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Purdue University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

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Purdue University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 60%. Considering applying to Purdue? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Why Purdue University?

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
• Campus: Purdue's main campus spreads across 2,600 acres with an additional 15,000 acres dedicated to agricultural and industrial research. Athletic facilities include two 18-hole golf courses and the 62,500-seat Ross-Ade Stadium.
• Student/Faculty Ratio: 13:1
• Athletics: The Purdue Boilermakers compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference .
• Highlights: Along with strong STEM fields, Purdue earned a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. Students can choose from over 200 undergraduate majors, 130 graduate programs, and over 900 clubs and organizations.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Purdue University had an acceptance rate of 60%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 60 students were admitted, making Purdue's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Purdue requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 82% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Purdue's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Purdue scored between 590 and 690, while 25% scored below 590 and 25% scored above 690. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 600 and 750, while 25% scored below 600 and 25% scored above 750. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1440 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Purdue.

Requirements

Purdue does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Purdue participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject tests are not required at Purdue.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Purdue University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 50% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Purdue's admitted students fall within the top 22% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Purdue received a composite ACT score between 25 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 25.

Purdue does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, Purdue superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

In 2019, the average high school GPA of Purdue University's incoming class was 3.69, and over 50% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Purdue have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Purdue University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Purdue University, which accepts over half of applicants, has a selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being admitted. However, Purdue has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay and Purdue supplement can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule . While not required, Purdue recommends that applicants to more competitive programs submit letters of recommendation . Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and test scores are outside of Purdue's average range.

Students can apply to Purdue using the Common Application or Coalition Application . When applying, students must indicate a first and second choice major. Purdue notes that they consider your grades related to your intended major in the application review process.

As the scattergram above reveals, students who are admitted to Purdue tend to have strong GPAs and test scores. The blue and green represent accepted students so you can see that the majority of accepted students had a high school average of B+ or higher, an ACT composite score above 20, and a combined SAT score (ERW+M) above 1050. The chances for admission increase as those grades and test scores go up.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions Office .

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Undergraduate Admissions

Freshman Scholarships

Purdue University awards freshman scholarships based on academic merit as well as financial need. For maximum consideration, students must meet admission and financial aid deadlines. See important steps for maximum scholarship consideration .

Financial-Need-Based University-Wide Scholarships

The Purdue Division of Financial Aid administers need-based aid from federal, state and Purdue funding sources. To be considered for these scholarships and grants, you must submit a  FAFSA  by the University’s priority filing date, April 15. The FAFSA opens in December.

For details of our university-wide funds for Indiana residents, see Purdue Promise and Boiler Gold Grant .

See  Important Notes  below.

College-Based Scholarships

Many Purdue colleges have need- and merit-based scholarships they award to students admitted to their programs. 

To maximize consideration for scholarships with a financial need component, submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15 using Purdue West Lafayette school code 001825.

• In addition, some Purdue colleges use the Departmental Scholarship Application to identify recipients for awards with very specific criteria. Colleges include Education, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and the Polytechnic Institute. This application is available via the  Purdue application portal , and we recommend those be completed by February 15.

University-Wide Merit Scholarships

Freshman merit scholarships are awarded based on a holistic review of all information provided via the admission application. Factors considered include:

• Grades in core academic coursework and strength of your high school curriculum (in the context of courses available at your school)
• Grades in coursework that is critical to success in your intended major
• Application essay and Purdue-specific questions
• SAT or ACT score (if provided)
• Recommendation (if provided)
• Evidence of commitment to the academic program to which you applied
• Evidence of leadership, service, and other accomplishments; activities, and awards
• Personal background and experiences
• Information provided by your high school

Descriptions of University-Wide Scholarships

1 The value of merit scholarships may be adjusted if a student's overall financial aid package exceeds the standard cost of education at Purdue. The value of need-based scholarships may be adjusted to prevent award packages that exceed financial need. 2 To meet a scholarship deadline, a student's admission application must be complete. 3 Holistic review includes consideration of all information provided with the admission application – academic information, essay, recommendations, additional personal information, etc. 4 Students may receive renewable scholarships for up to four academic years of continuous, full-time enrollment.

