What Today’s Applicants Need to Know
By Lindsey Kundel, Senior Content Manager, InGenius Prep
The last few years have radically reshaped how students apply to college. The rise of test-optional policies during the pandemic felt, to many, like a long-overdue correction—a chance to focus on potential over privilege, story over scores. But beneath the surface of this movement, a quieter shift is underway. Elite colleges are rolling back those test-optional promises, citing data that suggests they may have unintentionally excluded the very students they hoped to support. At the same time, traditional Ivy League schools are facing growing competition from a new class of institutions—places like Vanderbilt, MIT, Duke, and UCLA—where acceptance rates are just as low and outcomes are just as elite. In today’s admissions landscape, prestige is expanding, testing is returning, and students need more than a compelling narrative: they need a strategy.
The Rise (and Reconsideration) of Test-Optional Policies
When COVID-19 shut down testing centers in 2020, colleges had to adapt. Test-optional admissions policies were quickly adopted out of necessity—but the move also aligned with long-standing critiques of standardized testing. Critics argued that the SAT and ACT favored wealthier students with access to test prep, and research backed up claims that GPA was often a better predictor of college success.
By 2021, over 1,800 U.S. colleges and universities had gone test-optional. Some, like the University of California system, even went test-blind. For a time, it seemed like the college admissions world was undergoing a major paradigm shift.
But in 2024, the narrative began to change. Dartmouth reinstated its SAT/ACT requirement after internal research revealed that test scores helped identify strong applicants—especially low-income and first-gen students—whose transcripts might not reflect the full scope of their academic potential.
“We were unintentionally making it harder for some of the most promising students to be seen,” said Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock in a 2024 interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Other top schools quickly followed suit. MIT, which had already resumed test requirements in 2022, was joined by Georgetown, Yale, and the University of Texas at Austin in reaffirming the role of standardized testing. In short: test-optional may be here to stay at many schools, but at the most selective institutions, the tide is turning.
Why Test-Optional Isn’t Truly Optional at the Top
The term “test-optional” can be misleading. In theory, it means students are not required to submit scores—but in practice, students who do are often admitted at far higher rates.
A 2023 Common App analysis found that:
- At top 50 universities, students who submitted test scores were admitted at 2 to 3 times the rate of those who didn’t.
- At Emory University, 81% of admitted students submitted SAT or ACT scores, despite the test-optional policy.
- At Notre Dame, over 90% of admitted students submitted scores in the most recent cycle.
For applicants without scores, the bar is simply higher. Test scores are one of the few standardized benchmarks available to compare students across different schools, grading systems, and states. Without them, other parts of the application—essays, recommendations, activities—carry even more weight.
For students targeting highly selective schools—whether the traditional Ivy League or the emerging New Ivies—submitting strong scores is often not optional in reality. It’s a way to signal academic readiness and stand out in an increasingly crowded applicant pool.
The Rise of the “New Ivies”
For decades, the Ivy League defined prestige. But in recent years, the list of “must-apply” colleges for top students has grown—both because of increasing competitiveness at the Ivies and because other schools have risen in reputation, rigor, and outcomes. Enter: the New Ivies.
This term, once used informally by counselors and consultants, was formalized by Forbes in 2023 and updated in 2025, when they published a list of 20 private and public colleges gaining serious traction among employers and high-achieving applicants alike.
What sets these schools apart isn’t just name recognition—it’s what happens after students graduate. Career outcomes, alumni networks, and employer demand are now central to prestige, not just an embossed acceptance letter or a centuries-old campus.
But here’s what’s also telling: many of these so-called New Ivies are just as hard—or harder—to get into than some of the traditional ones.
The Forbes “New Ivies” List (2025)
Forbes included the following 20 institutions in its latest “New Ivies” roundup, based on employer surveys, graduation outcomes, and academic strength:
🔹 Private Universities
- Carnegie Mellon University (~14%) – Premier in computer science and engineering
- Emory University (~13%) – Health sciences and liberal arts
- Georgetown University (~12%) – Government and international relations leader
- Johns Hopkins University (~7%) – Top-ranked in medicine and research
- Northwestern University (~7%) – Journalism, theater, and economics powerhouse
- Rice University (~8%) – Personalized STEM education
- Tufts University (~11%) – Internationalism and civic engagement
- University of Notre Dame (~13%) – Strong academics and faith-based leadership
- University of Southern California (USC) (~11%) – Media, business, and innovation hub
- Washington University in St. Louis (~11%) – Research and interdisciplinary excellence
🔹 Public Universities
- Georgia Tech (~17%) – Engineering and AI
- Purdue University (~60%) – Engineering and agriculture
- University of Texas at Austin (~29%) – Public flagship with tech and business strengths
- West Point (US Military Academy) (~10%) – Military and leadership education
- UIUC (Illinois) (~60%) – CS and engineering
- University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (~18–20%) – Across-the-board excellence
- UNC–Chapel Hill (~19%) – Journalism, public health, liberal arts
- University of Pittsburgh (~64%) – Public health and research
- University of Virginia (~21%) – Historic public Ivy with civic values
- William & Mary (~37%) – Small liberal arts focus at a public price
Note: Forbes’ list included some schools with higher acceptance rates, focusing more on employer perception and value than pure selectivity. But from an applicant’s standpoint, selectivity still matters.
