📚 Trends in Standardized Testing Policies at US Universities and Requirements at Top 50 Schools | 美国大学标化考试政策变动趋势与Top50院校要求解读
Standardized testing policies at US universities have undergone profound shifts in recent years, reshaping the landscape of college admissions. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of test-optional policies, but a growing number of elite institutions are now reinstating SAT/ACT requirements, citing the predictive value of these scores for academic success. This article unpacks the key trends, clarifies policy terminology, and provides a detailed breakdown of testing requirements across U.S. News Top 50 national universities.
近年来，美国大学的标准化考试政策经历了深刻变化，重塑了大学录取的格局。疫情加速了“可选考试”政策的普及，但越来越多的顶尖院校正重新要求提交SAT/ACT成绩，理由是这些分数对学业成功具有预测价值。本文将解析关键趋势，厘清政策术语，并详细梳理U.S. News全美排名前50综合性大学的考试要求现状。
1. The Changing Landscape of Admissions Testing | 录取考试格局的变化
For decades, the SAT and ACT were near-universal requirements for admission to US universities. They served as a common yardstick to compare students from different educational systems. However, concerns over test fairness, socioeconomic bias, and the overemphasis on scores prompted a movement toward more holistic review. The COVID-19 pandemic then forced testing centers to close, accelerating a massive shift to test-optional admissions. Today, the conversation has circled back, with research suggesting that standardized test scores can actually help identify talented students from under-resourced backgrounds, leading some highly selective colleges to reverse their temporary policies.
几十年来，SAT和ACT几乎是美国大学录取的普遍要求。它们充当了一套统一的量尺，用来比较来自不同教育体系的学生。然而，对于考试公平性、社会经济偏见以及过度强调分数的担忧，促使录取走向更全面的评估。新冠疫情导致考场关闭，加速了向考试可选录取的大规模转变。如今，讨论又回到了原点，研究表明标准化考试成绩实际上有助于识别来自资源不足背景的优秀学生，于是一些顶尖名校开始撤销之前的临时性政策。
2. Understanding Testing Policies: Required, Optional, Blind, and Flexible | 理解考试政策：强制、可选、无视与灵活
To navigate the current admissions environment, applicants must be fluent in four core policy types. Test-required means all applicants must submit an SAT or ACT score; a missing score may render an application incomplete. Test-optional gives students the choice to submit scores, and those who do not are not disadvantaged in a stated review. Test-blind policies prohibit consideration of standardized test scores entirely, even if submitted. Test-flexible allows alternatives, such as AP exam scores, IB results, or graded analytical writing, in lieu of the SAT or ACT. It is essential to note that some universities apply different policies to international students, often requiring English proficiency tests or proof of standardized scores for scholarship consideration.
要在当前的录取环境中游刃有余，申请者必须熟悉四种核心政策类型。强制提交（Test-required）意味着所有申请者必须提交SAT或ACT成绩，缺失成绩可能导致申请不完整。可选提交（Test-optional）赋予学生选择权，不提交者在明述的审核中不会处于劣势。无视考试（Test-blind）政策完全禁止考虑标化成绩，即使提交也不会被查看。灵活提交（Test-flexible）允许用其他成果代替SAT或ACT，如AP考试成绩、IB成绩或评分过的分析性写作。必须注意，部分大学对国际学生适用不同政策，常要求提供英语水平证明，或在奖学金评审时依然看重标化分数。
3. The Pandemic-Driven Shift to Test-Optional Admissions | 疫情催生的考试可选录取浪潮
The spring of 2020 marked a turning point when nearly every selective university suspended testing mandates as SAT and ACT administrations were canceled worldwide. What began as a one-year emergency measure soon evolved into multi-year pilot programs. The University of California system made the most dramatic move, voting to phase out testing entirely and ultimately adopting a test-blind approach at all undergraduate campuses. Hundreds of other institutions followed suit, declaring that they would remain test-optional for at least two or three admission cycles. This period gave admissions officers extensive data with which to compare the success of students admitted with and without test scores.
