Six Ivies Mandate SAT/ACT for Class of 2031, Reversing Test-Optional Trend

August 2026 – In a decisive shift for elite college admissions, six of the eight Ivy League universities have reinstated mandatory standardized testing requirements for students applying for entry in Fall 2027. This move, reported as a key trend for the current admissions season, represents a major reversal of the test-optional policies widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic and solidifies a return to pre-pandemic norms at the most selective tier of higher education.

According to admissions experts and recent reporting, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania now require applicants in the 2026-2027 cycle to submit SAT or ACT scores. This development was highlighted by The Washington Post as one of the primary ways "college admissions season is changing this year" in its August 3, 2026 analysis. The report notes that "more top schools are requiring ACT or SAT scores," signaling a clear industry-wide pivot.

The policy change directly impacts high school students in the Class of 2027, who are now finalizing their testing plans for upcoming application deadlines. As noted by Collegewise, "That option is now gone, and students in the Class of 2031 interested in applying to Yale should prepare to submit only SAT or ACT scores." This reinstatement places renewed emphasis on standardized test preparation for families targeting the Ivy League and other highly selective institutions that are following this trend. The remaining Ivies, Princeton and Columbia, are currently maintaining test-optional policies for this cycle, creating a split within the league itself.

The return to testing requirements comes amid continued record competitiveness in elite admissions, with acceptance rates at many of these schools remaining at or near historic lows. This policy shift suggests that admissions offices at these institutions have concluded that standardized test scores, when considered in context, provide valuable comparative data in evaluating increasingly large applicant pools.