The InGenius Curated “Ivy Plus” List (Based on Selectivity + Reputation)
Here’s a refined look at the schools that function most like traditional Ivies today—based on acceptance rates under 15%, national reputation, and growing employer demand. These are the schools our team sees students consistently targeting when building highly competitive school lists.
Tier 1: The “New Ivies” (Acceptance Rates Under 10%)
| School | Acceptance Rate | Notes |
| MIT | ~4% | STEM powerhouse; reinstated SAT/ACT |
| Stanford | ~3.9% | Often more selective than any Ivy |
| UChicago | ~5% | Academic rigor + intellectual identity |
| Caltech | ~3% | Ultra-selective, science-focused |
| Duke | ~6% | Southern Ivy peer with elite outcomes |
| Johns Hopkins | ~7% | Medical/pre-med magnet |
| Vanderbilt | ~7% | Growing brand in the South |
| UCLA (OOS) | ~9% | #1 in U.S. applications; top-ranked public |
| UC Berkeley (OOS) | ~11% | Tech and policy prestige on par with Ivies |
Tier 2: The Rising Ivies (10–15% Acceptance Rate)
| School | Acceptance Rate | Notes |
| Northwestern | ~7% | Journalism, business, and performing arts hub |
| Rice | ~8% | High-touch, research-focused private |
| Emory | ~13% | Liberal arts and health sciences strength |
| Georgetown | ~12% | Political and global leadership pipeline |
| USC | ~11% | Media, entrepreneurship, and diversity |
| WashU St. Louis | ~11% | Underrated academic excellence |
| Notre Dame | ~13% | Faith-aligned leadership with global reach |
| UNC Chapel Hill (OOS) | ~9% | Flagship with elite public value |
| University of Michigan (OOS) | ~14% | World-class public education + alumni network |
| University of Virginia (OOS) | ~12% | Jeffersonian ideals meet modern selectivity |
So Many Lists… So What?
In short: the list of “Ivy-level” schools is growing—but so is the competition. Many of these New Ivies now have lower acceptance rates than traditional Ivies like Cornell or Brown, and they’re drawing from the exact same pool of driven, high-achieving students.
For applicants who choose not to submit test scores, the rest of the application has to do even more work. A strong testing profile isn’t required at all of these schools—but it can provide one of the few standardized metrics admissions officers use to compare students across states, grading systems, and curricula.
Whether you’re targeting Princeton or Rice, Dartmouth or Duke, success today requires more than prestige-chasing. It requires understanding the real landscape—and planning accordingly.
What Students and Families Should Do Next: Strategy Over Assumptions
In a landscape shaped by shifting policies, fierce competition, and redefined prestige, students can’t afford to rely on assumptions—about rankings, about what “test-optional” really means, or about what schools are in reach. The smartest applicants are the ones who match their ambition with strategy.
1. Take the SAT or ACT—Even If It’s “Optional”
If you’re applying to schools with acceptance rates under 20%, submitting test scores is still highly recommended. The data is consistent: score-submitters have a significant edge. Strong test results won’t make up for a weak academic record—but they can elevate a strong one and make you more competitive for merit aid, too.
2. Broaden Your Definition of Prestige
The Ivies still carry weight, but so do Duke, Northwestern, UCLA, and Rice. When you’re evaluating colleges, look beyond name recognition and consider academic fit, post-grad outcomes, and access to research or internships. Employers certainly are.
3. Craft a Standout Narrative
With or without test scores, your story matters more than ever. How have you pursued your academic interests outside the classroom? What impact have you made in your community? What distinguishes your voice from thousands of others?
4. Be Data-Informed, Not Data-Obsessed
Acceptance rates are one data point—not the whole story. At InGenius Prep, we help students build smart, balanced school lists with real admissions odds and custom strategies for each application. Numbers matter, but knowing how to stand out matters more.
Conclusion
The college admissions world is no longer just about the Ivy League—and test-optional is not the equalizer it once promised to be. In this new era of ultra-selectivity and shifting prestige, preparation, clarity, and expert guidance are everything. Whether you’re eyeing Princeton or Purdue, UCLA or UChicago, success begins with understanding the landscape—and playing the long game.
Need help navigating this new landscape?
At InGenius Prep, we work with students one-on-one to develop data-backed application strategies that reflect their goals, strengths, and personal stories. Whether you’re aiming for the Ivy League, a New Ivy, or building a smart, balanced school list, our expert team helps you make informed choices—not just hopeful ones.
Book a free consultation today to start crafting your path to college success.