KeplarDo Colleges Require the SAT for Fall 2027? Where 25 Top Schools Stand
Test-required, test-optional or test-blind: SAT policies at 25 selective colleges for Fall 2027 applicants, checked on each school's admissions site, with recent score ranges.
A few years ago most selective colleges went test-optional. Since then, a growing number have brought the SAT or ACT back. If you're applying this year for Fall 2027 entry, here's where 25 of the most-searched colleges stand, checked on each school's own admissions website, with the score ranges their recent students reported.
The short version
- Test-required (12): MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Penn, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, UT Austin and Georgia Tech all expect an SAT or ACT score.
- Test-optional (6): Princeton, Duke, Northwestern, NYU, the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan.
- Test-blind (6): the six University of California campuses on our list (Berkeley, UCLA, San Diego, Davis, Irvine, Santa Barbara) don't consider scores at all.
- Not confirmed (1): we couldn't confirm the University of Chicago's 2026–27 policy on its official site; third-party lists describe it as test-optional.
College-by-college SAT policies for 2026–27
"Required" means you must send an SAT or ACT score. "Optional" means you choose. "Not considered" (test-blind) means scores aren't used in admission even if sent. The score columns show the middle 50% of enrolled students' section scores, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
| College | Testing policy | SAT, middle 50% | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | Required | 1520–1580RW 740–780 · Math 780–800 | 4.5% |
| Harvard | Required | 1510–1580RW 740–780 · Math 770–800 | 3.6% |
| Yale | Required | 1470–1570RW 730–780 · Math 740–790 | 3.9% |
| Stanford | Required | 1510–1580RW 740–780 · Math 770–800 | 3.6% |
| Princeton | OptionalRequired again from Fall 2028 | 1510–1580RW 740–780 · Math 770–800 | 4.6% |
| Penn | Required | 1510–1570RW 740–770 · Math 770–800 | 5.4% |
| Dartmouth | Required*Pages not dated for this cycle | 1500–1570RW 740–780 · Math 760–790 | 5.4% |
| Brown | Required | 1510–1580RW 740–780 · Math 770–800 | 5.4% |
| Cornell | Required | 1500–1570RW 730–770 · Math 770–800 | 8.8% |
| UChicago | Not confirmedNot stated on the official site we checked | 1510–1580RW 740–780 · Math 770–800 | 4.5% |
| Duke | Optional | 1500–1570RW 740–770 · Math 760–800 | 5.7% |
| Northwestern | Optional | 1510–1570RW 740–770 · Math 770–800 | 7.7% |
| Johns Hopkins | Required*Older pages say optional; newer pages say required | 1520–1570RW 740–770 · Math 780–800 | 6.4% |
| Georgetown | Required | 1390–1550RW 700–770 · Math 690–780 | 12.9% |
| NYU | OptionalOptional through 2027–28 | 1480–1560RW 720–760 · Math 760–800 | 9.2% |
| UVA | Optional | 1410–1540RW 700–760 · Math 710–780 | 16.8% |
| Michigan | Optional | 1360–1530RW 680–750 · Math 680–780 | 15.6% |
| UT Austin | RequiredDoes not superscore | 1250–1510RW 630–740 · Math 620–770 | 26.6% |
| Georgia Tech | Required | 1370–1540RW 680–750 · Math 690–790 | 14.1% |
| UC Berkeley | Not considered | Not reported | 11.0% |
| UCLA | Not considered | Not reported | 9.0% |
| UC San Diego | Not considered | Not reported | 26.7% |
| UC Davis | Not considered | Not reported | 41.8% |
| UC Irvine | Not considered | Not reported | 28.6% |
| UC Santa Barbara | Not considered | Not reported | 33.0% |
What scores did admitted students have?
The chart shows the middle 50% of enrolled students' combined scores at the 19 colleges that published SAT data (the UCs don't, since they're test-blind). A quarter of enrolled students scored at or below the left end of each bar and a quarter scored at or above the right end.
Two things stand out. At the most selective schools the ranges are very compressed: most enrolled students scored above 1500, so a high score keeps you in contention rather than setting you apart. And at large public universities like UT Austin, Michigan and Georgia Tech the ranges are wider, so the score matters alongside many other parts of the application.
What this means for you
- Plan to test. With half of these colleges requiring scores, and more announcing returns, a strong SAT keeps the most doors open.
- Use ranges to set a target. Aim for at least the 25th percentile of the schools you care most about, and ideally the middle of the range. Our diagnostic test guide shows how to measure the gap.
- At test-optional schools, decide score by score. A score near or above the middle of a college's range usually helps; one well below may not. Read each college's own guidance.
- Check details on each official site. Some colleges superscore and some don't (UT Austin, for example, says it does not superscore), and deadlines for sending scores vary by application round.
How we checked
Each testing policy was read from the college's official admissions website on October 9, 2026, for students applying in the 2026–27 cycle. Where a college's own pages disagreed, or weren't dated for this cycle, the table says so. Score ranges come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (IPEDS data year 2024, released June 2026). They describe students who enrolled, not every admitted student, and they reflect only students who submitted scores. Testing policies change often: always confirm on the college's own site before you apply.
Common questions
Is the SAT required again at Ivy League schools?
For students applying in 2026–27, most Ivy League schools on this list require the SAT or ACT. Princeton is test-optional for Fall 2027 entry and has announced it will require scores again from the 2027–28 cycle (Fall 2028 entry).
What does test-blind mean?
A test-blind college does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions even if you send them. The University of California campuses are test-blind.
Should I send my SAT score to a test-optional college?
A common rule of thumb is to send it if your score is at or above the middle of the college's recent range for admitted or enrolled students, and to think carefully if it's well below. Each college explains how it treats submitted scores on its admissions site.
How current is this information?
Each policy was checked on the college's official admissions website in October 2026 for the 2026–27 application cycle. Policies change, so always confirm on the college's own site before you apply.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard data
- Princeton: Standardized testing policy
- University of California: Freshman requirements
Dates, policies and test details change. Check the official source before you make a decision.
