The Magic of Test-Optional Schools: Opening Doors to College Dreams

October 17, 2024

Imagine standing in front of a big, beautiful castle called “College.” This castle is full of amazing things to learn and discover, but for a long time, there was a big, scary guard at the gate called “Standardized Tests.” Now, something magical has happened! Many colleges have decided to make this guard optional. It’s like they’ve given you a special key that lets you open the college door by showing all the awesome things about you, not just your test scores.

The Freedom to Be You

When colleges go test-optional, it’s like they’re inviting you to paint a picture of yourself using all the colors in your crayon box. Maybe you’re great at art, or you love helping people, or you’re a whiz at building robots. Now, colleges want to see all of that! You don’t have to worry about squeezing yourself into a little box marked “test scores.” Instead, you can show colleges the whole, wonderful you.

This is super exciting because it means you have more ways to shine. Think about it like this: if you were trying to show how strong you are, you wouldn’t just do one type of exercise, right? You’d want to show how you can run, jump, and lift things too. That’s what test-optional schools let you do with your brain and your talents. You can show them your great grades, the cool projects you’ve worked on, the ways you’ve helped your community, and all the other things that make you special.

A Fair Chance for Everyone’s Dreams

Not everyone has the same chances to prepare for big tests. Some kids might not have access to special classes or books to help them get ready. By making tests optional, colleges are saying, “We want to give everyone a fair chance to show how awesome they are.” It’s like making sure everyone gets to play in the big game, not just the kids with the fanciest equipment.

This is really important because it means more kids from all different backgrounds can dream big about going to college. Maybe you’re the first person in your family who wants to go to college, or maybe you’ve moved around a lot and haven’t had time to take test prep classes. With test-optional schools, you still have a great shot at showing colleges why you’d be an amazing student.

Your Story, Your Adventure
Applying to college is like starting a big adventure, and now you get to be the author of your own story. Without the pressure of test scores, you can focus on telling colleges about the things that really matter to you. What are you passionate about? What challenges have you overcome? What do you dream of doing in the future?

It’s like having a magical map that shows you all sorts of paths you can take to get to your college dreams. Some paths might ask for test scores, and some might not. You get to choose the path that feels right for you! And the best part is, there are so many wonderful colleges out there waiting to meet the real you.

Remember, whether you decide to share your test scores or not, these schools want to see what makes you unique. So gather up all the amazing things that make you special – your kindness, your curiosity, your creativity, your determination – and get ready for the exciting journey to college. The doors are open, and your adventure is just beginning!

Colleges Opening Their Doors Without Test Scores for the Class of 2025:

Alabama

Birmingham-Southern College: Test-Optional permanently

Arizona

Arizona State University: Test-Optional permanently
Northern Arizona University: Test-Optional permanently

Arkansas

University of Arkansas: Test-Flexible permanently

California

Azusa Pacific University: Test-Optional permanently
Biola University: Test-Optional permanently
California College of the Arts: Test-Optional permanently
California Institute of the Arts: Test-Optional permanently
California Polytechnic State University-Humboldt: Test-Blind permanently
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: Test-Blind permanently
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona: Test-Blind permanently
California State University (Multiple campuses – Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Marcos, Stanislaus): Test-Blind permanently
Chapman University: Test-Optional permanently
Occidental College: Test-Optional permanently
Pepperdine University: Test-Optional permanently
Pitzer College: Test-Blind for 2025
Pomona College: Test-Optional permanently
San Diego State University: Test-Blind permanently
San Francisco State University: Test-Blind permanently
San Jose State University: Test-Blind permanently
Santa Clara University: Test-Optional for 2025
Sonoma State University: Test-Blind permanently
Stanford University: Test-Optional for 2025
University of California (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz): Test-Blind permanently
University of La Verne: Test-Optional permanently
University of Redlands: Test-Optional permanently
University of San Diego: Test-Blind for 2025
University of San Francisco: Test-Optional permanently
Whittier College: Test-Optional permanently

Colorado

Colorado College: Test-Optional permanently
Colorado School of Mines: Test-Optional permanently
Colorado State University: Test-Optional permanently
Fort Lewis College: Test-Optional permanently
Regis University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Colorado (Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver): Test-Optional permanently
Western Colorado University: Test-Optional permanently

