Columbia Reverses Test-Optional Admissions

Columbia University just became the last Ivy League school to drop its test-optional policy — and the reversal raises a big question: was going test-optional ever really about fairness, or was it always about something else?

Quick Take

Columbia will require SAT or ACT scores for all applicants starting in the 2027–28 admissions cycle, ending a COVID-era test-optional policy.
Columbia was the last Ivy League school still holding out on test-optional admissions — every other Ivy had already returned to requiring scores.
Admitted students at Columbia already score in elite ranges — SAT scores of 1510–1560 and ACT scores of 34–36 — making the policy shift less of a surprise.
Critics argue the change could hurt lower-income students and minorities, but Columbia has not released data showing how the policy shift will affect its applicant pool.

Columbia Ends Its Test-Optional Era

Columbia University will require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores beginning with the 2027–28 admissions cycle. The move ends a test-optional policy the school adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbia had previously gone further than most schools, becoming the first Ivy League institution to make the change permanent. Now it has reversed course entirely, joining every other Ivy League school in requiring standardized test scores.

As recently as October 2025, Columbia was still the only Ivy League school holding onto an indefinitely test-optional policy. Princeton had already announced its return to requiring scores just weeks earlier. With Columbia’s reversal, the entire Ivy League now requires standardized test scores for undergraduate admission. For ACT test takers, the Science and Writing sections will remain optional under Columbia’s new policy.

The Last Holdout Falls in Line

Columbia’s shift is part of a broader national trend. Schools that went test-optional during the pandemic have been quietly reversing course one by one. The argument for bringing scores back centers on consistency — admissions officers say test scores give them a common measuring stick when comparing students from thousands of different high schools across the country. Without scores, the process relies more heavily on grades, essays, and recommendations, which critics say can favor students from well-resourced schools.

Columbia’s own numbers tell part of the story. Students who enroll at Columbia already post very high scores — middle 50% SAT scores of 1510–1560 and ACT scores of 34–36. That means even during the test-optional years, most admitted students were submitting strong scores anyway. The official policy said scores were “one additional piece of information” in a holistic review, but the data suggests high scores were the norm, not the exception, among those who got in.

The Fairness Debate Is Far From Settled

The return to required testing is not without controversy. Opponents of standardized testing argue that SAT and ACT scores tend to reflect family income more than raw ability. Wealthier students can afford test prep courses and multiple retakes. Students from under-resourced schools often have less access to those advantages. These are real concerns — but Columbia has not released any data showing how its specific applicant pool will be affected by the change.

Elite Ivy League School REVERSES Woke Admissions Policy After Major Failure – @Columbia
Columbia University just admitted what conservatives knew all along — standardized tests actually measure student ability and readiness

After years of pushing ‘equity’ over merit, the Ivy…

— JaneDoe (@JaneOpines) June 13, 2026

What’s missing from the public debate is hard evidence on either side. Columbia has not published a study showing that test scores predict student success better than grades or other factors at their school. Critics have not released Columbia-specific data showing the requirement will shut out lower-income or minority students. Both sides are making arguments based on national trends, not Columbia’s own numbers. That gap makes it hard for students and families to know what the change really means — and it leaves room for both supporters and opponents to project whatever story fits their agenda. At a school where tuition and fees already exceed $65,000 a year, the question of who gets through the door matters more than ever.