The Thoughtful College Search

MARCH 18, 2024

Yale University , Brown University , and the University of Texas at Austin have all joined Dartmouth College in announcing that they will return to requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores, ending the test-optional policies they put in place back in 2020 when the pandemic prevented students from taking standardized tests.

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Ivy Central

MAY 5, 2023

Application Components Complete the Common Application High School Transcript: Submit the transcript and include the senior year grades. The Midyear School Report form should be submitted to the admission office with an updated transcript as soon as first-semester grades are available.

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Early Decision Letters of Recommendation Out-of-State Transcripts 130

Solomon Admissions

APRIL 12, 2023

Sending Transcripts/Providing Additional Context: High school counselors are responsible for maintaining student transcripts and sending them to colleges as requested. Recommending Students: High school counselors write letters of recommendation for students, which can be an important part of the college application process.

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Great College Advice

JULY 25, 2023

Many students, however, would prefer to believe that the grades on their transcripts don’t matter much. And they are recorded and presented to college admissions offices on your transcript. The Importance of Your Transcript The number one most important element of your college application is your transcript.

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Ivy Central

MAY 13, 2023

Application Components: All required parts of the Common Application or Coalition, powered by Scoir, Official high school transcript Counselor letter of recommendation Two academic teacher letters of recommendation Standardized Test Scores: The test scores are optional for students applying for fall 2023 and Fall 2024.

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Next Admit College Admissions Blog

JANUARY 30, 2023

SAT and ACT MIT will require the SAT or ACT for the 2022-23 application cycle. The middle 50% of admitted students report Math SAT scores in the range of 790-800, SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing of 730-780, and Composite ACT scores of 35-36. Transcript MIT requires a transcript as part of your application.

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Ivy Central

APRIL 28, 2023

Application Components Complete the Common App School Report Counselor Recommendation Official High School Transcript: This should include your midyear Report after your first term of senior year. Standardized Test Scores: Scripps College is test optional.

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Ivy Central

APRIL 24, 2023

Application Components: Complete the Common App School Report Counselor Recommendation Official High School Transcript: This should include your midyear Report after your first term of senior year Standardized Test Scores: Occidental is test optional.

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College Essay Guy

MAY 16, 2023

If you’re applying to schools with different supplemental essays, we’d highly recommend what we call the “ super essay ” approach—a strategy for combining a lot of different schools’ prompts, so you can save yourself possibly dozens of hours of writing. The courses will show up on your high school transcript.

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Top Tier Admissions

JANUARY 9, 2024

Official copies of your high school and college transcripts must be mailed, emailed, or uploaded by your high school and current college registrars to the admissions offices at your destination colleges. The Common App for Transfer has a handy Transcript Request Form you can use. You can often fill this in yourself.

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Next Admit College Admissions Blog

JANUARY 3, 2023

SAT and ACT Stanford University is currently test-optional , and there is no minimum SAT or ACT score required to get into Stanford. ACT/SAT Scores Taking the ACT and/or the SAT is always recommended for students interested in applying to Stanford but not required for the 2022-2023 application cycle.

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Ivy Central

APRIL 27, 2023

Application Components: Complete the Common App School Report Counselor Recommendation Official High School Transcript: This should include your midyear Report after your first term of senior year. Standardized Test Scores: Pomona College is test optional.

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

You know that your college applicant is much more than a high GPA and solid standardized test scores—they’re an exceptionally intelligent, self-driven, independent thinker who would thrive in a rigorous but free-spirited academic atmosphere on a classic New England college campus. states, including Washington D.C.,

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Next Admit College Admissions Blog

AUGUST 9, 2023

SAT and ACT In 2022-23, UPenn did not require the ACT or SAT to apply. For enrolled students who did report test scores, the middle 50% report SAT scores in the range of 770-800, SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing of 730-780, and Composite ACT scores of 33-35. For reference, the Common App essay is 650 words.

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College Essay Guy

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Take the PSAT and plan your test dates for the ACT or SAT; typically, you will take either of these standardized tests for the first time during the winter or spring of your junior year. Winter and spring of your junior year Take the ACT or SAT for the first time or second time to increase your score.

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Ivy Central

APRIL 29, 2023

Application Components: Complete the Common App School Report Counselor Recommendation Official High School Transcript: This should include your midyear Report after your first term of senior year. Standardized Test Scores: Claremont McKenna College is test optional.

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Early Decision Government Letters of Recommendation GPA 130

Top Tier Admissions

OCTOBER 18, 2023

GPA Enhancement: If your undergraduate GPA doesn’t meet the competitive standards for medical school, a post-bacc program can help you demonstrate your academic potential by achieving excellent grades in the prerequisite courses. 2-3 strong letters of recommendation from top faculty.

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Top Tier Admissions

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

Standardized testing typically isn’t as big a factor in the transfer application process, although schools may ask to see those SAT or ACT scores you took in high school. If you’re struggling in college and your grades reflect it, it will be tough to be a viable applicant in transfer pools that are selective.