Connecticut

Albertus Magnus College: Test-Optional permanently
Central Connecticut State University: Test-Optional permanently
Connecticut College: Test-Optional permanently
Fairfield University: Test-Optional permanently
Quinnipiac University: Test-Optional permanently
Sacred Heart University: Test-Optional permanently
Southern Connecticut State University: Test-Optional permanently
Trinity College: Test-Optional permanently
University of Connecticut: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
University of New Haven: Test-Optional permanently
Wesleyan University: Test-Optional permanently
Western Connecticut State University: Test-Flexible permanently
Yale University: Test-Flexible

Delaware

Delaware Valley University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Delaware: Test-Optional permanently

Florida

Eckerd College: Test-Optional permanently
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach: Test-Optional permanently
Flagler College: Test-Optional permanently
Florida Southern College: Test-Flexible permanently
Rollins College: Test-Optional permanently
Stetson University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Tampa: Test-Optional permanently

Georgia

Agnes Scott College: Test-Optional permanently
Berry College: Test-Optional permanently

Idaho

College of Idaho: Test-Optional permanently

Illinois

Bradley University: Test-Optional permanently
Columbia College Chicago: Test-Optional permanently
DePaul University: Test-Optional permanently
Illinois Institute of Technology: Test-Optional permanently
Illinois State University: Test-Optional permanently
Illinois Wesleyan University: Test-Optional permanently
Knox College: Test-Optional permanently
Lake Forest College: Test-Optional permanently
Loyola University Chicago: Test-Optional permanently
School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Test-Optional permanently
University of Illinois (Chicago, Springfield, Urbana-Champaign): Test-Optional permanently
Wheaton College (MA): Test-Optional permanently

Indiana

Butler University: Test-Optional permanently
DePauw University: Test-Optional permanently
Earlham College: Test-Optional permanently
Hanover College: Test-Optional permanently
Indiana Tech: Test-Optional permanently
Indiana University (Bloomington, Purdue University-Indianapolis): Test-Optional permanently
Wabash College: Test-Optional permanently

Iowa

Coe College: Test-Flexible permanently
Cornell College: Test-Optional permanently
Drake University: Test-Optional permanently
Grinnell College: Test-Optional permanently
Iowa State University of Science and Technology: Test-Optional permanently

Kansas

Kansas State University: Test-Flexible permanently

Kentucky

Bellarmine University: Test-Optional permanently
Berea College: Test-Optional permanently
Centre College: Test-Optional permanently
Transylvania University: Test-Optional permanently

Louisiana

Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge: Test-Optional permanently
Loyola University New Orleans: Test-Blind permanently

Maine

Bates College: Test-Optional permanently
Colby College: Test-Optional permanently
Colby-Sawyer College: Test-Optional permanently
College of the Atlantic: Test-Optional permanently
Saint Joseph’s College (ME): Test-Optional permanently
Unity College: Test-Optional permanently
University of Maine (Multiple campuses): Test-Optional permanently

Maryland

Goucher College: Test-Optional permanently
Hood College: Test-Optional permanently
Johns Hopkins University: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
Loyola University Maryland: Test-Optional permanently
Notre Dame of Maryland University: Test-Optional permanently
St. John’s College (MD): Test-Optional permanently
St. Mary’s College of Maryland: Test-Optional permanently
Towson University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Maryland-College Park: Test-Optional for 2025
Washington College: Test-Optional permanently

Massachusetts

Amherst College: Test-Optional permanently
Bentley University: Test-Optional for 2025
Boston College: Test-Optional for 2025
Boston University: Test-Optional for 2025
Emerson College: Test-Optional permanently
Emmanuel College: Test-Optional permanently
Endicott College: Test-Optional permanently
Gordon College: Test-Optional permanently
Harvard University: Test-Optional for 2025
Massachusetts College of Art and Design: Test-Optional permanently
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: Test-Blind permanently
Merrimack College: Test-Blind permanently
Smith College: Test-Optional permanently
Tufts University: Test-Optional for 2026
Wheaton College (MA): Test-Optional permanently
Williams College: Test-Optional for 2025
Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Test-Blind for 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028
Worcester State University: Test-Optional permanently