• enroll in the academic year for which the scholarship was awarded
• remain continuously enrolled at Purdue
• meet or exceed individual scholarship renewability requirements
• Costs and Financial Aid
• Maximize Scholarship Consideration
• Freshman Admission Criteria
• Deadlines and Important Dates
• Financial Aid Estimator
• Division of Financial Aid Website

Purdue Admissions: The SAT, ACT Scores and GPA You Need to Get In

As a Midwesterner, I often joke that Indiana is the best state for higher education that you’re not visiting. Admittedly, it is more common to look to the West and East coast states when considering top school options. But Indiana is no slouch when it comes to prestigious universities. And Purdue is one of the biggest reasons to consider this lower-Midwestern state as a college destination. Let’s talk about how to get into Purdue, including SAT scores, ACT scores, GPA, and all things related to Purdue admissions.

Purdue ACT Scores

So what’s the deal with Purdue ACT scores ? Does Purdue really have higher expectations for ACT test-takers? If you go strictly by the conversion chart I linked in the post above, the answer is “yes,” albeit a weak yes. However, the real answer may not be that obvious or simple.

For one thing, conversion charts never show exact, guaranteed equivalents between the ACT and SAT. Such charts can’t show a perfect equivalence because the two tests are not perfectly alike. Most noticeably, the ACT has a science section and the SAT doesn’t. But there are many other subtle and important differences in terms of the number of questions per section, vocabulary levels in Reading, the highest level of math concepts tested, and so on.

So the ACT still might be your best option for getting into Purdue, if it’s the test you’re most comfortable with. Not sure if you should choose the ACT over the SAT? This is another place where Magoosh has you covered. We’ve made an extensive complete guide to ACT vs. SAT . Or if you want a faster assessment, you can take this quick SAT or ACT quiz to get an idea of which test is best for you. The ACT just might be your best option, after all, so don’t write it off just yet!

Purdue SAT Scores

When you look at Purdue University SAT scores , it’s important to remember that these are the scores expected of applicants in general. If you are applying for a “first-year experience” program in a specific major, you may be held to higher standards. For example, Purdue’s first year experience program for Engineering accepts students with a middle 50% SAT score range of 1350-1470. This is well above the general mid-50% range for Purdue SAT scores. When applying to a similar program, make sure to check the program’s specific Purdue SAT score expectations.

It’s also worth noting that expectations for Purdue SAT scores might be easier to meet than the standards for Purdue ACT scores. Why do I say this? Well, the middle 50% of accepted students have an SAT range of 1120-1400. If you look at Magoosh’s conversion tables for SAT-to-ACT , you’ll see that this is equivalent to an ACT score range of 22-31. That’s a slightly lower score range than the 26-33 Purdue ACT scores seen in the middle 50% of applicants.

How to Get Into Purdue: Admissions Standards

Ranked at 49 in national universities by US News and World Report , Purdue easily sits in the top 3% of American schools nationwide. So this school in West Lafayette is a great place to get a bachelor’s degree. What does it take to get into Purdue? Below is a quick snapshot of Purdue admissions criteria, according to the most recent Purdue University Freshman Profile , for Fall of 2020:

Purdue University Admissions: Middle 50% of Accepted, Enrolled Students

Purdue University SAT Scores: 1120-1400 Purdue University ACT Scores: 26-33 Purdue University GPA: 3.5-3.9

As you can see, Purdue admissions involve some pretty high expectations, especially for GPA. In spite of this, however, Purdue has a very favorable acceptance rate for applicants. Purdue accepts 67% of the students who apply . This relatively high acceptance rate is a rarity for a top school, and it’s good news for you!

Acceptance Rate

What does the acceptance rate mean for your Purdue admissions prospects? As I mentioned, the most recent (fall of 2020) Purdue acceptance rate is 67%! This does sound hopeful, doesn’t it? But don’t automatically assume you have more than a 50% chance of acceptance just because you have the right Purdue SAT scores, Purdue ACT scores, or GPA.

