Standardized Testing Is Back in the Conversation 📣 Here’s What Families Need to Know

By Lee Norwood, Annapolis College Consulting

For the last few years, families have heard the phrase “test optional” and assumed it meant “testing does not matter anymore.”

That was never exactly true.

The better way to say it is this: standardized testing matters differently depending on the student, the college, the major, the application pool, and the strength of the rest of the application.

A recent U.S. News article on SAT and ACT scores in college admissions reinforces what we see every day in our counseling work: grades and curriculum are still the foundation of a college application, but strong test scores can absolutely help a student stand out. That is especially true at selective colleges, for merit aid consideration, honors programs, direct-admit majors, and competitive scholarships.

And now, we are seeing more colleges move back toward requiring or strongly valuing standardized testing. Dartmouth reinstated its SAT/ACT requirement for applicants to the Class of 2029, citing its own research that high school grades paired with testing were the most reliable indicators of success there. Harvard also returned to required testing for students applying for fall 2025 admission. MIT had already reinstated its testing requirement, and Yale has now updated its policy to require the SAT or ACT for first-year and transfer applicants.

So what does this mean for families?

It means we need to stop treating testing as an afterthought.

I am not saying every student needs a perfect score. I am not saying testing is more important than the transcript. It is not. The rigor of the classes, the grades earned, the student’s activities, essays, recommendations, and overall fit still matter deeply.

But I am saying this: students need a testing plan.

A good testing plan begins early, usually with the PSAT or a diagnostic SAT/ACT. From there, students should determine which test fits them best, when they should test, whether prep makes sense, and whether their scores will help or hurt at the schools on their list.

This is where families get into trouble. They either panic and over-test, or they ignore testing completely because they heard “test optional.” Neither strategy is smart.

Test optional does not always mean test blind. It means the student has a choice. And choices require strategy.

For some students, submitting scores can strengthen the application. For others, withholding scores may be the better move. For students applying to engineering, business, nursing, computer science, or highly selective colleges, strong scores may carry additional weight. For students seeking merit aid, scores may also matter more than families realize.

The bottom line: standardized testing is not dead. It is evolving. See the recent article in US News- we don’t always love this resource, and their college rankings are often bought, but on this topic, we are in sync with them. Article.

Families should not chase scores at the expense of everything else, but they also should not ignore a tool that may help their student gain admission, earn scholarship money, or confirm academic readiness.

At Annapolis College Consulting, we help families look at the whole picture: the student’s transcript, goals, college list, testing profile, financial needs, and best-fit opportunities. Testing is one piece of the puzzle — but when used wisely, it can be a very helpful piece.

The goal is not to test endlessly. 🦀 The goal is to make smart, informed decisions. 🦀 And that is how we lower stress in the college process.

Let’s talk testing, college lists, essays and all “the things.”