2020年春季是一个转折点，全球SAT和ACT考试被取消，几乎所有选拔性大学都暂停了强制性考试要求。这项原本为期一年的紧急措施很快演变为多年试点。加州大学系统做出了最剧烈的举措，投票决定完全淘汰考试要求，并最终在所有本科校区实行考试无视政策。数百所其他院校也纷纷效仿，宣布至少在两个或三个录取周期内保持可选提交。这一时期为招生官提供了大量数据，用以比较凭借分数录取与无分数录取学生的学业成功度。
4. The Equity Debate: Are Standardized Tests Fair? | 公平性辩论：标化考试是否公平？
Advocates for test-optional and test-blind policies argue that standardized tests disproportionately favor students from affluent families who can access expensive test prep, tutoring, and multiple retakes. They claim that high school GPA is a stronger and more equitable predictor of college performance. On the other side, a growing body of research—most notably from Opportunity Insights at Harvard—suggests that SAT scores are highly predictive of post-college outcomes and can actually serve as a tool for upward mobility. When tests are removed, admissions officers may rely more heavily on essays, extracurriculars, and recommendation letters, metrics that are often even more closely tied to family privilege.
支持考试可选或无视政策的人士认为，标准化考试不成比例地偏向于富裕家庭的学生，因为他们可以获得昂贵的备考辅导、家教及多次重考机会。他们声称，高中GPA是预测大学表现的更强、更公平的指标。另一方面，越来越多的研究表明（最著名的当属哈佛大学的“机会洞察”项目），SAT分数能高度预测大学毕业后的成就，并实际上可以作为向上流动的工具。当考试被取消后，招生官可能会更依赖文书、课外活动及推荐信，而这些指标往往与家庭特权联系得更为紧密。
5. Recent Reversals: Why Some Elite Schools Are Reinstating Requirements | 近期反转：为何部分精英校重拾强制要求
Starting in 2022, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) became the first high-profile institution to restore its SAT/ACT requirement, declaring that the scores form a crucial part of its holistic, math-intensive evaluation. In early 2024, Dartmouth College reinstated testing, citing internal research that test scores helped identify high-achieving students from less-advantaged backgrounds who might otherwise be overlooked. Yale University followed shortly after with a test-flexible policy that remains requirement-based. Brown University and the University of Texas at Austin also announced a return to mandates, and Harvard and Cornell have signaled that they are actively reconsidering their temporary test-optional stances. These reversals reflect a nuanced belief that score-blind admissions can sometimes obscure talent rather than elevate equity.
从2022年起，麻省理工学院（MIT）成为第一个恢复SAT/ACT要求的高知名度院校，宣布这些分数是其整体性、数学密集型评估的关键部分。2024年初，达特茅斯学院恢复了强制考试，理由是内部研究发现，考试成绩有助于识别那些来自弱势背景、但可能被忽视的高成就学生。耶鲁大学紧随其后，采用虽可灵活替代但实质仍为强制的政策。布朗大学和德州大学奥斯汀分校也宣布回归强制要求，而哈佛和康奈尔已释放信号，正在积极重新考量其临时考试可选政策。这些反转反映了一种微妙的信念：无视分数的录取有时会埋没才华，而非增进公平。
6. Top 50 National Universities: A Policy Snapshot | 全美Top50院校政策快照
The following table summarizes the current (2024-2025 admission cycle) testing requirements for a representative selection of U.S. News Top 50 universities. Policies are subject to change, and applicants must verify details on each institution’s official website.