Purdue takes a very “big picture” look at applications when it considers students. So ideally, you want more than just the right numbers . Make sure every aspect of your application package looks good. You’ll need to write an admissions essay which can be submitted through Purdue Common App, so be sure to consult Magoosh’s guide to writing the Common App essay . It’s also best if you have a letter of recommendation. Purdue doesn’t absolutely require this, but they do strongly encourage including a reference letter if possible. This is another place where Magoosh can help, so be sure to read our advice on how to ask for a letter of recommendation .

Once you’ve assembled the best application packet possible, you’ll be able to truly benefit from Purdue’s favorable 67% acceptance rate. And you just might bump your personal odds of acceptance to something well above that 67% average!

As you’ve already learned, Purdue expects to see GPAs in the 3.5-3.9 for the average accepted student. But just like the standards for Purdue SAT scores and Purdue ACT scores, Purdue may have more stringent GPA expectations for certain undergraduate programs. So if you are applying for a special undergraduate degree path, be sure to double check the expected GPA.

Moreover, you should always double-check the GPA requirements of your program if you are applying to Purdue as a transfer student. If you are transferring from another college or University, Purdue will expect you to transfer into a specific major. Every major program has its own requirements for transfer GPA. Transfer students should always check the relevant departmental page for GPA standards.

Whether you’re an incoming freshman or a transfer student, it’s good to keep an eye on your GPA to make sure your grades are Purdue ready. You can use Magoosh’s handy GPA calculator tool to do this.

Freshman Profile

We’ve already looked at the parts of the freshman profile that help you understand how to get into Purdue. But it’s also good to look beyond Purdue admissions logistics. Setting aside Purdue SAT scores, Purdue ACT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate, what does a typical Purdue undergrad look like? In other words, what will your peers be like, once you’ve been accepted?

For one thing, you should expect your peers to be a large group. According to Purdue’s website , the most recent cohort of freshmen consists of over 8,357 students!

In this large cohort, you’ll find a lot of international students. Nearly 1 in 10 students at Purdue is an international student. You’ll also find plenty of classmates from outside of Indiana, although local students are the majority by a slight margin. 51% of Purdue’s students are originally from Indiana.

Regardless of your chosen living arrangement, you should have no trouble finding a community of classmates. Per US News and World Report , 36% of Purdue’s students live on campus, while 64% live off-campus, creating a healthy balance of students living in the dorms and students living in the larger Lafayette/West Lafayette community.

Finally, let’s consider the typical declared major. Nearly half of all Purdue students are studying either engineering or business. So if you’re in one of those fields, you’ll have an especially large group of classmates to work with. However, with Purdue’s large size, students of any major will find plenty of colleagues that they can connect with.

( Unless otherwise noted, the statistics above come from US News and World Report’s profile of Purdue . )

Purdue Admissions: Other Requirements and Info

Here are a couple of extra fun/useful facts about Purdue, and what kind of school it is.

Purdue Accepts Students for Fall, Spring, or Summer Start

Unlike many top schools, Purdue admissions will consider students for a start time other than Fall. Regardless of when you plan to start, there are two final application deadlines: January 1 of the year you intend to enroll (general application) and November 1 of the year before you intend to enroll (early action application). If you plan on starting some other time than Fall, Purdue advises you to “ apply as early as possible prior to the start of the term .”

Purdue is NOT a Private University

OK, maybe I’m silly to point this out, but I think this may be something that not everybody knows. Before I researched this and wrote this article, I myself thought Purdue was a private school. But no, it’s public! And since they feel to the need to point this out on a few different FAQs on their own website, it’s likely that a lot of people other than me also mistook Purdue for a private school. And speaking of FAQs….

We’ve covered a lot of ground today. But I want to make sure I haven’t missed any important questions. So here are answers to a few additional things that students often want to know about how to get into Purdue.

What majors is Purdue University best known for?

As you might expect, Purdue University’s best-known majors are its most popular ones. Purdue’s various degree paths in business and engineering attract the most students and attract the most national attention.

What is Purdue University best known for?

This is closely related to the previous question… but a little different. It’s worth noting that in a addition to its very popular business majors, Purdue’s education degrees have very high national rankings . And perhaps the one thing Purdue is most famous for is the Purdue OWL. No, that’s not some kind of animal mascot–it’s their online writing lab (their OWL). The Purdue OWL website provides writing guidance to high school and university English students from across America and around the world.

