Following a wave of other prestigious colleges–Brown, Dartmouth, Yale– that have changed from test optional to test required, Harvard University announced today that they will again require standardized test scores for undergraduate admissions:
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/4/11/harvard-sat-act-admissions-requirement/
This shift is especially notable because Harvard had previously stated that they would remain test optional up through applicants for the Harvard graduating class of 2030.
Why this change? First, “Harvard has found that SAT and ACT scores are the best predictors of Harvard grades.” This comes as no surprise in light of increasing grade inflation at U.S. high schools. According to Inside Higher Ed, “the proportion of students with A averages (including A-minus and A-plus) increased from 38.9percent of the graduating class of 1998 to 47percent of the graduating class of 2016.” If most applicants are getting A’s, colleges need another way to differentiate among applicants–hence, the need for standardized test scores.
Second, many students have mistakenly been told that unless they get ACT scores in the high 30s or SAT scores above 1500, they have no business applying to selective schools. Harvard wants to encourage students to submit scores who fall below this range, sharing that “in the last year that Harvard required testing, the range (10th percentile to 90th percentile) of SAT scores for enrolling students was 670 to 790 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 680 to 800 for Math. The range (10th percentile to 90th percentile) of ACT Composite scores was 31 to 36.” Harvard applicants who score in the in the high 1300s on the SAT and low 30s on the ACT should definitely considering submitting their scores based on this data.
Most college admissions officials to whom I have spoken have said that students are typically well-advised to submit their test scores if they are at least at the 25th percentile for admitted students. Now that standardized testing is widely available, unlike during the Covid pandemic, applicants should be aware that if they decline to submit their test scores to a college, they are effectively signaling that their scores are less than the 25th percentile for admitted students. Students can find the 25th percentile scores for colleges by searching the Big Future website.
The bottom line–in order to differentiate yourself in an increasingly competitive admissions environment, ACT and SAT scores should not longer be considered optional.
–Brian W. Stewart
FAQs
In a Major Reversal, Harvard Will Again Require ACT and SAT Scores. This shift is especially notable because Harvard had previously stated that they would remain test optional up through applicants for the Harvard graduating class of 2030. Why this change?
Is Harvard going to require standardized tests again? ›
Under the change announced Thursday, students applying to Harvard for fall 2025 admission will be required to submit standardized test scores from the SAT or ACT exams to satisfy the testing component of the application.
Does Harvard require SAT in 2024? ›
All applicants to the Class of 2029 — due to apply in the fall and winter of 2024 — will be required to submit SAT or ACT scores, barring specific cases in which they may be unable to access such exams, according to the College's announcement.
Does Harvard require both SAT and ACT? ›
Harvard Brings Back SAT, ACT Requirement For Undergrads—Latest School To Reinstate Standardized Tests. Cailey Gleeson has been a breaking news reporter since January 2024.
Does Harvard require SAT for class of 2025? ›
Students applying to Harvard College for fall 2025 admission will be required to submit standardized test scores, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday.
Does Harvard require SAT 2028? ›
Harvard University becomes latest Ivy League to reinstate SAT, ACT for admissions. Following the footsteps of its Ivy League peers, including Yale, Dartmouth and Brown, Harvard University announced that it is reinstating its standardized testing requirement in admissions beginning with the Class of 2029.
Why did Harvard reinstate SAT scores? ›
Its official stance, promulgated by Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra, is that standardized tests are a means for all students, regardless of their background and life experience, to provide information that is predictive of success in college and beyond.
Does Harvard require SAT for class of 2026? ›
The California Institute of Technology also announced Thursday that, effective immediately, SAT or ACT scores will be required of applicants for undergraduate admission. Harvard's undergraduate school had previously said it would remain test-optional through the 2025-2026 application cycle.
Does the class of 2024 need SAT and ACT? ›
Test Optional is here to stay and we couldn't be more thrilled! At The College Curators, we recommend that high school students in the class of 2024 still consider taking the ACT or SAT, but whether or not they submit their scores should depend on test availability and personal performance.
Is SAT required 2025? ›
REMAIN ACT/SAT-OPTIONAL OR TEST-BLIND/SCORE-FREE FOR FALL 2025; More than 80% of U.S. four-year colleges and universities will not require applicants for fall 2025 admissions to submit ACT/SAT scores according to a new tally by FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing.
The GPA requirements for Harvard University are between 3.9 to 4.1. You will need an incredibly high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top of their class in order to get into Harvard University.
Can you go to Harvard without SAT? ›
Harvard University announced Thursday that it is reinstituting standardized tests as a requirement for admission beginning with the class of 2029, joining other colleges that are again mandating tests for those hoping to enter the schools.
Can you get into Ivy League without SAT or ACT? ›
Do any Ivy League schools not require SAT? Yes, all eight Ivy League schools have adopted test-optional policies that allow students to apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores.
Will SAT be required for class of 2026? ›
UC has stated they will not require the SAT/ACT scores until at least the fall 2024 cycle.
Do you need a 4.0 to go to Harvard? ›
In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Harvard. That means nearly straight As in every class while also taking the highest rigor classes available at your high school.
Is 1400 SAT enough for Harvard? ›
While a 1400 makes you eligible to apply to places such as Harvard, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania, it won't make you a competitive candidate.
Which Ivy Leagues are test optional in 2025? ›
Ivy League Test Optional?
- Brown University: Requiring SAT or ACT scores for all applicants.
- Columbia University: Permanently test-optional.
- Cornell University: Test-optional for the 2024-2025 application cycle, then will require test scores again starting with the 2025-2026 cycle.
Harvard announced today that the College will reinstitute mandatory submission of standardized test scores for applicants, beginning with students applying for fall 2025 admission (the class of 2029). Until today's decision, the College had a test-optional policy in place for applicants through the class of 2030.
Is the Yale test optional for 2025? ›
Yale's Test-Flexible Policy
Standardized tests are required of all first-year applicants for fall 2025 admission and later.
Why are standardized tests going away? ›
Even before the pandemic, some schools had moved to make the scores optional to avoid creating another barrier for students. Then the pandemic hit, spurring a crisis response when students literally could not access spaces in which to take standardized tests, said Dominique J.
