---
title: "Why Top Universities Are Bringing Back SAT and ACT Requirements"
description: "Which universities require the SAT or ACT for 2026-2027, why the test-optional era is ending, and what it means for Canadian and US applicants."
url: https://bosenacademics.com/blog/universities-reinstating-sat-act/
published: 2026-05-20T13:11:01Z
updated: 2026-11-12T17:05:00Z
section: "Admissions and entrance tests"
publisher: Bosen Academics (https://bosenacademics.com)
---

# Why Top Universities Are Bringing Back SAT and ACT Requirements

**The short answer:** For the 2026-2027 cycle, six of the eight Ivy League schools plus Stanford, MIT, Caltech and Georgetown require SAT or ACT scores, because scores help predict first-year success. Princeton and Columbia follow from 2027-2028. Most Canadian universities do not require them. Students aiming at US schools should take a diagnostic in Grade 10 and sit the real test in spring of Grade 11.

If your child began high school during the test-optional years, you may have assumed the SAT and ACT were on their way out. That assumption has gone stale. In the past few years, six of the eight Ivy League universities and a growing group of the most selective US schools have brought back standardized testing requirements. For families of students at private schools and in advanced programs, this shifts how the last years of high school should be planned. This post covers which universities now require testing, why they changed course, what it means for students applying to Canadian universities, and when your child should start preparing.

## Which top universities require the SAT or ACT for 2026-2027 admissions?

In the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, six of the eight Ivy League universities ask for SAT or ACT scores, and so do Stanford, MIT, Caltech and Georgetown. Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania have all gone back to requiring a test. Princeton and Columbia are both test-optional this cycle, and both will require scores starting with the 2027-2028 cycle, for students entering in fall 2028. That will leave no Ivy League school with a standing test-optional policy.

This table shows where several well-known universities stand for 2026-2027. Policies can shift between cycles, so families should confirm requirements with each school directly before they settle a college list.

| University or system | Testing policy for 2026-2027 admissions |
|---|---|
| Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania | SAT or ACT required |
| MIT, Caltech, Stanford, Georgetown | SAT or ACT required |
| Princeton | Test-optional for 2026-2027, required starting 2027-2028 |
| Columbia | Test-optional for 2026-2027, required starting 2027-2028 |
| University of Chicago, Duke, Rice | Test-optional for 2026-2027 |
| Vanderbilt | Test-optional for fall 2027 and fall 2028 entry, required from fall 2029 entry |

By the 2026-2027 cycle, standardized testing has moved from optional to expected at most of the most competitive US universities. For an ambitious student aiming at those schools, a strong SAT or ACT score is again a central part of a complete application.

## Why are universities reinstating testing requirements?

Several institutions ran internal research and found that test scores, read together with high school performance, strongly predict how students do once they are on campus. After a few years of test-optional admissions, admissions offices decided that scores added useful information, not noise.

Admissions research published by selective universities gives these main reasons for the return to testing:

1. **Predictive value.** Schools such as Dartmouth and MIT reported that scores plus grades help show which applicants are ready for a demanding first year.
2. **A fairer comparison between schools.** Admissions officers read applications from thousands of high schools with different grading systems and course offerings. A shared test provides a consistent reference point.
3. **Spotting talent at under-resourced schools.** Universities found that some strong students from schools with fewer resources chose not to send scores that would have helped them.

For parents, the point is simple. A test score is no longer a box that competitive applicants can leave empty. It is once again a meaningful signal that selective universities expect to see.

## Does the testing comeback affect applications to Canadian universities?

No. Most Canadian universities, including the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, McGill, Queen's and the University of Waterloo, do not ask for the SAT or ACT from students in a Canadian high school curriculum. Canadian admission rests mainly on final grades, and some competitive programs add a supplementary application or an interview.

This matters when you build a balanced university list. A student applying only in Canada generally does not need the SAT or ACT. A student applying to US universities, or to both countries, should build standardized testing into the timeline. Families whose children are in International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement programs at private schools often apply across the border, so it pays to decide early which countries are in play.

## Can IB or AP scores replace the SAT or ACT?

Only in rare cases. Harvard, for instance, says that in exceptional cases, when the SAT or ACT is not accessible to a student, AP, IB or other national exam results or predictions can meet its testing requirement.

Such cases are the exception. Yale, which once allowed AP or IB results in place of the SAT or ACT, now requires one of those tests and treats AP and IB scores as optional extras. Most universities that require testing want the SAT or ACT specifically. IB and AP students should not see AP or IB results as a reason to skip standardized test preparation.

## When should private school students start SAT or ACT prep?

Most students applying to selective US universities should plan to write the SAT or ACT in the spring of Grade 11, with focused preparation starting in the fall of Grade 11. A practical timeline:

1. **Grade 10:** Sit a baseline diagnostic of both the SAT and the ACT to see which suits the student. No heavy preparation is needed yet.
2. **Fall of Grade 11:** Start structured preparation, usually eight to twelve weeks of steady work built around the chosen test.
3. **Spring of Grade 11:** Write the first official SAT or ACT, ideally scheduled around the May IB and AP exams rather than on top of them.
4. **Summer before Grade 12:** Retake the test if a higher score is realistic. Final scores are normally sent with applications in the fall of Grade 12.

Keep in mind that the SAT is now fully digital. Students take it on a laptop or tablet, it runs about two hours and fourteen minutes, and it adapts question difficulty to performance. Preparation should use digital practice materials that match that format. Bosen Academics offers SAT and ACT preparation alongside IB and AP support, and you can see the full range on our [tutoring](https://bosenacademics.com/tutoring/) page.

## Planning ahead as testing returns

With testing requirements back, families of students aiming at top US universities can no longer treat the SAT or ACT as optional. The clearest path is to plan early, take a diagnostic in Grade 10, and fit preparation into the Grade 11 schedule next to IB or AP coursework. Bosen Academics specializes in advanced curriculum support and works with students preparing for the SAT, ACT, IB and AP exams. To get help building a testing and admissions plan that fits your child's goals, [book a free consultation](https://bosenacademics.com/consultation/) and speak with our team.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do all Ivy League schools require the SAT or ACT for 2026-2027?

No. Six of the eight do: Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania. Princeton and Columbia are test-optional for 2026-2027, and both will require scores from the 2027-2028 cycle on (for fall 2028 entry).

### Is the SAT still a paper test?

No. It is fully digital, taken on a laptop or tablet. The exam lasts about two hours and fourteen minutes and adapts its question difficulty to how the student is performing.

### Should my child take the SAT or the ACT?

Either is accepted and no university favours one. The ACT has an optional science section and a faster pace, while the digital SAT is shorter. Sitting a timed diagnostic of each is the most dependable way to choose.

### Do Canadian universities require the SAT?

Generally not. Students applying from a Canadian curriculum are assessed mainly on their grades. The SAT or ACT matters most for applications to US universities.

### Can a strong SAT score make up for a lower GPA?

Not by itself. Selective universities read scores in the context of a whole application. A strong score supports it but does not replace steady high grades in challenging courses.

## Tutoring from Bosen Academics

One-on-one tutoring from certified teachers and subject experts with master's and PhD degrees, in person in North York, Toronto, or online. Book a free consultation: https://bosenacademics.com/consultation/