Yale, Columbia, Princeton Reinstate Testing Requirements for 2027-28 Cycle

Yale University has announced it will require all first-year applicants to submit either SAT or ACT scores beginning with the 2026-27 admissions cycle, ending six years of test-flexible policies that allowed students to submit AP or IB scores instead. The policy change, announced in late May 2026, represents a significant reversal from the university's pandemic-era approach to standardized testing (Yale News, May 27, 2026).

Columbia University and Princeton University have followed with similar announcements, confirming that they too will return to requiring standardized testing for undergraduate admission beginning with the 2027-28 cycle. According to Princeton's admissions website, "Princeton will return to requiring standardized testing for undergraduate admission beginning with the 2027-28 admission cycle" (Princeton Admission). Columbia's announcement means applicants for the 2027–28 admissions cycle will be required to submit SAT or ACT scores, though the ACT Science section will remain optional (Higher Ed Dive).

The coordinated moves by three Ivy League institutions signal a broader shift away from test-optional policies that became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Yale's requirement takes effect immediately for the upcoming cycle, Columbia and Princeton have given applicants an additional year to prepare for the return to mandatory testing. The announcements come as other selective universities continue to evaluate their testing policies, with some experts predicting more institutions will follow suit.

For families targeting elite universities, these policy changes mean students applying for fall 2027 entry must now plan to take standardized tests and achieve competitive scores. The return to testing requirements at these highly selective institutions could reshape application strategies and preparation timelines for the next admissions cycle, particularly for students who might have otherwise avoided standardized testing under optional policies.