All 8 Ivies Now Require the SAT — When Does It Apply to Your Child?
Every year, Elite Prep helps seniors through the college application process. We hope the information below is useful.
In June 2026, Columbia University announced that it will once again require standardized test scores (SAT/ACT). With that decision, all eight Ivy League schools now require testing — not one exception left. The test-optional era that defined admissions for the past few years has, for all practical purposes, come to an end.
And that raises the question we hear most often:
“So does my child have to take the SAT now? And starting from which grade does this apply?”
Here’s the short answer — it depends on your child’s grade. Columbia’s new rule applies not to students applying this cycle, but to those entering 11th grade this fall (the Class of 2028). If you don’t pin down exactly when the requirement reaches your child, you risk either starting far too late or rushing unnecessarily. In this article, we’ll walk through the grade-by-grade timing and a backward-planned testing schedule, table by table.
Here’s everything this one article will help you sort out:
| Part | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 1 | What happened — Columbia, and all 8 Ivies |
| 2 | When does it apply to your child? — timing by grade |
| 3 | Beyond the Ivies — schools that require testing |
| 4 | test-optional vs. test-blind — clearing up the terms |
| 5 | Backward planning — the standard schedule by grade |
| 6 | What happens if you skip the test, trusting “test-optional”? |
| 7 | Parent checklist |
| 8 | Frequently asked questions (FAQ) |
1. What Happened — Columbia, and All 8 Ivies
Columbia was the very last Ivy League school to hold on to a test-optional policy. When Columbia officially announced on June 15, 2026 that it would require testing again, all eight Ivies were back to requiring scores.
| Ivy School | Testing Policy | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| Yale | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| Princeton | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| Brown | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| Dartmouth | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| Cornell | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| UPenn | ✅ Test required | Already reinstated |
| Columbia | ✅ Test required | Announced June 2026 — the last to join |
📌 Bottom line: To apply to any Ivy League school now, a standardized test score is a baseline requirement, not an option. The “you can get in without a score” wisdom of the past few years no longer holds.
2. When Does It Apply to Your Child? — Timing by Grade
This is the single most important section of this article. Columbia’s new rule does not take effect for every grade all at once.
| Application Cycle | Grade this fall | Columbia’s Testing Policy |
|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 cycle (applying now) | 12th grade (Class of 2027) | Still test-optional |
| 2027–28 cycle (applying next year) | 11th grade (Class of 2028) | ✅ Test required — first affected class |
To put it plainly:
- Rising 12th graders (applying this fall): Columbia is still test-optional for you. That said, the other seven Ivies already require it, so if the Ivies are on your list, you’ll need a score anyway.
- Rising 11th graders (applying next year, Class of 2028): You are the first class subject to Columbia’s testing requirement. Start planning your PSAT/SAT schedule backward from your deadlines now.
- Rising 10th graders and younger: You’ll go through admissions fully inside the test-required era. Start by using the PSAT to establish a baseline.
⚠️ The most common mistake: assuming “all the Ivies require testing, so my child (currently a senior) must too” — without checking the grade. The rules differ by grade. Confirm your child’s application cycle and college list first.
3. Beyond the Ivies — Schools That Require Testing
The return of testing isn’t just an Ivy story. Many top schools and public university systems already require it.
| Category | School / System | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Top private | Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins | Test required |
| Flagship public | UT Austin | Test required |
| Public systems | Florida, Georgia, Tennessee state university systems | Test required |
| Alternative test accepted | UNC system | Approved the CLT (Classic Learning Test) as an SAT/ACT alternative in Feb 2026 |
No matter where in the country you live, if even one of these schools is on your child’s list, test prep is a must.
The Exception — the University of California (UC) and test-blind
There is one exception. The University of California (UC) system remains test-blind. Even if you submit scores, they are not considered at all in the review.
But even this policy is in flux. In June 2026, more than 1,400 UC faculty called for reinstating testing, prompting the Academic Senate to begin a review. UC’s policy could change within the next few years, so families with younger children should keep an eye on how this develops.
