Admissions policy
Colleges use three common labels for how they treat SAT and ACT scores. They sound similar, but they ask for different decisions from you. This guide explains each one and how to choose what to send.
Test-required means you must submit an SAT or ACT score to apply. Test-optional means you may submit a score if you want it considered, and you will not be penalized for leaving it out. Test-blind (sometimes called test-free) means the college does not consider SAT or ACT scores at all, even if you send them.
A fourth label, test-flexible, means you can choose among tests or other evidence, such as AP or IB results, instead of the SAT or ACT. Names vary from college to college, so read how each one describes its own rule.
At a test-optional college, a strong score can still help. The college reads what you send as extra evidence. If your score is at or above the college's usual range, sending it is generally reasonable. If it sits well below the range and the rest of your record is strong, leaving it out can be a sensible choice.
Be careful with one detail. The score ranges published for test-optional colleges describe the students who chose to submit, and those students tend to have higher scores. A range can therefore look harder to reach than it is. The guide to the middle 50% range covers this.
Always check the college's admissions site for the current cycle, and for any scholarship you plan to apply for.
Compare your score with the college's middle 50% range. A score above the 75th percentile helps most. Inside the range, it is a neutral to mild plus. Below the 25th percentile, consider whether the rest of your application is strong enough to stand on its own. If a college asks you to explain a missing score, answer plainly and briefly.
Also think about cost and timing. If you want to submit a score, you need it reported before the deadline, and sending scores can carry a fee unless a waiver applies. See SAT fee waivers for how waivers work in general.
The College Scorecard data behind this site includes a testing-policy field, but only a minority of colleges report it in the release we use. The test-required list and the test-considered list show the colleges that do. Treat them as a sample, not a complete national list, and confirm the current policy on each college's own site.
No. A test-optional college will read a score if you send one, while a test-blind college does not consider scores at all.
Often yes if it is at or above the college's typical range, and often no if it is well below and the rest of your application is strong. Check the college's guidance.
Yes. The rest of the application usually matters more when there is no score, so grades, course rigor and essays carry weight.
Last reviewed 2026-10-14. This guide is general information, not advice for your situation. Test and admissions policies change, so check the official College Board, ACT or college page for the current rule.
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