applying for fall 2025. Its no surprise that Northwestern consistently ranks as one of the best colleges in the Midwest.

SAT

Marks Education

MAY 5, 2025

Skip to content Enrollment is now open for the 2025-26 Academic Year Summer Tutoring Programs College Counseling Packages Contact Us Search Instagram-square Facebook Linkedin Youtube Yelp Why Marks?

Academic Tutors

Top Tier Admissions

MARCH 13, 2025

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in admissions; but, as the head of enrollment at Trinity College told the NY Times in 2020 , I cant come up with a class of 20% men thats just not a good campus.

Admissions

Top Tier Admissions

JULY 1, 2025

With the launch of the digital SAT in March 2024 and the more recent updates to the ACT in April 2025 (both of which introduced significant changes to test formats) the standardized testing landscape is more uncertain than ever. WHY SHOULD I TAKE THE SAT OR ACT IF MOST SCHOOLS ARE TEST OPTIONAL?

ACT

HelloCollege

AUGUST 5, 2025

For example, here’s a picture of my calendar on a random week in 2020—my Junior year at Stanford: Brief translation: “Brekky” is “breakfast,” and “Salseros” is the name of the Salsa dance team I was on. This technique, often called “reverse planning,” makes your schedule more sustainable and prevents burnout.

Essay Writing

AdmissionSight

FEBRUARY 8, 2025

2020 22.1% in 2020 to 14.4% Standardized test scores Brown requires SAT or ACT scores. Check out the trends: Brown Class ED Acceptance Rate RD Acceptance Rate 2028 14.4% 2027 13% 3.9% 2026 14.6% 2025 16% 4% 2024 17.5% 2023 18.2% 2022 21.1% 2021 21.9% 2019 20.5% while RD rates have stayed in the 3.7% in the same period.

Early Decision

AdmissionSight

FEBRUARY 16, 2025

2020 21,189 21.7% Applications have surged, especially since the university went test-optional during the pandemic. Target standardized test scores Carnegie Mellon has a test-optional policy in place through at least the 2025-26 admissions cycle, meaning you wont be required to submit ACT or SAT scores when you apply.

Acceptance

AdmissionSight

MARCH 3, 2025

Back in 2020 (Class of 2024), the acceptance rate was 21.1%. Target test scores Even though NYU is test-optional, strong SAT or ACT scores can still give your application an extra edge. Standardized tests (optional). 2027 113,578 10,693 9.4% 2026 100,662 12,539 12.5% 2025 95,517 12,380 13.0% 2024 80,210 16,918 21.1%

Acceptance

AdmissionSight

DECEMBER 19, 2024

2020 32,390 9% 2019 30,397 8.5% 2020 29,360 7.7% 2020 3,030 22.1% for the Class of 2020. Stellar test scores, a killer essay, or standout extracurriculars can help balance things out. Target test scores Browns standardized testing requirement is back , and while they dont set specific cutoffs, the bar is high.

Acceptance

Admissions Mom

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

In a statement made in 2020 by over 300 College Admissions Deans about what they care about, they said: We have never had specific expectations for any one type of extracurricular activity or summer experience and realize that each students circumstances allow for different opportunities.

Extracurricular

The Koppelman Group

MAY 15, 2025

This was down from 18% for the fall of 2023, and down from 26% for the fall of 2020. Even if you do super impressive things and have strong standardized test scores, you need the grades. Scores In 2024, Mich formally adopted a test-optional policy when it comes to submitting standardized test scores.

University

AdmissionSight

AUGUST 2, 2025

</p> <p>Standardized test scores are required. <strong>Caltech Score high on standardized tests.</h3> <strong>The school is <a href="[link] longer test-optional</a>, and strong scores are expected, especially in math.</strong>

Letters of Recommendation

Top Tier Admissions

JUNE 6, 2025

Columbia’s Testing Policy states: “Based on an internal study encompassing multiple years of performance data, we found that test-optional admissions—which we provisionally introduced in 2020-2021 due to the pandemic—did not lead to a diminishment of the academic performance of our admitted classes or the academic success of our enrolled students.

Acceptance

BestColleges

APRIL 15, 2024

Harvard has reinstituted its standardized test requirement beginning next fall. Studies suggest standardized tests can help increase socioeconomic diversity. Add Harvard to the list of universities reinstating standardized test requirements.

Standardized Testing

BestColleges

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Under guidance from the NCAA Standardized Test Score Task Force, the Division I Council voted to eliminate the testing requirement altogether. The NCAA has waived standardized test requirements in Division I sports since April 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 11-14 in San Antonio, Texas.

Standardized Testing

Top Tier Admissions

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

As of this morning, Yale is the second Ivy League school to require standardized test scores, following Dartmouth’s lead and citing research that test-optional policies adversely affect high-scoring low-income students. California students made up 12% of Yale’s first-year class in 2020 and 13.2%

Standardized Testing

BestColleges

AUGUST 27, 2024

Johns Hopkins University has reinstated standardized test requirements. Hopkins says test scores more accurately predict academic success and enable disadvantaged students to demonstrate their potential. Johns Hopkins University has become the latest high-profile college to reinstate standardized testing.

Standardized Testing

Top Tier Admissions

APRIL 23, 2024

Cornell will reintroduce standardized testing requirements for undergraduate admissions starting in fall 2026, based on findings from a university Task Force on Standardized Testing in Admissions and pressure from peer institutions.

Standardized Testing

Top Tier Admissions

MARCH 5, 2024

As of this morning, Brown is the third Ivy League school to reinstate standardized test scores, following Yale and Dartmouth’s lead and citing academic performance as the leading factor that influenced the decision. There are other standardized tests (AP, IB, etc.) WHICH SCHOOL IS NEXT? Let us know in the comments.

Standardized Testing

Admissions Village

MARCH 26, 2023

Today we are going to say that after you have done all of those things, studied hard in rigorous courses, participated in activities you felt passionate about, worked to be helpful to others you care about, spent time preparing good applications, studying for, and excelling at your standardized tests, the answer is NOTHING.

Admissions

Admissions Village

APRIL 19, 2023

MIT would be the exception to this, but that is because they went back to requiring standardized test scores.) million additional applications sent by this year’s class compared to their counterparts in the class of 2020 — although the classes are roughly the same size. In 2020, before COVID inflated grades even further, 68.1%

Out-of-State

College Kickstart

APRIL 19, 2020

We’ve enhanced our test-optional recommendation engine to help you better handle the growing list of schools going test-blind for the 2020-21 admission cycle. Handling Test-Blind Admissions in College Kickstart. What is Test-Blind Admission? Attention College Kickstart subscribers! That’s it!

Testing

Admissions Village

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Duke also came out with an announcement this week that said they will no longer assign a numerical score to standardized test scores, SAT or ACT or students’ essays. Yet 93% of Duke applicants submit standardized testing, and according to Duke, scores and the content of their essays will still be a part of their admissions review.

Testing

Admissions Village

MARCH 24, 2024

Today, we are going to say that after you have done those things, studied hard in rigorous courses, participated in activities you feel passionate about, worked to be helpful to others you care about, spent time preparing good applications, studying for, and excelling at your standardized tests, the answer is NOTHING.

Out-of-State

BestColleges

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

The lack of standardized testing places more weight on nonacademic factors like guidance counselor recommendations and nonacademic ratings by admissions officers, which are biased toward higher-income students, according to the study. Standardized Test Scores Better Predictors of Success Than GPAs?

SAT

College Transitions

JULY 10, 2024

Prior to the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, rarely did a single month pass without another well-known college or university making headlines by announcing that it would no longer require applicants to submit standardized test scores.

Testing