Test Optional Policy at UVA in Fall of 2026

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s finally the end of January. Any news?

We were there for a tour yesterday. They are now saying mid-late February is when they will announce test-optional policy. Annoying that they keep pushing this back.

This is good news for the TO crowd.
The pressure to go back to test required is fairly high.
The grades are coming in and graduation is around the corner for the first test optional class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did uva tour today and they will post info about test optional or not for fall 2026 by mid feb.

I suspect that will shift to early March because the next Board of Visitors meeting is March 6-7

We don't necessarily know that the Board of Visitors is making the decision. Dean J has always just said "a committee" -- if it was Board of Visitors then I think she would specifically say that. The more parents who call and ask regularly (like myself), the better. If you're a parent of a current junior, you want to know that this is something on the near horizon for spring/summer. Kudos to other schools (off the top of my head VA Tech, W&M, UNC Chapel Hill) who have all announced test optional for those applying Fall 2026 (and beyond).

[Anonymous]

I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

When they announced at our tour in the fall that there would be an announcement, I really thought they were preparing everyone for test required. I’m not so sure anymore. If most of the ivies find value in the scores, I’d be surprised if UVA doesn’t also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

When they announced at our tour in the fall that there would be an announcement, I really thought they were preparing everyone for test required. I’m not so sure anymore. If most of the ivies find value in the scores, I’d be surprised if UVA doesn’t also.

UVA's scores are not ivy scores.

[Anonymous]

It would not be surprising if they do find value in the scores, but also find value in remaining test optional in order to attract more URM applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s finally the end of January. Any news?

We were there for a tour yesterday. They are now saying mid-late February is when they will announce test-optional policy. Annoying that they keep pushing this back.

This is good news for the TO crowd.
The pressure to go back to test required is fairly high.
The grades are coming in and graduation is around the corner for the first test optional class.

I don't quite understand what you're saying here because first two statements contradict each other. Am I right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s finally the end of January. Any news?

We were there for a tour yesterday. They are now saying mid-late February is when they will announce test-optional policy. Annoying that they keep pushing this back.

This is good news for the TO crowd.
The pressure to go back to test required is fairly high.
The grades are coming in and graduation is around the corner for the first test optional class.

I don't quite understand what you're saying here because first two statements contradict each other. Am I right?

I mean that the fact they are deferring the decision is a good sign that they don't want to go back to test required. if they wanted to do so, they could have piggybacked on any of the higher ranked schools going back to test required but they have been resisting that.

[Anonymous]

The pressure to go back to test required is fairly high. The grades are coming in and graduation is around the corner for the first test optional class.

DD, a first yr at UVA, said there's no difference in grades between friends who submitted scores and those that didn't (yes the kids share and make fun of themselves). UVA is very much a work hard/play hard school. She said the culture is more collaborative than cut throat, and normalizes studying as part of social time with friends. She frequently studies with friends, even though they're in different classes and majors, and based on her pics from the library, study rooms and 1515, it seems to be fairly common. DH was initially stressed about grades because DD rarely studies alone in her room, as we did back in the stone age.

I think schools returning to test scores are mostly trying to reduce the number of applications. UVA has enough info about high schools to discern successful students without a test score, especially since admissions compares students applying from the same school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

When they announced at our tour in the fall that there would be an announcement, I really thought they were preparing everyone for test required. I’m not so sure anymore. If most of the ivies find value in the scores, I’d be surprised if UVA doesn’t also.

UVA's scores are not ivy scores.

It's clear you don't know much about the profile of OOS applicants vying for admission at UVA. Those who are admitted are often very close to the credentials of students who earn admission into Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s finally the end of January. Any news?

We were there for a tour yesterday. They are now saying mid-late February is when they will announce test-optional policy. Annoying that they keep pushing this back.

This is good news for the TO crowd.
The pressure to go back to test required is fairly high.
The grades are coming in and graduation is around the corner for the first test optional class.

I don't quite understand what you're saying here because first two statements contradict each other. Am I right?

I mean that the fact they are deferring the decision is a good sign that they don't want to go back to test required. if they wanted to do so, they could have piggybacked on any of the higher ranked schools going back to test required but they have been resisting that.

Yep, agree, just reading the tea leaves…
I think those schools who jumped back to test required are probably regretting it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

When they announced at our tour in the fall that there would be an announcement, I really thought they were preparing everyone for test required. I’m not so sure anymore. If most of the ivies find value in the scores, I’d be surprised if UVA doesn’t also.

UVA's scores are not ivy scores.

My kid’s scores are. Don’t fool yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

When they announced at our tour in the fall that there would be an announcement, I really thought they were preparing everyone for test required. I’m not so sure anymore. If most of the ivies find value in the scores, I’d be surprised if UVA doesn’t also.

UVA's scores are not ivy scores.

My kid’s scores are. Don’t fool yourself.

And we are in state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine they will do test required. I see no benefit.

When they announced at our tour in the fall that there would be an announcement, I really thought they were preparing everyone for test required. I’m not so sure anymore. If most of the ivies find value in the scores, I’d be surprised if UVA doesn’t also.

UVA's scores are not ivy scores.

My kid’s scores are. Don’t fool yourself.

Outlier. UVA's scores are W&M's scores. Neither compete with the ivies.

[Anonymous]

W&L website now indicates T.O. for 2026.