Test Optional Policy at UVA in Fall of 2026

[Anonymous]

If people follow Dean J on Instagram, she has repeatedly said that a GPA does not really mean anything. I am guessing this goes for Admissions Officers at all highly competitive schools. The transcripts matter the most. Did the student take the most challenging classes that were offered in their high school? Did they show growth and improvement? A GPA greater than a 4.0 with classes that are not rigorous, does not mean that much. They also know the high schools and areas that they are reading for so if a grading system is easy/hard, this is their job to know this. So for those worried about "inflated" GPA's, trust that these Admissions Officers know what they're doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, friends. Looks like the committee found that test required disproportionately hurts first gen applicants so is recommending not moving back to test required (or test optional indefinitely) at this time: https://bov.virginia.edu/sites/g/files/jsddwu1171/files/2025-03/Admission%20working%20group%20summary.pdf

This is not an accurate summary. They do say that first-gen/low-income applications and attendance increased significantly during TO and that those applicant groups would have seen the greatest declines if tests had been required.

More to the point, at the end of the letter they highlight Yale (test-flexible) and UNC’s (test scores required if GPA doesn’t hit a certain threshold) policies, then conclude that “in light of the expanded range of approaches currently in use at peer institutions, we recommend that you explore other options before deciding whether UVA will return to testing or remain test optional indefinitely.”

Sounds to me like they are recommending looking at policies like Yale’s and UNC’s.

UNC’s approach seems behind the times to me. I would think they’d want to see scores to validate the sky high GPAs kids have now.

+1. The analysis by the committee was vague and wishy-washy.

I believe that I read somewhere that UNC admissions recently admitted to using AI. Would not surprise me if UVA is too, as an initial pre-screening.

If TO is eliminated, there is no rule to say that they have to apply the same standard for first gen students. Athletes don't have the same criteria. And i think we need more transparency in this process, not less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, friends. Looks like the committee found that test required disproportionately hurts first gen applicants so is recommending not moving back to test required (or test optional indefinitely) at this time: https://bov.virginia.edu/sites/g/files/jsddwu1171/files/2025-03/Admission%20working%20group%20summary.pdf

This is not an accurate summary. They do say that first-gen/low-income applications and attendance increased significantly during TO and that those applicant groups would have seen the greatest declines if tests had been required.

More to the point, at the end of the letter they highlight Yale (test-flexible) and UNC’s (test scores required if GPA doesn’t hit a certain threshold) policies, then conclude that “in light of the expanded range of approaches currently in use at peer institutions, we recommend that you explore other options before deciding whether UVA will return to testing or remain test optional indefinitely.”

Sounds to me like they are recommending looking at policies like Yale’s and UNC’s.

UNC’s approach seems behind the times to me. I would think they’d want to see scores to validate the sky high GPAs kids have now.

+1. The analysis by the committee was vague and wishy-washy.

I believe that I read somewhere that UNC admissions recently admitted to using AI. Would not surprise me if UVA is too, as an initial pre-screening.

If TO is eliminated, there is no rule to say that they have to apply the same standard for first gen students. Athletes don't have the same criteria. And i think we need more transparency in this process, not less.

I think it was last week or the week before that someone asked about the AI and she said they don't have that system at UVA. Reading between the lines, it's expensive to impliment.

[Anonymous]

So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

+1 do kids hoping for UVA really just not the take the test? This is news to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

It's almost like a bunch of political appointees are making the decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

PP here. My junior did and will be submitting, but they’re belaboring the issue. Just make a decision and get on with it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

Of course all NOVA kids take the test. If their scores are too low for their 4.4 GPA, they are hoping to still be in the running for UVA by opting for TO. If they have to submit those 1350s, they may not get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

+1 do kids hoping for UVA really just not the take the test? This is news to me.

If I am reading this data correctly, only 2,357 applicants submitted standardized test scores for student entering Fall 2023. Breakdown is 1809 SAT scores and 548 ACT scores. There were 56K+ applicants, so this is ~4% of applicants submitting scores. Happy if someone double-checks my analysis and interpretation of this data!

This source is from the UVA Notes from Peabody website --> https://research.schev.edu/iprofile/234076/University-of-Virginia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

+1 do kids hoping for UVA really just not the take the test? This is news to me.

If I am reading this data correctly, only 2,357 applicants submitted standardized test scores for student entering Fall 2023. Breakdown is 1809 SAT scores and 548 ACT scores. There were 56K+ applicants, so this is ~4% of applicants submitting scores. Happy if someone double-checks my analysis and interpretation of this data!

This source is from the UVA Notes from Peabody website --> https://research.schev.edu/iprofile/234076/University-of-Virginia

PP here and I was actually just looking at that yesterday and thought that can’t be right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If people follow Dean J on Instagram, she has repeatedly said that a GPA does not really mean anything. I am guessing this goes for Admissions Officers at all highly competitive schools. The transcripts matter the most. Did the student take the most challenging classes that were offered in their high school? Did they show growth and improvement? A GPA greater than a 4.0 with classes that are not rigorous, does not mean that much. They also know the high schools and areas that they are reading for so if a grading system is easy/hard, this is their job to know this. So for those worried about "inflated" GPA's, trust that these Admissions Officers know what they're doing.

People are overthinking this. Saying transcripts matter but GPA doesn't is silly. High GPA is a proxy for high rigor and good performance in classes. Dean J reads for Fairfax County. If she sees a kid with a sub 4.3, they either didn't take the most rigorous classes or they didn't do that well in the classes that they took. Can a kid kid from FCPS still get in with something less? Sure. But it is a lot tougher and there better be a good story.

[Anonymous]

Or it could be: they offered acceptance to 13,368 students. 2,357 had submitted scores. So, 18% of the students they accepted had submitted scores. Still very low!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or it could be: they offered acceptance to 13,368 students. 2,357 had submitted scores. So, 18% of the students they accepted had submitted scores. Still very low!

This is very weird. On our school Naviance, *everyone* showing accepted submitted a test score. When I click “test optional” there’s no acceptance data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much handwringing! Why are they so late and poky in making a decision? Most universities have already decided for the class of ‘26. It’s a little late to change course of that cohort, so I image they’ll remain TO, and any changes will happen after.

Just take the tests

+1 do kids hoping for UVA really just not the take the test? This is news to me.

If I am reading this data correctly, only 2,357 applicants submitted standardized test scores for student entering Fall 2023. Breakdown is 1809 SAT scores and 548 ACT scores. There were 56K+ applicants, so this is ~4% of applicants submitting scores. Happy if someone double-checks my analysis and interpretation of this data!

This source is from the UVA Notes from Peabody website --> https://research.schev.edu/iprofile/234076/University-of-Virginia

I wonder if those numbers are actually for *enrolled* students; 2357 of 4000 is 60%, which would make sense.