Columbia Ends Ivy League Test-Optional Era for 2027-2028 Admissions

The era of test-optional admissions among the Ivy League is officially over. Columbia University announced in June 2026 that it will once again require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, beginning with students applying for Fall 2028 admission (the 2027-2028 cycle) [Columbia University will require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, NY Post]. This move makes Columbia the last of the eight Ivy League institutions to reinstate a testing mandate, following similar announcements from peers like Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania [Which Top Colleges Require SAT/ACT? Full List & Policies, Oriel Admissions].

Columbia's decision, reported by the New York Post and confirmed via the university's official communications, aligns with a faculty-driven review of the role of standardized tests in predicting academic success at the university [Columbia University will require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, NY Post]. The policy shift does not affect students applying in the current 2026-2027 cycle, who may still apply without scores, but it sets a definitive requirement for all future applicants seeking entry to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering [Update on Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Testing Policy, Columbia News].

The reinstatement solidifies a dramatic reversal from the widespread test-optional policies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. As noted by admissions consultants, this means that for the first time since 2020, all Ivy League schools will require standardized test scores from first-year applicants, starting with the class entering in Fall 2028 [BREAKING: Columbia University is the latest—and final Ivy League..., Instagram]. The collective shift underscores a renewed emphasis on standardized metrics among the nation's most selective institutions, fundamentally altering the strategic landscape for high-achieving applicants targeting top-tier universities.