Is the SAT required for college in 2026?

    It depends on the school. Many US colleges are still test-optional in 2026, but a growing number of selective schools (including MIT, Harvard, and Yale) have reinstated the SAT requirement.

    Schools that require the SAT

    As of 2026, several top schools have reinstated SAT requirements, including MIT, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Caltech, Georgetown, and Florida's public universities. Check each school's admissions page for the current policy.

    Test-optional schools

    Many colleges remain test-optional, which means you can submit SAT scores but aren't required to. If your score is at or above the school's middle-50% range, submitting helps; below, you can choose not to submit.

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