2022 Test Optional Colleges: Changes in Light of COVID-19
As the pandemic continues, many colleges have decided to step up and remove standardized test scores from their requirements for at least the upcoming admissions cycle. We have a comprehensive list of the 2022 test optional colleges for you.
If you have an SAT score already, great! If you haven’t taken the exam yet, it’s important to think about the bigger picture and keep a few of the 2022 test optional colleges on your list in case the situation prevents you from taking the SAT. To help you review the options, I have included the full list of schools that have made the decision to go test optional next year, and added more updates from the College Board to consider as you plan your road to the next four years.
List of 2022 Test Optional Colleges
As you look through the list of 2022 test optional colleges, you’ll notice that some schools have implemented test optional routes for more than just the upcoming cycle to be fair to all students in high school that could be impacted by this, regardless of which grade they are in right now. The following table includes institutions that have made changes to their standardized testing policies as a result of the disruptions. We will update the list as more colleges make announcements of changes.
Table Key
- School: Name of the college which has gone test optional
- Application Cycles Impacted: How long the change will be applicable
- Additional Notes: Further details on schools that have alternate requirements in place of test score submission
| School | Application Years Impacted | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amherst College | 2022-23 | |
| Babson College | 2022-23 | |
| Barnard College | 2022-23 | |
| Baylor University | 2022-23 | |
| Bentley University | 2022-23 | |
| Boston College | 2022-23 | |
| Boston University | 2022-2023 | |
| Brown University | 2022-2023 | |
| Bucknell University | 2022-23, 2023-24 | |
| California Insitute of Technology | 2022-23 | Test blind, i.e., not considering test scores at all |
| California State University | Permanently Test blind (not accepting SAT/ACT) | |
| Case Western University | 2022-203 | |
| Catholic University | Test Blind (not accepting SAT/ACT) | |
| Chapman University | 2022-23 | |
| Claremont McKenna College | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| Clarkson University | 2022-23 | |
| Clemson University | 2022-23 | |
| Colgate University | 2022-23 | |
| College of Charleston | 2022-23 | |
| Columbia University | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| Cornell University | 2022-23, 2023-24 (Optional for Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Human Ecology, & Industrial/Labor; Blind for Ag & Life Sciences, Architecture, and School of Business) | |
| Cooper Union | 2022-23 | |
| Dartmouth College | 2022-23 | |
| Davidson College | Permanently test optional | |
| Drexel University | 2022-23 | |
| Elon University | 2022-23 | |
| Emory University | 2022-23 | |
| Fordham University | 2022-23 | |
| George Washington University | Completely test optional | |
| Grinnell College | 2022-23 | |
| Hamilton College | 2022-23 | |
| Harvard University | 2022-23; 2023-24; 2024-25; 2025-26 | |
| Harvey Mudd College | 2022-23 | |
| Haverford College | 2022-23 | |
| Johns Hopkins University | 2022-23; 2023-24; 2024-25; 2025-26 | |
| Kenyon College | 2022-23 | |
| Indiana University — Bloomington | Completely test optional | |
| Michigan State | 2023-24; 2024-25; 2025-26 | |
| Middlebury College | 2022-23 | |
| New York University | 2022-23 | |
| Northeastern University | 2022-23; 2023-24; 2024-25; 2025-26 | |
| Northwestern University | 2022-23 | |
| Oberlin College | 2022-23 | |
| Ohio State University | 2022-23 | |
| Olin College of Engineering | 2022-23 | |
| Oregon State University | Completely test optional | |
| Pitzer College | 2022-23; 2023-2024 (Test blind – not accepting SAT/ACT) | |
| Pomona College | 2022-2023 | |
| Princeton University | 2022-23 | |
| Reed College | 2022-23; Test blind – not accepting SAT/ACT | |
| Rhodes College | 2022-23 | |
| Rice University | 2022-23 | |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Completely test optional | |
| Rutgers University | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| Santa Clara University | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| Stanford University | 2022-2023 | |
| State University of New York | 2022-23 | |
| Syracuse University | 2022-23 | |
| Texas Christian University | 2022-23 | |
| Tufts University | 2022-23 | |
| Tulane University | 2022-23 | |
| University of California (all schools) | Permanently test-blind | |
| University of Chicago | 2022-23 | |
| University of Colorado-Boulder | 2022-23 | |
| University of Connecticut | 2022-23; 2023-2024; 2024-2025; 2025-2026 | |
| University of Illinois (all schools) | 2022-23 | |
| University of Maryland – College Park | 2022-23 | |
| University of Massachusetts—Amherst | 2022-23 | |
| University of Minnesota—Twin Cities | 2022-23 | |
| University of North Carolina (all schools) | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| University of Notre Dame | 2022-23 | |
| University of Oregon | Completely test optional | |
| University of Pennsylvania | 2022-23 | |
| University of Pittsburgh | 2022-23 | |
| University of Richmond | 2022-23 | |
| University of San Diego | 2022-23 (Test blind-not accepting the SAT/ACT) | |
| University of South Carolina | 2022-23 | |
| University of Southern California | 2022-23 | |
| University of Texas — Austin | 2022-23 | |
| University of Toronto | 2022-23 | |
| University of Virginia | 2022-23 | |
| University of Washington — Seattle | Completely test optional | |
| University of Wisconsin — Madison | 2022-2023; 2023-2024 | |
| Vanderbilt University | 2022-23 | |
| Vassar College | 2022-23 | |
| Villanova University | 2022-23 | |
| Virginia Tech | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| Washington and Lee University | 2022-23 | |
| Washington University in St. Louis | 2022-23, 2023-24 | |
| Wellesley College | 2022-23; 2023-24 | |
| William and Mary | 2022-23 | |
| Williams College | 2022-23 | |
| Yale University | 2022-23 |
Most colleges have only implemented the change in policy for one year, although a handful of schools are running three-year pilot programs. It should be interesting to note how the addition of this new protocol impacts incoming classes — how many students submit their scores, what the median numbers are, and whether colleges choose to expand this policy beyond just this upcoming cycle.
Shoshannah Feinberg, a Former Admissions Officer from Northwestern, discusses how these new policies will influence your admissions chances in this podcast episode:
Colleges that are Not Test Optional
On the flip side of the chart that we’ve included, at some colleges and universities, SAT and ACT scores are still mandatory. This list of schools includes:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Georgetown University
- United States Military Academy
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- University of Florida
- Florida State University
Other Changes in Testing by the College Board
On the 19th of January 2021, the College Board announced that it will no longer offer SAT subject tests. Reflecting on a year of COVID-19 impacting the testing landscape in various ways, the Board said that the pandemic ““accelerated a process already underway at the College Board to reduce and simplify demands on students.” The timeline of this announcement is simple: The “SAT subject tests canceled” headline goes into effect immediately for all test centers in the US and after the May and June 2021 administrations for tests given internationally (including Canada). In addition, in light of the pandemic, the College Board will be working on a more flexible and streamlined version of the SAT that can be digitally delivered. There is not yet any official timeline for this change and the College Board will share more information about this later in the spring. The organization is also cancelling the optional Essay on the SAT after the June 2021 session.
Understandably, the list of 2022 test optional colleges is ever expanding. If you’re a student who hasn’t had the chance to take the exam — or aren’t sure if you’ll be able to do so in the fall — take advantage of the changes and consider applying to these institutions and other test optional colleges. Expect more universities to announce adjustments in their testing policies as states make changes regarding lockdown timelines in the upcoming months, but at the same time, continue leaving time to practice for the SAT, as most top schools haven’t made any changes so far. Good luck!
