Columbia University to Reinstate SAT/ACT Requirements
Columbia University has announced that it will once again require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores starting next year. This decision follows a faculty assessment that concluded these scores are valuable indicators of a student’s potential success, as stated by university officials on Friday.
The iconic Morningside Heights campus now stands as the last of the Ivy League institutions to adopt a universal testing requirement after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many schools to reconsider such policies.
In a statement, the university indicated that tests, alongside various other factors, are beneficial for gauging future academic performance.
Both first-time college students and transfer candidates will need to present their SAT or ACT scores during the 2027-2028 admissions cycle, with those students expected to enroll in the fall of 2028. Interestingly, the university also noted that applicants facing challenges in meeting this requirement could seek an exemption during the application process.
For the upcoming 2026-2027 admissions cycle, however, both Columbia University and Columbia Engineering will continue to allow test-optional submissions.
The policy on standardized testing was initially suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic and subsequently extended through 2023 without a clear timeline for reinstatement. The university emphasizes its commitment to continuously evaluating how best to support student success in an academic setting.
When the test requirement was initially lifted, the administration argued that it stemmed from a belief in recognizing students as dynamic individuals rather than reducing them to a single metric.
This return to testing requirements echoes a trend seen at other Ivy League universities. For instance, Harvard and other institutions have opted to reinstate the submission of SAT scores, driven by concerns about students’ preparedness for college-level courses.
Moreover, just recently, Yale shifted its policy, ending the option for students to submit SAT or ACT results in lieu of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate grades. This indicates a broader movement among elite colleges to reconsider their admissions processes in light of recent educational dynamics.
