What Are The Best Test Optional Colleges – 2025

Test Optional. A phrase that, ever since its rise to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, has left many students feeling nervous and confused. In 2025, Test Optional isn’t a new term. High school counselors and admissions officers alike are regularly having conversations with students around the world, educating them on what exactly Test Optional is, what it really means, and what role it plays in the college admissions process. If you are new here, or just starting out your journey, check out some of our previous blog posts on Test Optional: Why Are Some Colleges Test Optional? | Solomon Admissions Consulting, SAT/ACTs: Standardized Testing’s Role in College Admissions

Now that you’re caught up on what Test Optional is, and the role it plays in the admissions process, let’s talk about the two purposes of this article today:

1. Outlining which Colleges are currently Test Optional 
2. Discussing what the “best” Test Optional Colleges are 

Let’s Begin!

Test Optional – What you need to know 

Before talking about which colleges are Test Optional, there are some important things you should know. 

1. Every college has its own testing policy. If you are familiar with testing policies, this may not be news to you. However, if you are just starting out, this is good information to know! Even though we are focusing on Test Optional today, you should also be aware of other testing policies you may see on a college’s website:
   1. Test Required – colleges with this policy require that students submit or report test scores
   2. Test Blind – standardized test scores are not considered during the admissions process at these colleges, even if they are provided. This can also be referred to as Test Free.
   3. Test Flexible – students are required to submit test scores but can choose which kinds of tests to submit. This can be anything from SAT/ACT to AP and IB Exams. This is a less common policy, and you should always research the specific school to see which tests they accept. One school that currently uses this policy is Yale. 
2. Just because a college has Test Optional policies right now does not mean that they will still be Test Optional when you apply. There are some colleges that have what I refer to as permanent Test Optional policies, and others that have more tentative Test Optional policies.
   1. So, if colleges can constantly change their policy, how do I know if they are test-optional? That’s easy, check their website! Oftentimes, you can type in a simple Google search “(Insert College Name) Testing Policy for Admission” and the college’s webpage will pop up and let you know their polices. A note of caution: Be careful with this method and only click on official college links! You want to always verify the information from the school itself. 

What Colleges are Currently Test-Optional 

As I mentioned earlier, colleges can change their policies for the upcoming year. Therefore, the list below is as of March 2025, and can be subject to change depending on policy changes. Again, it’s always best to be your own advocate and double-check on a school’s website. For ease, I have included links to the college websites in the table below. As a note, you will find that as of 2025, most Ivy League schools have re-adopted their Test Required policies. 

Guidelines for this list:

1. All colleges on the U.S News Top 50 were considered for National Universities, and the Top 15 Liberal Arts Colleges  
2. Colleges that adopt test-blind policies (e.g., University of California) or test-flexible policies were not included  
3. Hold Ctrl + F to search for a specific college 

Test Optional Colleges 2025 

College Name	Policy Type	Policy Dates	Website
Princeton University	Test Optional	Applies to applicants in Fall 2025	View Policy
Duke University	Test Optional	2025–2026 admissions cycle	View Policy
Northwestern University	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
University of Chicago	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Columbia University	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Rice University	Test Optional (Submission Recommended)	Dates not specified	View Policy
University of Notre Dame	Test Optional	Through at least 2025–2026	View Policy
Vanderbilt University	Test Optional	Through Fall 2027	View Policy
Carnegie Mellon University	Test Optional	Through Fall 2025	View Policy
University of Michigan	Test Optional	Fall 2025 application cycle	View Policy
Washington University in St. Louis	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Emory University	Test Optional	2025–2026 admissions cycle	View Policy
University of Virginia	Test Optional	Through Fall 2026	View Policy
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill	Conditional Test Optional (Certain GPA)	2025–2026: ≥2.8 GPA optional; <2.8 requires scores 2026–2027 and beyond: ≥2.8 optional; <2.8 requires ACT ≥17 or SAT ≥930	View Policy
University of Southern California	Test Optional	Applies to 2026–2027 academic year	View Policy
New York University	Test Optional – Tentative	2024–2025; has yet to be renewed for 2025–2026	View Policy
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Boston College	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Tufts University	Test Optional	2021–2026	View Policy
University of Wisconsin–Madison	Test Optional	Through Spring 2027	View Policy
Boston University	Test Optional	Through Fall 2028 and Spring 2029	View Policy
Rutgers University – New Brunswick	Test Optional	Through 2026	View Policy
University of Maryland – College Park	Test Optional	Through Spring and Fall 2025	View Policy
University of Rochester	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Lehigh University	Test Optional	Indefinitely	View Policy
University of Washington	Test Optional	Since 2020	View Policy
Wake Forest University	Test Optional	Since 2008	View Policy
Case Western Reserve University	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Texas A&M University	Test Optional	For the foreseeable future	View Policy
Virginia Tech	Test Optional	Through Fall 2028	View Policy
Northeastern University	Test Optional	For the foreseeable future	View Policy
Williams College	Test Optional	Through Fall 2025	View Policy
Amherst College	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Swarthmore	Test Optional	2023–2025	View Policy
Bowdoin	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Pomona College	Test Optional – Permanent	Since 2023	View Policy
Wellesley College	Test Optional – Tentative	2025; has yet to be renewed for 2025–2026	View Policy
Carleton College	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Claremont McKenna	Test Optional	Through Fall 2027	View Policy
Harvey Mudd College	Test Optional	Through 2026	View Policy
Vassar College	Test Optional – Permanent	Since 2023	View Policy
Barnard College	Test Optional	Through 2027	View Policy
Davidson College	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Hamilton College	Test Optional	Dates not specified	View Policy
Smith College	Test Optional	Since 2009	View Policy
Wesleyan University	Test Optional	Since 2014	View Policy

What are the “Best” Test Optional Colleges  

Whenever I hear a student ask, “What is the Best x” in relation to college admissions, I always have a follow-up question. What do you mean by “Best”? For some, the “Best” might be the most selective college on the above list. In that case, the “Best” Test Optional college is Princeton, because that is arguably the most selective college on the above list that offers a test-optional policy right now. For others, “Best” may mean the college they have the “best” chance of getting into Test Optional. And the answer to that question is truly dependent on the students’ individual strengths they would be presenting in their admissions application. 

In this consultants’ opinion, the best test-optional colleges are those with holistic admissions processes that do not rely on test scores, *where the student can be a competitive applicant without submitting test scores. For example, the University of Chicago states they have a “No Harm” policy for application review when considering SAT or ACT scores. Any SAT or ACT score submitted will only be used in review if it will positively affect an applicant’s chance of admission. Test scores that may negatively impact an admission decision will not be considered in review. The University of Washington – Seattle, while technically Test Optional, removed their testing requirement permanently, and only use test scores as a positive to advocate for students who may fall under their mid-50^th percentile for GPAs. Other data points to look for include colleges that admit successful classes of students largely filled with Test Optional students, and colleges that have held Test Optional policies for a long period of time. For example, Bowdoin (a top 10 Liberal Arts College) 54% of students who were admitted in their last year’s class were Test Optional, and they have had a Test Optional policy since 1969! 

*While considering these factors are important, in an absence of test scores, a student still needs to be outstanding in the other areas that a college is looking for, including other academic factors, extracurriculars, and off-campus projects. 

Concluding thoughts  

Now that you have read through this article, you should have a stronger understanding of what test-optional admissions is, what colleges offer it, and tips to figuring out the “Best” Test Optional colleges for you. However, as previously noted, while these factors are significant, making an informed decision regarding a test-optional college requires an initial assessment of whether you would be considered a competitive applicant without including a test score. Schedule a consultation with us today to learn more!