Columbia Becomes Last Ivy to Drop Test-Optional — SAT/ACT Required Starting Fall 2027

Columbia University will require SAT or ACT scores starting fall 2027 — making it the final Ivy League school to end its test-optional policy after a multiyear faculty review.

Issue No. 1July 9, 2026Source: Inside Higher Ed

Columbia University will require SAT or ACT scores from all first-year and transfer applicants beginning with the fall 2027 admissions cycle, making it the last Ivy League school to abandon its test-optional policy. The reversal follows a multiyear faculty review that concluded test scores are 'a useful indicator of potential student success' alongside GPA and course rigor. Columbia went test-optional in 2020 during COVID and made that policy permanent — until now. If you're planning to apply to Columbia for fall 2027 or later, start treating standardized test prep as non-negotiable: a score isn't just helpful, it's required for your application to be considered.

This issue draws on reporting and data from Inside Higher Ed.

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