Michigan

Andrews University: Test-Optional permanently
Kalamazoo College: Test-Optional permanently
Michigan State University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor: Test-Optional permanently

Minnesota

Bethel University (MN): Test-Flexible permanently
Carleton College: Test-Optional for 2025
Concordia College-Moorhead: Test-Optional permanently
Gustavus Adolphus College: Test-Optional permanently
Macalester College: Test-Optional permanently
St. John’s University (MN): Test-Optional permanently
University of Minnesota (Duluth, Twin Cities): Test-Optional for 2025
University of St. Thomas (MN): Test-Optional permanently

Mississippi

Millsaps College: Test-Optional permanently
Mississippi State University: Test-Optional permanently

Missouri

Maryville University of St. Louis: Test-Optional permanently
Saint Louis University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Missouri (Kansas City, Columbia): Test-Optional for 2025

Montana

Montana State University: Test-Optional permanently

Nebraska

Creighton University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln): Test-Flexible permanently

Nevada

University of Nevada (Las Vegas, Reno): Test-Flexible permanently

New Hampshire

Colby-Sawyer College: Test-Optional permanently
Dartmouth College: Test-Optional for 2025
Keene State College: Test-Optional permanently
Southern New Hampshire University: Test-Optional permanently
University of New Hampshire: Test-Optional permanently

New Jersey

Princeton University: Test-Optional for 2025
Ramapo College of New Jersey: Test-Optional permanently
Rutgers University (Camden, New Brunswick, Newark): Test-Optional for 2025, Test-Blind for Newark
Seton Hall University: Test-Flexible permanently
Stockton University: Test-Optional permanently
The College of New Jersey: Test-Optional for 2026

New Mexico

New Mexico State University: Test-Flexible permanently
University of New Mexico: Test-Optional permanently

New York

Alfred State College-SUNY: Test-Optional permanently
Bard College: Test-Optional permanently
Binghamton University-SUNY: Test-Optional permanently
Colgate University: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026, 2027
Columbia University: Test-Optional permanently
Cornell University: Test-Optional for 2025
CUNY (Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter College, Lehman College, New York City College of Technology, Queens College, Medgar Evers College, York College): Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
Elmira College: Test-Flexible permanently
Fordham University: Test-Optional for 2025
Hamilton College: Test-Optional permanently
Hobart and William Smith Colleges: Test-Optional permanently
Ithaca College: Test-Optional permanently
New York Institute of Technology: Test-Optional permanently
Pace University: Test-Optional permanently
Pratt Institute: Test-Optional permanently
Rochester Institute of Technology: Test-Optional permanently
Sarah Lawrence College: Test-Optional permanently
St. John’s University (NY): Test-Optional permanently
St. Lawrence University: Test-Optional permanently
SUNY (Multiple campuses – Brockport, Cobleskill, College-Cortland, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, College of Technology at Canton, College of Technology-Delhi, Fredonia, Geneseo, Maritime College, Morrisville, New Paltz, Oneonta, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Polytechnic Institute, Potsdam, Stony Brook University, University at Albany, University at Buffalo): Test-Optional permanently
Syracuse University: Test-Optional for 2025
United States Coast Guard Academy: Test-Optional permanently
Vassar College: Test-Optional permanently
Wells College: Test-Optional permanently
Yeshiva University: Test-Optional permanently

North Carolina

Davidson College: Test-Optional permanently
Duke University: Test-Optional for 2025
Elon University: Test-Optional permanently
High Point University: Test-Optional permanently
Queens University of Charlotte: Test-Optional permanently
University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Wilmington, Asheville, Greensboro): Test-Optional for 2025
Wake Forest University: Test-Optional permanently

North Dakota

North Dakota State University: Test-Optional permanently

Ohio

Ashland University: Test-Optional permanently
Bowling Green State University: Test-Optional for 2025
Case Western Reserve University: Test-Optional for 2025
Denison University: Test-Optional permanently
Kent State University: Test-Optional permanently
Kenyon College: Test-Optional for 2025
Oberlin College and Conservatory: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
Ohio University: Test-Optional permanently
Ohio Wesleyan University: Test-Optional permanently
The Ohio State University: Test-Optional for 2025
University of Cincinnati: Test-Optional permanently
Xavier University: Test-Optional permanently