Is Purdue University an Ivy League school?

In the literal sense of “Ivy League,” no. Purdue is not a member of the official East Coast university sports conference that bears the formal name “Ivy League” . However, in its, popular use, the term “Ivy League” refers to national universities that offer elite, high-quality education. Arguably, Purdue may be Ivy League in this sense.

When does Purdue release admissions decisions?

According to Purdue’s official website for checking your application status , Purdue releases early Admissions decisions on January 15th, and releases general admissions decisions on a rolling basis between January 15 and March 15.

Purdue is an excellent school, especially if you’re planning to study business, science, or education. In many ways, Purdue is the best of both worlds: a public university with a private-school-like reputation for excellence, and an elite school with reasonable admissions standards and a more-than-50% acceptance rate.

Hopefully, the information I’ve given you about Purdue SAT scores, Purdue ACT scores, Purdue GPA, and other Purdue admissions has been helpful. But if you have any other questions about how to get into Purdue, feel free to ask them in the comments section!

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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8 responses to “Purdue Admissions: The SAT, ACT Scores and GPA You Need to Get In”

My daughter wants to apply for Purdue for EA. I noticed that you can do Self report scores on applications . so my questions is if we need submit the official SAT scores to Purdue from College board before EA deadline ( 11/1) thanks

Sorry for the delayed reply, here! These types of questions are best directed to the admissions team at Purdue rather than us, since we have no inside knowledge of their processes (and it can differ at each school). All the best! 🙂

Please does anyone no the lowest sat scores possible that could still allow you a good chance of acceptance

I would say 1160, the bottom score in Purdue’s middle 50% of accepted applicants, is the lowest possible SAT score you can get and still have a decent chance of acceptance. If you have a score below that, your chances of acceptance are 25% or lower.

Remember, of course, that there are no absolute score requirements. If you have a lower SAT score but the rest of your application is strong in other ways, you still may be able to get in, regardless of statistics.

My son has scored 1480 (out of 1600) in SAT and 33 in ACT with GPA 3.83 (unweighted) and 3.98 (weighted).

Would like to apply for Univ. of Michigan (Ann Arbor), Purdue, University of Illinois (Urbana Champaign), Cornell, West Point and Georgia Tech. What are his chances?

Great question, Bob! Hopefully this article helps you gauge your son’s chances with Purdue. We also have similar articles for Urbana-Champaign , University of Michigan , Cornell , Georgia Tech , and West Point .

So hopefully we have you covered. But certainly let me know if you have any other questions, Bob! 🙂

My son wants to apply Purdue. He didn’t take neither SAT nor ACT. His GPA is around 3.9-4.0 on the scale of 5.0. Does he has a chance to get in? Thanks!

Here are the Purdue admissions requirements as listed on their website. It looks like your son will have to take either the SAT or ACT, as well as meet the other requirements, to be a candidate. I’d also recommend directly contacting their admissions department if you have any specific questions, since they are the experts on the topic! I hope this helps, and best of luck! 🙂

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Purdue SAT Scores and GPA

What are Purdue's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into Purdue. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.

Location: West Lafayette, IN

This school is also known as: Purdue University

Purdue Admissions Statistics

There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate . All these combine to tell you what you scores are required to get into Purdue University.

Average SAT: 1315

The average SAT score composite at Purdue is a 1315 .

Purdue SAT Score Analysis

The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1210, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1450.

In other words, a 1210 places you below average, while a 1450 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at Purdue, but they really want to see at least a 1210 to have a chance at being considered.

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

Average GPA: 3.74

The average GPA at Purdue is 3.74 . This makes Purdue Strongly Competitive for GPAs.

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.74, Purdue requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need a mix of A's and B's, with a leaning toward A's. If you took some AP or IB classes, this will help boost your weighted GPA and show your ability to take college classes.

If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.74, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.

Admissions Rate: 52.7%

The acceptance rate at Purdue is 52.7% . In other words, of 100 students who apply, 53 are admitted.

