Test Optional Policy at UVA in Fall of 2026

[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

That score submission data is for enrolled students, not applicants.

The 2023-24 Common Data Set has 1973 submitting SAT and 627 submitting ACT for enrolled students.

https://ira.virginia.edu/sites/g/files/jsddwu1106/files/2023-2024-V3.1%20CDS_FINAL_508.pdf

[Anonymous]

On the Common Data Set, it says the number of test scores submitted by enrolled students is 2600 (assume some submitted both SAT and ACT so likely the number is 2357). So 2357 of 3966 - 59% submitted scores.

[Anonymous]

Is having 41% of enrolled students test optional considered a high number?

[Anonymous]

Hopefully they make a definitive choice so we aren’t waiting any longer. That January announcement that the fall admissions tour mentioned just keeps getting pushed back. I’m less concerned with what some future investigation lands if it won’t impact admissions this fall.

Your question highlights the problem with test score - they're not an indication of success, just the resources to prep for them. But, I don't understand your strategy, especially given the current changing landscape. If I had a rising senior, I would do a deep dive into their targets and safeties, focusing on financials, diversity of majors and the state's budget (if public school). A school like MI can adjust by increasing full pay, OOS students, while UNC can't and relies more on state funding (just using as examples as both are reaches). I would use each school's CDS to determine a "reasonable score," and suggest kid do some test prep, understanding it's one metric that each school values differently. Unless your kid is only planning to apply to TO schools, they'll still benefit with a score, and with 50K applicants, even with a strong score, UVA is a tough admit.

[Anonymous]

Why wouldn’t they stay TO for now again as all other Va still TO and no indication will change and Va Tech has said publicly will stay TO through 2028 class. Since ivys doing hybrid, gives school room to continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[img]

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.

… instead of going test required though, and I suspect that’s to placate the conservatives and allow them to be test optiional longer

The reasoning is in the document. Stop making things up.

Parent of a junior here. For this class, it seems accurate that the committee is not recommending test required and not even strongly recommending a particular solution. Hopefully they make a definitive choice so we aren’t waiting any longer. That January announcement that the fall admissions tour mentioned just keeps getting pushed back. I’m less concerned with what some future investigation lands if it won’t impact admissions this fall.

Is your kid only applying to uva? And trying to decide if needs to take test again to get higher score or to take test at all? If applying more than uva, not following why wouldn’t be taking test anyway- if not high enough for uva, won’t be high enough for other like schools. Or what am I missing here?

[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.

Can be true if taking the beyond hardest class there is and getting an A-, but this is not take regular Bio as senior and get a B and grades don’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

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.

… instead of going test required though, and I suspect that’s to placate the conservatives and allow them to be test optiional longer

The reasoning is in the document. Stop making things up.

Parent of a junior here. For this class, it seems accurate that the committee is not recommending test required and not even strongly recommending a particular solution. Hopefully they make a definitive choice so we aren’t waiting any longer. That January announcement that the fall admissions tour mentioned just keeps getting pushed back. I’m less concerned with what some future investigation lands if it won’t impact admissions this fall.

Is your kid only applying to uva? And trying to decide if needs to take test again to get higher score or to take test at all? If applying more than uva, not following why wouldn’t be taking test anyway- if not high enough for uva, won’t be high enough for other like schools. Or what am I missing here?

+2 Juniors should be studying and taking the test 2xs. You don’t need to hear from UVA, PP. I don’t know a single junior that is skipping the test altogether.

[Anonymous]

Wild to have 40% of enrolled class to have done TO and if the case, the test scores will just keep going higher as only the 1500s will want to submit

[Anonymous]

The submitted scores number is for enrolled students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wild to have 40% of enrolled class to have done TO and if the case, the test scores will just keep going higher as only the 1500s will want to submit

The 1500s that got accepted probably got accepted elsewhere and may have chosen a different school to attend. So the scores will not necessarily go up.

Students should be required to submit AP exam scores if they take the course. Getting an A in the class but an AP score of 2 or 3 doesn’t validate the A in the class or the rigor. College stem classes are nothing but exams, gotta do well to pass/succeed.

[Anonymous]

What’s coa for oos?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s coa for oos?

Google

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s coa for oos?

80k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wild to have 40% of enrolled class to have done TO and if the case, the test scores will just keep going higher as only the 1500s will want to submit

Girl in my daughter’s school got into Cornell TO last year. Couldn’t crack 1300.