Test optional success stories 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The prediction is that more schools will reinstate test required in the next cycle or two. Even at lacs, they are considering this now. Swarthmore and Williams may be next in line.

That was pre-Trump. Now with him cracking down on admissions, I think many will stick to Test Optional.

You would be wrong, the Trump admin wants test required and is pressuring schools to go back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TO is over and its completely wishful thinking otherwise. Once the data is released that URM students are more TO than White and Asian students its a wrap.

That’s your opinion but I tend to disagree. The government can’t mandate that a school has to consider standardized test score as requirement for admission. And even if they tried, any reasonable court of law (even our gerrymandered Supreme Court) would quickly overrule it.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TO is over and its completely wishful thinking otherwise. Once the data is released that URM students are more TO than White and Asian students its a wrap.

That’s your opinion but I tend to disagree. The government can’t mandate that a school has to consider standardized test score as requirement for admission. And even if they tried, any reasonable court of law (even our gerrymandered Supreme Court) would quickly overrule it.

They would deem TO as unconstitutional and unfair, schools would either have to go test blind or TR and we all know what they'll choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TO is over and its completely wishful thinking otherwise. Once the data is released that URM students are more TO than White and Asian students its a wrap.

That’s your opinion but I tend to disagree. The government can’t mandate that a school has to consider standardized test score as requirement for admission. And even if they tried, any reasonable court of law (even our gerrymandered Supreme Court) would quickly overrule it.

They would deem TO as unconstitutional and unfair, schools would either have to go test blind or TR and we all know what they'll choose.

I don’t think so. I could see a lot of these schools doing what Yale is doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The prediction is that more schools will reinstate test required in the next cycle or two. Even at lacs, they are considering this now. Swarthmore and Williams may be next in line.

That was pre-Trump. Now with him cracking down on admissions, I think many will stick to Test Optional.

You would be wrong, the Trump admin wants test required and is pressuring schools to go back.

A Test Optional landscape helps their people - wealthy who ED, legacy, athletes, rural poor on scholarship etc.

Who are they pressing to reinstate the test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TO is over and its completely wishful thinking otherwise. Once the data is released that URM students are more TO than White and Asian students its a wrap.

That’s your opinion but I tend to disagree. The government can’t mandate that a school has to consider standardized test score as requirement for admission. And even if they tried, any reasonable court of law (even our gerrymandered Supreme Court) would quickly overrule it.

They don’t need to go to Court, the threat of cutting off funding is a very big stick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The prediction is that more schools will reinstate test required in the next cycle or two. Even at lacs, they are considering this now. Swarthmore and Williams may be next in line.

That was pre-Trump. Now with him cracking down on admissions, I think many will stick to Test Optional.

You would be wrong, the Trump admin wants test required and is pressuring schools to go back.

Link to anything documenting that the Trump administration is pressuring schools to go back to requiring tests? I don’t see it. This is entirely manufactured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TO is over and its completely wishful thinking otherwise. Once the data is released that URM students are more TO than White and Asian students its a wrap.

That’s your opinion but I tend to disagree. The government can’t mandate that a school has to consider standardized test score as requirement for admission. And even if they tried, any reasonable court of law (even our gerrymandered Supreme Court) would quickly overrule it.

They would deem TO as unconstitutional and unfair, schools would either have to go test blind or TR and we all know what they'll choose.

We can tell you’re not a lawyer. Don’t count on chief Justice Roberts. Have you seen what is going on right now?

I’d say test optional is wholly within the purview of “shaping your class and holistic admissions”. The kids that are test optional typically have something special. Exceptional.

A high test score is not exceptional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The prediction is that more schools will reinstate test required in the next cycle or two. Even at lacs, they are considering this now. Swarthmore and Williams may be next in line.

That was pre-Trump. Now with him cracking down on admissions, I think many will stick to Test Optional.

You would be wrong, the Trump admin wants test required and is pressuring schools to go back.

Link to anything documenting that the Trump administration is pressuring schools to go back to requiring tests? I don’t see it. This is entirely manufactured.

No, it’s not. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/trump-merit-affirmative-action-colleges.html?unlocked_article_code=1.h08.M0En.EgzeXThxwOYv&smid=url-share

Many similar articles these last few weeks, including one last week in WSJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The prediction is that more schools will reinstate test required in the next cycle or two. Even at lacs, they are considering this now. Swarthmore and Williams may be next in line.

That was pre-Trump. Now with him cracking down on admissions, I think many will stick to Test Optional.

You would be wrong, the Trump admin wants test required and is pressuring schools to go back.

Link to anything documenting that the Trump administration is pressuring schools to go back to requiring tests? I don’t see it. This is entirely manufactured.

No, it’s not. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/trump-merit-affirmative-action-colleges.html?unlocked_article_code=1.h08.M0En.EgzeXThxwOYv&smid=url-share

Many similar articles these last few weeks, including one last week in WSJ.

Is this straightforward enough for you:

Colleges will face even more intense scrutiny over their admissions practices as the administration pushes them to rely more heavily on quantitative measures, which experts say could result in wealthier, less diverse student populations at elite universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TO is over and its completely wishful thinking otherwise. Once the data is released that URM students are more TO than White and Asian students its a wrap.

That’s your opinion but I tend to disagree. The government can’t mandate that a school has to consider standardized test score as requirement for admission. And even if they tried, any reasonable court of law (even our gerrymandered Supreme Court) would quickly overrule it.

They would deem TO as unconstitutional and unfair, schools would either have to go test blind or TR and we all know what they'll choose.

We can tell you’re not a lawyer. Don’t count on chief Justice Roberts. Have you seen what is going on right now?

I’d say test optional is wholly within the purview of “shaping your class and holistic admissions”. The kids that are test optional typically have something special. Exceptional.

A high test score is not exceptional.

Either exceptional white privilege or exceptional lived experience

[Anonymous]

Why wouldn’t everyone just start refusing to answer the race question on the application entirely? Same for religion?

And if schools require test scores great; and if they don’t great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The prediction is that more schools will reinstate test required in the next cycle or two. Even at lacs, they are considering this now. Swarthmore and Williams may be next in line.

That was pre-Trump. Now with him cracking down on admissions, I think many will stick to Test Optional.

You would be wrong, the Trump admin wants test required and is pressuring schools to go back.

Link to anything documenting that the Trump administration is pressuring schools to go back to requiring tests? I don’t see it. This is entirely manufactured.

No, it’s not. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/trump-merit-affirmative-action-colleges.html?unlocked_article_code=1.h08.M0En.EgzeXThxwOYv&smid=url-share

Many similar articles these last few weeks, including one last week in WSJ.

Is this straightforward enough for you:

Colleges will face even more intense scrutiny over their admissions practices as the administration pushes them to rely more heavily on quantitative measures, which experts say could result in wealthier, less diverse student populations at elite universities.

I don’t see how the government requires private universities to mandate test scores. That is a giant constitutional fight.
Some SLACs/universities have been test optional forever. Are we not talking about those?

Only Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT?

[Anonymous]

These schools don’t want a class filled with 90% Asian kids. Neither does Trump.

[Anonymous]

You guys are reading too much into it. White and Asian TO kids are fine. URM are not.

“Columbia shall maintain merit-based admissions policies.

Columbia may not, by any means, unlawfully preference applicants based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its programs.

No proxy for racial admission will be implemented or maintained. Columbia may not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.”