This means the school is somewhat selective . You should prepare your academic scores well, but you have an excellent chance if you impress them.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission . Scoring at a 1315 SAT or above will already give you a great shot at getting in. Scoring a 1450 will nearly guarantee you admission, given that your GPA is roughly the average of 3.74.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

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Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
• We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
• Our team is made of national SAT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
• We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Purdue, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Purdue.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Purdue. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Purdue, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Purdue, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Purdue is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, does the sat essay matter expert guide.

In days of yore, the SAT Essay was very different. For starters, it was a required portion of the exam, scored as part of the writing section. You had a measly 25 minutes to give and support your opinion on such deep philosophical issues as the importance of privacy or whether people perform better when they can use their own methods to complete tasks.

Things are very different now. Along with the SAT itself, the SAT Essay has been completely revamped and revised. Among other things, it is now an optional portion of the exam. In light of this SAT Essay renovation, many schools will no longer require that students take the SAT Essay when they take the exam.

But what do all these changes mean for you? Is the SAT Essay important? Read on for a breakdown of the new SAT changes, information on which schools continue to require the SAT Essay, why schools do and don’t require this portion of the exam, and how to figure out if the SAT Essay is necessary or important for you.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

The New SAT Essay

The SAT was revised in March 2016. The aspect of the exam that is most changed is the essay. Instead of writing a 25-minute opinion piece, you will have 50 minutes to analyze how the author of a given passage constructs his or her argument.

Additionally, instead of having the exam integrated into your composite score, you will receive a separate score for your exam that does not affect your 1600-point score. The new exam is graded out of 24 points - 8 points each in “Reading” (essentially reading comprehension), “Analysis,” and “Writing” (writing style). See our breakdown of the new rubric here .

Finally, the new essay is a completely optional portion of the exam. You don’t have to take it, and you’ll still get your 1600-point score. In this way it’s a lot like the ACT, which also has an optional essay. If you wish to register for the SAT Essay, you’ll pay an extra $11.50.

Because the essay is now optional, colleges have the option of not requiring students to send SAT Essay scores. Thus, many colleges have dropped this requirement. So who still requires the SAT Essay?

Let this creepy happy pencil guide you through the SAT Essay!

Who Requires the New SAT Essay?

According to a Kaplan poll in which 300 schools were surveyed, most schools will not require the optional SAT Essay. However, some still do recommend or require it, particularly in the most selective tier of institutions.

Notably, elite schools like the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, and the University of Chicago are divided on the issue, with some requiring the essay and some neither requiring or recommending it. In the Ivy League, Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth and Yale will continue to require the SAT Essay, and Columbia, Cornell, UPenn, and Brown will not.

Big state schools are similarly divided: for example, the University of California system and the University of Michigan both require the essay, University of Illinois and Purdue University recommend it; and Penn State, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Indiana University neither require nor recommend the essay.

For the most up-to-date information on a school’s position on the SAT Essay, check the College Board . If the school isn’t on the list, check their admissions website. Those schools that do require the essay have gone on the record with specific reasons for doing so; I’ll break those down in the next section.

Schools are divided, like this egg.

Why Do Schools Require the SAT Essay?

Given that so many schools won’t require the essay going forward, you may be curious about those that do still require it. What’s their reasoning? Based on public statements from school officials, it seems to boil down to three main reasons:

#1: More Information Is Better

Some colleges seem to feel that all of the information they can get from applicants is helpful in painting a complete picture of the applicant. Certainly the SAT Essay presents a somewhat unique data point in that there are no other standardized elements of a college application that would include specific information on an applicant’s timed writing skills. It makes sense that schools that value having all the information that it is conceivably possible to obtain about a student would require the SAT Essay.

#2: The Revised Test Is Similar to College Work

The old SAT Essay involved a fairly arbitrary task and bore no resemblance to any work students do in college. However, the revised essay engages a student’s rhetorical analysis skills and requires the kind of analytical thinking students will perform in college. Thus, some colleges require the new SAT Essay because they feel it gives valuable insight into how a student might perform with college-level work.

#3: Sending a Message on the Importance of Writing

Institutions may also require the SAT Essay simply because they wish to telegraph to the world that they believe writing is important. This was part of the rationale given by Yale as to why they would continue to require the essay.

That’s why schools require it—but what about schools that don’t require the essay? What’s their reasoning?

