Columbia University to Require SAT/ACT Scores Starting 2027-28 Cycle

Columbia University has announced it will require all undergraduate applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores starting with the 2027-2028 admissions cycle, making it the final Ivy League institution to return to standardized testing requirements after several years of test-optional policies. The decision, confirmed on Columbia's official admissions website, represents a significant policy reversal that completes a broader trend among elite universities moving away from pandemic-era test-optional approaches.

According to Columbia's Undergraduate Admissions testing policy page, the university will maintain test-optional flexibility for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, giving current high school juniors one final year to apply without submitting scores. However, beginning with applications for fall 2027 enrollment, standardized test scores will once again be mandatory for all first-year applicants to Columbia College and Columbia Engineering.

The announcement follows similar moves by other Ivy League institutions that have recently reinstated testing requirements. Dartmouth College, Yale University, and Brown University all announced returns to standardized testing requirements earlier this year, with Harvard and Princeton maintaining their test-optional policies for now. Columbia's decision means that by the 2027-2028 cycle, the majority of Ivy League schools will once again require SAT or ACT scores as part of the application process.

Admissions experts note that Columbia's announcement "sends a very clear message" about the direction of elite college admissions, according to social media commentary from education organizations tracking the policy change. The move comes as highly selective institutions face increasing pressure to demonstrate academic preparedness amid record-low acceptance rates and concerns about grade inflation in secondary schools.

While the policy change won't affect students applying this fall for 2026-2027 admission, it signals a significant shift for current high school sophomores and freshmen who will need to prepare for standardized testing as part of their college application strategy. The decision also raises questions about whether other test-optional elite institutions will follow suit in the coming admissions cycles.

Columbia's testing policy update states that the university will provide full guidelines for the new requirements closer to the 2027-2028 application cycle opening in August 2026. The announcement represents one of the most consequential admissions policy changes for elite universities this summer, potentially reshaping testing preparation strategies for thousands of high-achieving students targeting Ivy League institutions.