SAT/ACT in the 2026-27 Early Round: Which Schools Require Scores
The test-optional era is ending school by school, not all at once. For students applying this fall for entry in fall 2027, most of the restrictive early programs now require scores, several well-known Early Decision schools still do not, and the University of California will not look at them at all. Here is where the schools in our directory stand.
Where each school stands for fall 2027 entry
| School | Early plan | SAT/ACT policy |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | REA | Required |
| Yale | SCEA | Required (test-flexible) |
| Stanford | REA | Required |
| MIT | EA | Required |
| Caltech | REA | Required |
| Dartmouth | ED | Required |
| Brown | ED | Required |
| Cornell | ED | Required |
| Penn | ED | Required |
| Rice | ED | Required |
| Princeton | SCEA | Optional (required from fall 2028 entry) |
| Columbia | ED | Optional (required from the 2027-28 cycle) |
| Northwestern | ED | Optional |
| Notre Dame | REA | Optional |
| WashU | ED | Optional |
| UC Berkeley | None | Test-free |
| UCLA | None | Test-free |
Based on our directory data, last verified September 2026. Policies can change mid-cycle; confirm on each school's admissions site before you apply.
What changed, and what is coming
- All four restrictive early schools except Princeton now require testing. Harvard, Stanford, and Yale require scores; Yale's "test-flexible" policy also accepts certain AP or IB results in place of the SAT or ACT.
- Princeton is optional for one more year. Princeton has announced that applicants for fall 2028 entry will be required to submit the SAT or ACT. This year's applicants can still choose.
- Columbia is also optional this cycle. Columbia has announced that it will require the SAT or ACT again starting in August 2027, for the 2027-28 admissions cycle.
- Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, and Penn have all reinstated requirements since 2024, so most Ivy League Early Decision applicants now need scores.
- The University of California is test-free. UCLA and UC Berkeley do not use SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions for fall 2027, even if you send them.
If a school is optional: should you submit?
A useful rule of thumb is to compare your score with the middle 50 percent range of admitted students, which we list on each school page. A score at or above the middle of that range usually strengthens your file. A score near the bottom of the range is a judgment call that depends on the rest of your record. A score well below the range is usually better left out.
Remember that the decision is per school. Submitting to a test-required school does not mean you have to submit the same score to a test-optional one, and most applications let you choose for each college.
Timing for early applicants
With most early deadlines on November 1, an October test date is the last one that every early program is likely to accept. Some schools accept November scores for early applicants, but you need to check each one. Find out whether each school accepts self-reported scores or requires official score reports, and allow at least a week for official reports to arrive.