4. test-optional vs. test-blind — Clearing Up the Terms
Getting these three terms straight is essential to making good decisions.
| Term | Meaning | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Required | You must submit a score | No application without a score → prep is mandatory |
| test-optional | Submitting is optional, but scores are considered | A strong score helps → prep is effectively recommended |
| test-blind | Scores are not considered even if submitted | No score needed for these schools (e.g., UC) |
💡 Watch out for this misconception: don’t read “test-optional” as “no score needed.” Submitted scores are considered. A strong score helps you; not having one means you compete on other factors alone, which puts you at a disadvantage. If even one test-required school is on your list, you’ll end up needing to prepare.
5. Backward Planning — the Standard Schedule by Grade
Testing isn’t a subject you can cram for. The key is to count backward from your deadlines and start early. Keep the schedule below in mind.
| Grade | Timing | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 10th grade | Fall | Take the PSAT to establish a baseline |
| 11th grade | Spring (March or May) | First SAT sitting — get a real score on record |
| 11th grade | Fall (entering 12th) | Retake 1–2 times to reach your target score |
| 12th grade | Fall | Lock in your final score before early deadlines |
The key is to take the first test in the spring of 11th grade. To reach your target score before the early deadlines of senior fall (typically November 1), the standard flow is: first sitting in spring of 11th grade → summer reinforcement → fall retake. Fall behind by even one step in this sequence, and you may miss the chance to submit a score for the early round.
⚠️ The logic is the same even now that the SAT has gone digital. It’s rare to hit your target score in a single try. To leave room for a retake, you have to move your first test up.
6. What Happens If You Skip the Test, Trusting “test-optional”?
Judging, out of the habit of the past few years, that “you can get by without a score” is now a risk.
| Choice | Short term | Result when applying |
|---|---|---|
| Secure a score early, per the plan | Hard but done | Free to apply to test-required schools |
| Trust test-optional and put it off | Easy | Can’t apply to Ivies/top schools → options shrink |
Check your college list first, and if it includes test-required schools, build a plan. Don’t get the order backward — it’s not “we have no score, so let’s drop the test-required schools” but “there’s a school we want, so let’s prepare the score.”
7. Parent Checklist ✅
Go through the list below with your child, in order.
| ✅ | Item | Details |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Confirm your child’s application cycle | Applying this year (12th grade) or next year (11th grade)? |
| ☐ | Check for test-required schools on the list | Ivies, top schools, public systems included? |
| ☐ | Take the PSAT | Fall of 10th grade — establish a baseline |
| ☐ | Book the first SAT date | Target spring of 11th grade (March or May) |
| ☐ | Leave room for a retake | Build a fall retake into the plan |
| ☐ | Track test-blind schools separately | Set aside schools (like UC) that don’t need scores |
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| I’m a senior now — do I have to submit the SAT to Columbia? | Columbia is test-optional through this cycle. But the other Ivies already require it, so if you’re aiming for the Ivies, you’ll need a score. |
| When exactly does Columbia’s requirement start? | The 2027–28 cycle. The Class of 2028 — students entering 11th grade this fall — is the first affected. |
| Should I take the SAT or the ACT? | Most schools accept both. It’s best to pick the one that suits your child and focus on it. |
| Do I really not need to submit scores to test-optional schools? | You can, and if you do, they’re considered. A strong score helps, so prep is effectively recommended. |
| When should test prep begin? | Set a baseline with the PSAT in 10th grade, aim for a first sitting in spring of 11th grade, and plan backward from there starting now. |
In Closing — Confirm the Grade First, Then Plan Backward
Rather than being alarmed by the news that all eight Ivies now require testing, your first two moves are simple. First, confirm which application cycle your child falls into. Second, count your test dates backward from the deadlines. Nail those two things down, and the return of testing becomes not a crisis but an advantage — for the families who prepared early.
At Elite Prep, we work with students from designing a grade-by-grade testing roadmap all the way through PSAT and SAT preparation. If you’re unsure when your child should take that first test, or which schools require it, now is exactly the time to take a look.
For a closer look at your family’s plan, reach out to your nearest Elite Prep:
www.eliteprep.com/locations
📍 Elite Prep Suwanee
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Andy Lee / Director of Elite Prep Suwanee powered by Elite Open School
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