下表总结了选定的U.S. News全美前50大学当前（2024-2025申请周期）的考试要求。政策可能随时变化，申请者务必在各校官网上核实细节。
| University | 大学 | Policy | 政策 | Notes | 备注 |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton University | Test-optional | Extended through 2025-26 admission cycle |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Test-required | Reinstated in 2022; SAT or ACT mandatory |
| Harvard University | Test-optional | Optional through class of 2030 applicants |
| Stanford University | Test-optional | Optional for 2024-25; review ongoing |
| Yale University | Test-flexible | Requires scores: AP, IB, ACT, or SAT; no test-optional |
| University of Pennsylvania | Test-optional | Extended for 2024-25 |
| California Institute of Technology | Test-blind | Through fall 2025; no test scores considered |
| Duke University | Test-optional | Optional for 2024-25 applicants |
| Dartmouth College | Test-required | Reinstated for class of 2029 onward |
| Brown University | Test-required | Mandatory for class of 2029 |
| University of Chicago | Test-optional | Permanent test-optional policy |
| Columbia University | Test-optional | Permanently test-optional |
| University of Texas at Austin | Test-required | Restored requirement for fall 2025 |
| University of Florida | Test-required | SAT or ACT required for all first-year applicants |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Test-required | Mandatory for domestic and international applicants |
7. Ivy League Policies: Diverging Paths | 常春藤盟校政策：分道扬镳
The eight Ivy League schools now sit on a spectrum. Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell (with some college-level variations) remain test-optional for current cycles. Columbia has adopted a permanent test-optional stance. Yale has moved to test-flexible, Dartmouth and Brown have reintroduced mandatory testing, and Cornell plans to reinstate requirements by 2026. This fragmented landscape within a historically unified group signals that each institution is interpreting its own institutional data independently, with top-tier schools increasingly unwilling to forego the predictive power of standardized metrics.
八所常春藤盟校如今各执一词。哈佛、普林斯顿、宾夕法尼亚大学和康奈尔（部分学院存在差异）在当前申请季仍维持可选提交。哥伦比亚大学已实行永久性可选政策。耶鲁转向灵活提交，达特茅斯和布朗已重新引入强制要求，康奈尔则计划在2026年前恢复要求。这个历史上步调一致的联盟呈现出的碎片化格局表明，每所学校正在独立解读各自的机构数据，顶尖大学越来越不愿放弃标准化指标的预测能力。
8. Public University Systems: Varied Approaches | 公立大学系统：方法各异
Public flagship universities show no uniform pattern. The University of California system is completely test-blind for admissions, though scores may be used for course placement after enrollment. In contrast, the University of Georgia, University of Florida, and Georgia Tech all demand official scores. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Michigan continue test-optional policies, while the University of Washington Seattle is test-blind. The University of Texas at Austin’s recent reversal is particularly significant, as it underscores the trend among large public research universities to rely on testing as a cost-effective way to sort through massive applicant pools.
公立旗舰大学并未展现出统一的模式。加州大学系统在录取中完全无视考试成绩，尽管分数可能用于入学后的课程分级。相反，佐治亚大学、佛罗里达大学和佐治亚理工学院均强制要求官方成绩。北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校和密歇根大学仍在沿用可选提交政策，华盛顿大学西雅图分校则为无视考试。德州大学奥斯汀分校近期的反转尤为重要，它凸显了大型公立研究型大学的一种趋势，即依靠考试作为一种经济高效的方式从海量申请者中筛选人才。
9. Submitting Scores: When and How It Helps | 提交成绩：何时以及如何有帮助
Even at test-optional colleges, strong scores can be an unambiguous asset. If a student’s SAT or ACT score falls at or above the 50th percentile of a university’s previously published range (often the 25th-75th percentile for enrolled freshmen), submitting it is likely to reinforce the application. For those whose scores are significantly lower, an alternative strategy is to focus on high school grades, course rigor, and exceptional personal essays. Some highly selective test-optional schools still admit a substantial percentage of their incoming class with test scores—at Boston College, for example, about two-thirds of admitted students submitted scores even during the test-optional period—suggesting that admissions offices value the corroborating evidence a test provides when paired with a strong transcript.
