The Truth About Test Optional

The covid-induced shift to test-optional (TO) admissions led to unprecedented spikes in college applications and, consequently, admission selectivity and student confusion. Student confusion abounded: Should I take the ACT/SAT? Should I report my scores? Who benefits from TO policies? Do I receive a “submitter advantage?” How are messages regarding which students are “allowed” to apply TO versus not communicated to families?

Edison Prep is one of the foremost experts in the nation on the topic of test optional admissions data. We’ve spoken at eight national conferences, for regular TV interviews, and on numerous podcasts about the topic. Watch a fantastic presentation from May 2025 below! We invest time and money collecting the rare morsels of TO data that colleges are very hesitant to share, such as collecting “submitted advantage data” for the tiny percent of schools that are brave enough to release that data (e.g. students who submit scores are admitted 270% as often to Boston College as those who don’t).

Even as more and more colleges (7 of the 8 Ivy League schools, UT-Austin, CalTech, Stanford, Georgetown, all military academies, all of Florida/Georgia/Tennessee, UMiami, etc etc etc) steadily go back to test mandatory on a seemingly weekly basis in 2026, we remain hopeful that more colleges that are remaining *ostensibly* test optional at least release real admissions data re: TO vs. non-TO applications. For example, Duke is “test optional” but 93% of enrolled students (and probably 96%+ of admitted students) submitted scores. They’re not an outlier…University of Chicago (who has been famously test optional even before covid!) still has 84% of enrolled students submitting scores.

Being able to expertly advise clients on test optional data is part of Edison Prep’s unique value proposition for families because it’s not just about admissions it’s also about merit aid. Many schools that are relatively test optional for admission have scholarship grids that are almost entirely based on test scores, such as University of Alabama (oops – plot twist – Alabama just went back mandatory as well in late 2025!).