Test Optional Policy at UVA in Fall of 2026

[Anonymous]

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

I do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

I do

But you don't work for UVA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I do

But you don't work for UVA

It depends on how people treat the new trump policies on DEI in higher education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I do

But you don't work for UVA

If there is no benefit, why haven’t they already announced test optional? There must be some benefits they are considering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

It is now 60%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

It is now 60%.

The longer kids only submit 50th percentile or higher, the more the reported scores will go up and more students will have to be TO. It already feels absurd at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I do

But you don't work for UVA

If there is no benefit, why haven’t they already announced test optional? There must be some benefits they are considering.

I don’t see how it benefits UVA. Most colleges are test optional for a reason. Maximum flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

That’s quite low actually

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

It is now 60%.

The longer kids only submit 50th percentile or higher, the more the reported scores will go up and more students will have to be TO. It already feels absurd at this point.

This exactly. Also, I was just looking at other schools around UVA's level. Washington St Louis is under 60%, Vanderbilt is only 51%. When you get downa little farther so many schools are under 50%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

It is now 60%.

The longer kids only submit 50th percentile or higher, the more the reported scores will go up and more students will have to be TO. It already feels absurd at this point.

This exactly. Also, I was just looking at other schools around UVA's level. Washington St Louis is under 60%, Vanderbilt is only 51%. When you get downa little farther so many schools are under 50%

I heard from another parent that the AO at Vanderbilt told students not submit ACT scores unless they were 34+. Preferably 35+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

It is now 60%.

The longer kids only submit 50th percentile or higher, the more the reported scores will go up and more students will have to be TO. It already feels absurd at this point.

This exactly. Also, I was just looking at other schools around UVA's level. Washington St Louis is under 60%, Vanderbilt is only 51%. When you get downa little farther so many schools are under 50%

I heard from another parent that the AO at Vanderbilt told students not submit ACT scores unless they were 34+. Preferably 35+.

Was this during the current admission season? or last year? It's unclear whether they will continue to recommend TO to try to pump up their reported range. At a certain point they start to look ridiculous. Before TO, Vandy really liked high scores and now it seems maybe wasn't really the scores they care about, but rather being able to report a high range, as in, appearances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if they return to test required. If you look at their common data set, even during the TO period, they tend to accept a high percentage of student who submit scores.

+1

66% of accepted students submitted scores. Not sure I would call that a “high percentage.”

It is now 60%.

The longer kids only submit 50th percentile or higher, the more the reported scores will go up and more students will have to be TO. It already feels absurd at this point.

This exactly. Also, I was just looking at other schools around UVA's level. Washington St Louis is under 60%, Vanderbilt is only 51%. When you get downa little farther so many schools are under 50%

I heard from another parent that the AO at Vanderbilt told students not submit ACT scores unless they were 34+. Preferably 35+.

Was this during the current admission season? or last year? It's unclear whether they will continue to recommend TO to try to pump up their reported range. At a certain point they start to look ridiculous. Before TO, Vandy really liked high scores and now it seems maybe wasn't really the scores they care about, but rather being able to report a high range, as in, appearances.

Last year.

[Anonymous]

When 50-60% are submitting test scores, it certainly blows the current "URM/DEI students are less qualified" narrative out of the water. But, looking at our friends and neighbors kids, we've known that was BS for some time. Dean J has stated for years that test scores are one data point, but high GPA from 4 yrs of rigorous courses is also significant data point. AOs work specific territories so they are very familiar with their high schools, which allows them to compare applicants from the same HS.