If you're a student applying to top universities in 2025 or 2026, you might find yourself caught in the middle of a shifting admissions landscape. Just as many schools had embraced test-optional policies during the pandemic, a new trend is emerging: the return of standardized test requirements, especially for institutions striving to maintain academic benchmarks and equity in admissions.
Whether you're aiming for the Ivy League, top liberal arts colleges, or elite public universities, understanding the role of the ACT (and SAT) in the coming cycles is crucial.
What Are the Current ACT Requirements?
The college's standardized testing admissions policies have been categorized into three general types as follows:
- Test-Optional (Fall 2025)
In this practice, the submission of ACT/SAT scores is voluntary. If the students do not submit scores, they will not be penalized. But if scores are submitted, they will be part of the application. Leading institutions such as Yale, Cornell, and the University of Chicago already follow this practice.
- Test-Flexible
A smaller group of universities allows students to substitute AP, IB, or A-Level scores for the ACT or SAT. Not exactly "optional," this strategy allows for more flexibility in how students demonstrate academic potential.
- Test Required (2025 and 2026)
This category is growing again. Harvard, Dartmouth, and Brown have already announced that Fall 2025 admissions will include standardized test scores. Cornell will also reinstate its testing requirement beginning with the Fall 2026 cycle.
It's worth mentioning, though, that even if a university is "test-optional," most admissions committees still regard test scores as "important" or even "very important" if submitted, much more so than the term "optional" would suggest.
Why Top Colleges Are Bringing Back ACT Requirements
- Leveling the Playing Field
With the decline of affirmative action and increased scrutiny of subjective factors like personal essays and letters of recommendation, standardized tests offer a common, comparative metric to evaluate students from different schools, regions, and grading scales.
- Predictive Validity
Research at many universities shows that test scores, especially when paired with GPA, are strong predictors of college success, retention, and graduation.
- Support for Underrepresented Students
Ironically, standardized tests can help underrepresented and first-generation applicants stand out, especially when their high schools do not offer advanced courses or rigorous college preparatory programs.
- Reputation and Ranking Measures
Higher average test scores can play a positive role in university rankings and departmental expectations, so reinstating such exams is an appealing choice for most institutions.
- Holistic Review Consistency
Admissions officials argue that scores can provide informative context. Two individuals with the same GPA but differing test outcomes could be viewed in different ways, especially when the academic quality of their high school is being ascertained.
Why ACT Still Matters for International Students
For international students, especially those in non-U.S. programs, the ACT is an ideal opportunity to show academic preparedness in a format that American admissions professionals welcome without hesitation. With so many students from schools that are not U.S. grade-based, the ACT brings consistency and clarity.
Submission of ACT scores will also fulfill English proficiency requirements in some colleges without having to take a discrete TOEFL or IELTS test.
ACT/SAT scores are applied by most institutional and external merit scholarships. Transmittal of a good score can keep you out of at least thousands of dollars annually.
The ACT is more than a score. It's a reflection of your determination, capability, and drive to excel in one of the most competitive educational settings.
Why Sage Education is the Perfect Option for ACT Preparation
If you're looking to get into top universities and be ahead of changing admission trends, investing in proven ACT preparation has never been more important. Sage Education is the best exam preparation centre in Dubai, offers experienced instructor-led ACT preparation that will enable students to own the test with confidence. With one-on-one guidance, targeted practice sessions, and a curriculum designed by leading American educators, Sage prepares students to own the ACT and excel in competitive admissions. If you're applying to test-optional colleges or colleges reinstating requirements, Sage ensures you're fully prepared to send a score that strengthens your application and opens doors to the world's best universities.
