August 2026: Six Ivies Now Require SAT/ACT Scores as Test-Optional Era Recedes

The test-optional era that defined selective college admissions for much of the 2020s is ending at the nation's most prestigious universities. For students applying for fall 2026 admission, six of the eight Ivy League schools—Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania—now require submission of SAT or ACT scores as part of their application materials, according to a July 2026 update from Collegewise.

This represents a major policy reversal from the pandemic-era shift that saw hundreds of institutions, including the Ivies, adopt test-optional policies. The change is part of a broader trend among highly selective universities to reinstate standardized testing requirements. As reported by The Washington Post in early August 2026, testing policies are among the most significant ways the admissions season is changing this year.

The movement back to required testing is driven by several factors cited by admissions experts. Institutions report that standardized test scores, when considered in context with high school grades and other application components, provide a valuable, consistent data point for comparing applicants from vastly different educational backgrounds. This is particularly important as application volumes remain at historic highs, increasing the need for efficient screening tools.

For families navigating this shift, the key takeaway is the necessity of checking each college's specific policy. While the trend is clear among elite institutions, testing requirements continue to vary significantly across the broader higher education landscape. The policy changes for the 2026-2027 cycle underscore that the admissions landscape remains in flux, with standardized testing regaining its position as a core component of the evaluation process at the most competitive schools.