Colleges That Consider but Do Not Require Test Scores

These colleges reported that test scores are considered if submitted but not required. 65 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 20, led by California Institute of Technology (California).

Across all 65 qualifying colleges the acceptance rate runs from 2.6% (California Institute of Technology) to 99.5% (Southern New Hampshire University), with a median of 45.2%. For comparison, the median across the 354 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 44.6%.

Top 20 colleges: test-considered colleges

Top 20 of 65 colleges. Source: College Scorecard, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26).
#	College	State	Test policy	Acceptance rate	SAT middle 50%	Graduation rate
1	California Institute of Technology	CA	Considered	2.6%	—	94.4%
2	Minerva University	CA	Considered	3.0%	—	—
3	University of California-Los Angeles	CA	Considered	9.0%	—	92.6%
4	University of California-Berkeley	CA	Considered	11.0%	—	92.8%
5	Crown College	MN	Considered	22.8%	—	45.4%
6	Pitzer College	CA	Considered	25.2%	—	83.4%
7	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo	PR	Considered	26.5%	—	37.7%
8	University of California-San Diego	CA	Considered	26.7%	—	86.1%
9	University of California-Irvine	CA	Considered	28.6%	—	86.9%
10	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	CA	Considered	31.3%	—	86.4%
11	California Institute of the Arts	CA	Considered	32.3%	—	66.7%
12	University of California-Santa Barbara	CA	Considered	33.0%	—	83.0%
13	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce	PR	Considered	33.7%	—	41.4%
14	Brescia University	KY	Considered	35.2%	—	53.7%
15	University of Puerto Rico	PR	Considered	35.3%	—	37.1%
16	San Diego State University	CA	Considered	36.2%	—	76.4%
17	Dickinson State University	ND	Considered	37.0%	—	50.6%
18	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo	PR	Considered	38.2%	—	38.9%
19	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	WA	Considered	39.1%	—	85.2%
20	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon	PR	Considered	39.6%	—	34.9%

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.

What the data shows

Of the 65 qualifying colleges, 37 are public and 28 are private nonprofit. Within the table, California appears 11 times, Puerto Rico appears 5 times. The median graduation rate among the 19 listed colleges that report it is 76.4%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. Only 0 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, so the table shows a dash where none is reported.

How to read this list

In the federal coding, 'considered' means a college will look at scores when you send them but does not make them a condition of applying. Only the colleges that report a policy appear here, sorted from most to least selective by acceptance rate.

Each column in the table means the following.

Test policy: the policy reported to the federal government (required or considered). Period: Fall 2022.
Acceptance rate: the share of applicants a college admitted. Period: Fall 2022.
SAT middle 50%: the 25th to 75th percentile of the combined SAT scores of enrolled students who submitted them. Period: Fall 2022.
Graduation rate: the share of first-time, full-time students who finished a bachelor's degree at the same college within six years. Period: Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable.

Caveats

'Considered' can mean very different things in practice. Some colleges treat a strong score as a clear plus, others weigh it lightly. Check each college's admissions page and read how it states the policy.

Colleges with a missing value for the ranking field are excluded, so a college missing from the list may simply not have reported the number.
This is a sort on one number, not a quality ranking. A college lower in the table can be a better fit for you.
The figures describe past student cohorts and reporting years, listed below. Verify current numbers with the college itself before you decide.

Where to go next

To see how your own score compares, read what a 1200 SAT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.

All college rankings What a 1200 SAT means College costs by state College match by score How to read Scorecard data Colleges That Require SAT or ACT Scores Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Our Data Colleges With the Highest Six-Year Graduation Rates Colleges With the Highest Acceptance Rates Most Selective Colleges by Acceptance Rate

Frequently asked questions

Which college ranks first for test-considered colleges?

California Institute of Technology is first on this list, with acceptance rate of 2.6%. It leads 65 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.

How many colleges are on the test-considered colleges list?

65 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 20. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.

Does a higher place on this list mean a better college?

No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.

Methodology and source

Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.

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