即使在考试可选院校，优异的分数无疑是一项优势。若学生的SAT或ACT成绩达到或高于该校往年公布的50百分位（通常是录取新生25-75百分位区间），提交成绩很可能会增强申请竞争力。对于分数明显偏低的学生，替代策略则是着力突出高中成绩、课程难度和卓越的个人文书。一些高度选拔性的考试可选院校仍有相当比例的录取者提交了分数——例如波士顿学院，即便在可选提交时期，约三分之二的录取学生递交了成绩——这表明招生办在优异学业记录的基础上，仍看重考试所提供的佐证信息。
10. Advice for International Applicants | 给国际申请者的建议
International students face a distinct calculation. Because admissions officers may be less familiar with the rigor of an applicant’s home-country curriculum, standardized test scores can serve as a universally understood benchmark of academic readiness. Moreover, some test-optional universities still require or strongly recommend SAT or ACT scores for international applicants when English is not the first language, or when they are applying for merit-based scholarships. It is therefore prudent for international students to prepare for and sit the SAT or ACT, even if targeting schools currently labeled test-optional, and to check institutional webpages for any separate international testing policy.
国际学生面临不同的考量。由于招生官可能不熟悉申请者本国课程的严谨程度，标化成绩可以作为衡量学术准备度的全球通识基准。此外，一些考试可选大学仍要求或强烈建议非英语母语的国际申请者提交SAT或ACT成绩，或者在申请基于成绩的奖学金时予以要求。因此，即便目标院校目前标记为可选提交，国际学生也应当谨慎备考并参加SAT或ACT考试，同时查阅各校官网查看是否有单独针对国际生的考试政策。
11. Future Outlook: A Period of Recalibration | 未来展望：重新校准期
The pendulum is swinging but has not fully returned. Many institutions have committed to test-optional policies only through 2025 or 2026, setting the stage for a wave of policy announcements over the next two years. As more rigorous studies are published on the relationship between test scores and first-year college success, and as the demographic cliff in high school graduates intensifies competition for enrollment, a hybrid model could emerge: universities may require standardized tests only for certain majors (e.g., engineering) or use scores for placement rather than admission decisions. The concept of “testing required but weighted contextually” is gaining traction, especially at schools that use tools like the Landscape dashboard to evaluate scores alongside neighborhood and school data.
钟摆在摆动，但尚未完全回归。许多院校仅承诺将可选提交政策维持至2025或2026年，这为未来两年即将出现的一波政策公告铺平了道路。随着更多关于考试成绩与大一学业成功关系的严谨研究成果发表，以及高中毕业生人数断崖式下降导致招生竞争加剧，或许一种混合模式将应运而生：大学可能只对某些专业（如工程）要求标化成绩，或将分数用于课程分级而非录取决定。“虽要求考试但做情境权重评估”的概念正获得越来越多的认可，尤其是在那些使用Landscape工具将分数与社区及学校数据综合考察的学校。
12. Key Takeaways for College-Bound Students | 给准大学生的重要启示
In a fluid policy environment, proactive preparation remains the safest strategy. Firstly, assume testing may be required at your target schools and prepare accordingly; you can always choose not to submit if you are certain your score does not enhance your portfolio. Secondly, treat testing as one component of a holistic narrative: rigorous coursework, strong grades, and authentic extracurricular involvement carry equal, if not greater, weight. Thirdly, map out a testing timeline early—allowing for at least two attempts—and consider taking both a practice SAT and ACT to determine which format plays to your strengths. Finally, monitor each university’s official admissions site regularly, as policies can change with little advance notice.
在政策多变的环境中，积极准备依然是最安全的策略。首先，假设你的目标学校可能要求考试，并相应备考；当你确信分数无助于提升整体申请材料时，完全可以选择不提交。其次，将考试视为整体叙事的一个组成部分：严格的课程负荷、坚实的学业成绩和真实的课外参与同样重要，甚至更为关键。再次，尽早规划考试时间线——至少预留两次尝试机会——并考虑分别进行SAT和ACT的模拟练习，以确定哪种考试更适合你的优势。最后，定期关注每所大学的官方招生网站，因为政策可能在毫无征兆的情况下发生变动。
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