Columbia University to Require Test Scores

More than three years after deciding to go test-optional permanently, Columbia University will again require applicants to submit standardized test scores, starting fall 2027.

The university said in a statement Friday that the change follows a multiyear faculty review that determined “test scores, among other factors, were a useful indicator of potential student success.” Columbia was the last Ivy League institution to remain test-optional; the majority of higher ed institutions don’t require test scores. 

Advocates of test-optional policies argue the standardized scores don’t reflect a student’s academic potential, particularly for students unable to afford tutoring and other test-preparation tools. But supporters say they can help low-income and underrepresented minority students stand out to admissions officers. The Trump administration has urged colleges to require test scores as part of its crackdown on what it considers illegal diversity, equity and inclusion policies and its focus on merit.

Columbia first went test-optional in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now, first-year and transfer applicants will have to submit either SAT or ACT scores to be considered for admission. University officials added in a web page on testing policies that “standardized testing is one of many elements that can demonstrate a foundation of academic excellence; others include your performance in your secondary school coursework and the rigor of your curriculum.”