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

Along with the other UC schools, UCLA no longer accepts standardized test scores. Accordingly, there is no testing data for the most recently accepted class. UCLA considers three main components of a student’s high school history: academic rigor, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

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Simply Admissions

AUGUST 13, 2020

This month, we’ll go over post-COVID standardized testing changes and FAQs. The majority of colleges have changed their testing requirements recently, which seems like it’s only caused more confusion! Below is a handy cheat sheet I’ve created that summarizes the different testing policies. Should I take the ACT/SAT?

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the college spy

OCTOBER 1, 2021

The role of standardized tests in the college admissions process has always been difficult to understand, with most people overestimating their importance at most colleges. The following is The College Spy’s guide to what students and parents need to understand about the changing landscape of standardized testing in college admissions.

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StandOut College Prep

MARCH 9, 2023

Here are some of the most important factors that admissions officers consider when making admissions decisions: Grades and Test Scores : Admissions officers typically look for students with a strong academic record. Standardized test scores, such as the SAT or ACT, are also considered.

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Educated Quest

OCTOBER 20, 2022

Standardized test scores are one of several data points in college admissions, even at test-optional schools. Admissions officers will tell you that the admissions process is holistic, that they look at several factors, the most important being the rigor and grades on a high school transcript.

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Great College Advice

AUGUST 31, 2023

This is done by submitting the academic record for the last four years of secondary school (in the US, this is called the “transcript”). In addition, students may be asked to submit scores on standardized tests (the SAT or ACT) and one or more letters of recommendation from teachers and school counselors.

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Rice average ACT score: 25th percentile: 34 75th percentile: 36 Rice average SAT score: 25th percentile: 1500 75th percentile: 1560 International students: 13% Texas residents: 35% 27% identify as white and 34% identify as Asian American. One counselor recommendation School report, high school transcript, and midyear report.

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

Caltech is currently taking a three-year moratorium from considering any standardized test scores in their admissions process (through Fall 2023). As such, average test scores for the most recently admitted class are not available. It’s not enough for your child to have a knack for math and physics.

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

Brown PLME testing requirements PLME matriculants between 2017 and 2019 averaged the following standardized test scores: SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 742 SAT Mathematics: 770 ACT: 34 2023–2024 admissions to Brown are test-optional due to the hardship of COVID-19.

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SSA Online College Prep

SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

Birmingham-Southern College (Birmingham, Alabama) Distinguished Scholars Awards : Offers full tuition based on high school transcripts, standardized test scores, extracurriculars, an essay, and an interview. Selection is based on standardized test scores, academic record, and an interview. Students must have a 3.6

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

If you’ve taken the SAT or ACT more than once, you are encouraged to send in all scores. They will “superscore” the SAT, according to the Admissions Program Director. Note: For the 2022-2023 application cycle, the SAT and ACT requirement will be waived for students whose ability to take the exam was impeded by COVID.).

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SSA Online College Prep

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

Candidates must submit their completed application (including transcripts and official test scores) by November 15 to be considered. Applicants should complete the Common Application and submit an essay, creative work portfolio, and a letter of recommendation by November 15. Jumpstart your SAT® prep with us.

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The Thoughtful College Search

JUNE 27, 2022

Admission became “holistic” rather than purely academic, with essays, activities, and recommendation letters becoming part of the admissions process. Are colleges willing to see a decline in applications in exchange for requiring test scores? How much predictive value does testing add to a student’s transcript?

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Spark Admissions

JUNE 20, 2023

Is your SAT score or ACT score high enough to get into Yale? Yale admissions officers will calculate based on your high school transcript, which you’ll submit with your overall application. Even though schools have been test-option, Yale will prefer that you have an SAT score or ACT score. What about your high school GPA?

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Because UC Berkeley, along with the other UC schools, no longer requires or accepts standardized test scores, there is no SAT and ACT data for the most recent freshman class. Optional: AP or IB exam scores Optional: Two letters of recommendation.

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BestColleges

DECEMBER 20, 2023

Columbia became the first Ivy to permanently adopt a test-optional admissions policy in 2023. Should you submit SAT or ACT scores? In the Class of 2026, 45% of students submitted SAT scores, while 24% provided ACT scores. And their scores were high, with a median score of 1540 on the SAT and 35 on the ACT.

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Next Admit College Admissions Blog

APRIL 29, 2023

SAT and ACT The middle 50% of accepted applicants for Harvard either scored between 33-36 on the ACT or between 1480-1580 on the SAT. What You Need from Your School Midyear School Report At the time of your application, your counselor will likely submit your transcript to Harvard without senior year grades.

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Shemmassian Academic Consulting

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

To get a sense of what it takes to join Dartmouth’s next incoming class, let’s take a look at the admissions and demographic statistics for the class of 2026: Note: The standardized test scores below are for the class of 2024, which is the most recent year scores were required to be submitted.

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College Essay Guy

MARCH 11, 2024

Grades in core subjects When it comes to your transcripts, there are courses colleges consider your “core” subjects (sometimes called “ college prep courses ”), meaning these are the foundation of your academic life in high school. What Do Colleges Care About Besides Grades? FAQ For What Grades do Colleges Look At?

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