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Oklahoma: Test-Optional for 2025

Oregon

Lewis and Clark College: Test-Optional permanently
Oregon Institute of Technology: Test-Optional permanently
Oregon State University: Test-Optional permanently
Pacific University: Test-Optional permanently
Reed College: Test-Optional for 2025
University of Oregon: Test-Optional permanently
Willamette University: Test-Optional permanently

Pennsylvania

Allegheny College: Test-Optional permanently
Bucknell University: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
Carnegie Mellon University: Test-Optional for 2025
Dickinson College: Test-Optional permanently
Drexel University: Test-Optional for 2025
Franklin and Marshall College: Test-Optional permanently
Gettysburg College: Test-Optional permanently
Grove City College: Test-Optional permanently
Haverford College: Test-Optional permanently
Juniata College: Test-Optional permanently
Lafayette College: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029
Lehigh University: Test-Optional permanently
Muhlenberg College: Test-Optional permanently
Pennsylvania State University (University Park): Test-Optional for 2025
Robert Morris University: Test-Optional permanently
Saint Joseph’s University: Test-Optional permanently
Susquehanna University: Test-Optional permanently
Swarthmore College: Test-Optional for 2025
Temple University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Pennsylvania: Test-Optional for 2025
University of Pittsburgh: Test-Optional for 2025
Ursinus College: Test-Optional permanently
Villanova University: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
Washington and Jefferson College: Test-Optional permanently
Westminster College (PA): Test-Optional permanently
Widener University: Test-Optional permanently
Wilkes University: Test-Optional for 2024

Rhode Island

Bryant University: Test-Optional permanently
Providence College: Test-Optional permanently
Rhode Island School of Design: Test-Optional permanently
Roger Williams University: Test-Optional permanently

South Carolina

Clemson University: Test-Optional for 2025
Coastal Carolina University: Test-Flexible permanently
College of Charleston: Test-Optional for 2025
Furman University: Test-Optional permanently
University of South Carolina: Test-Optional for 2025
Wofford College: Test-Optional permanently

South Dakota

South Dakota State University: Test-Flexible permanently

Tennessee

Belmont University: Test-Optional permanently
Rhodes College: Test-Optional permanently
University of Tennessee (Knoxville): Test-Optional for 2025
Vanderbilt University: Test-Optional for 2027

Texas

Baylor University: Test-Optional for 2025
Rice University: Test-Optional for 2025
Southern Methodist University: Test-Optional permanently
Stephen F. Austin State University: Test-Optional for 2025
Texas A&M University: Test-Optional permanently
Texas Christian University: Test-Optional for 2025
Texas State University: Test-Flexible permanently
Texas Tech University: Test-Optional for 2025
Trinity University: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
University of Houston: Test-Optional for 2025
University of Texas at Dallas: Test-Optional permanently

Utah

Brigham Young University: Test-Optional for 2025
University of Utah: Test-Optional permanently
Westminster University (UT): Test-Optional permanently

Vermont

Bennington College: Test-Optional permanently
Champlain College: Test-Optional permanently
Middlebury College: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026
Saint Michael’s College: Test-Optional permanently
University of Vermont: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026

Virginia

Christopher Newport University: Test-Optional permanently
College of William & Mary: Test-Optional permanently
George Mason University: Test-Optional permanently
James Madison University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Richmond: Test-Optional for 2025
University of Virginia: Test-Optional for 2025
Virginia Commonwealth University: Test-Flexible permanently
Virginia Military Institute: Test-Optional for 2025
Virginia Tech: Test-Optional for 2025
Washington and Lee University: Test-Optional for 2025

Washington

Gonzaga University: Test-Optional permanently
Seattle University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Puget Sound: Test-Optional permanently
University of Washington: Test-Optional permanently
Washington State University: Test-Blind permanently
Whitman College: Test-Optional permanently

West Virginia

West Virginia University: Test-Optional permanently

Wisconsin

Beloit College: Test-Optional permanently
Lawrence University: Test-Optional permanently
Marquette University: Test-Optional permanently
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Test-Optional for 2025, 2026

Wyoming

University of Wyoming: Test-Optional for 2025