Cats or dogs: another hot-button issue at elite institutions

Why Don't Schools Require the SAT Essay?

There are four main reasons that schools have given for not requiring the SAT essay going forward:

#1: Consistency

Many schools already do not require the optional writing portion of the ACT. So now that the SAT Essay is also optional, it makes sense to not require it, either. This simply makes testing guidelines consistent for those schools.

#2: The Essay Is Redundant

Some schools feel that they already have sufficient evidence of an applicant’s writing capability through application essays. This is particularly true at institutions where multiple essays are required as part of the application.

#3: The SAT Essay Does Not Predict College Success

In the past, the old SAT essay has been shown to be the least predictive element of college success on the SAT. While there is not yet data on the new SAT essay’s predictive capabilities, schools have taken this opportunity to shed what they feel is basically dead weight in an application.

#4: Requiring the SAT Essay Presents a Burden to Underprivileged Students

Columbia’s primary concern is that the extra cost of the essay may be a deterrent to underprivileged students.   University of Pennsylvania has made similar statements —minority and underprivileged students are least likely to have a “complete testing profile.” So, they’ve eliminated the SAT Essay requirement in the hopes of attracting a more diverse applicant pool.

A diverse tomato pool.

So Does the SAT Essay Matter to Your College Chances?

I’ve gone over how and why schools use or don’t use the SAT Essay. But what does all of this mean for you?

There are two main questions you need to answer to determine how important the essay is for you: first, should you take the SAT Essay section, and second, how important is your score?

Should I Take the SAT Essay?

This comes down mostly to whether or not you are applying to schools that require or recommend the SAT Essay. (In college applications, I would generally err on the side of treating recommendations as nicely-worded requirements.)

If you are truly not interested in a single school that requires/recommends the essay, and you don’t see yourself changing your mind, go ahead and skip it.   However, if there’s even a chance you might be interested in a school that does require/recommend the essay, you should take it.

And if you’re applying to highly selective schools, definitely take the essay portion, because around half of them require the essay. So if you change your mind at the last minute and decide you’re applying to CalTech as well as MIT, you’ll need that essay.

I advise this because if you don’t take the essay portion and then end up needing it for even one school, you’ll have to take the entire test over again. If you’re happy with your score already, this will be a big four-hour drag for you.

You might also want to take the essay portion if you are particularly good at rhetorical analysis and timed writing. Even for colleges that don’t require the essay, a stellar score will look good.

How Important Is Your SAT Essay Score?

This is a little more complicated, as it does depend to a certain extent on the schools you are applying to. I spoke to admissions officers from several schools, and some themes emerged as to how important they consider your essay score to be, and how they use it in evaluating your application:

• The general consensus was that the essay was the least important part of the SAT overall. Admissions offices will look much more closely at your composite score.
• The SAT Essay is primarily looked at in combination with your other writing-based application materials: your admissions essay and your high school English transcripts are also used to determine your writing and language skills. Essentially, it’s a part of a facet of your application.
• That said, bombing the essay would be a red flag to admissions officers that you might not be fully prepared for college-level work.

Overall, I would advise you not to sweat your essay score too much. The most important thing is that your essay score is more or less consistent with your other test scores. It certainly doesn’t have to be perfect—if you get a 1600 and an 18 out of 24, I wouldn’t stress too much. But if you, say, have a 1500 and get a 9/24 on the essay, that’s a little more concerning, as it may cause concern among admissions officers that you aren’t prepared for college-level work.

In general, then, schools really look at the score, but it’s not one of the most important parts of your application or even your SAT score.  Your best bet if you are interested in a given school that requires the essay and you want more specific guidance how they use the essay is to call the admissions office and ask. To learn more about what a good SAT Essay score is, check out our guide to the average SAT Essay score.

Not this kind of score!

How Can I Succeed on the SAT Essay?

Luckily, it’s very possible to learn the skills to hit the SAT Essay out of the park every time. Here are some general tips:

• Learn specific persuasive and argumentative techniques that you can reference in your essay. If you can’t identify what devices authors can use to make arguments, how will you write an essay about it?
• Make sure you have a clear thesis that can be defended with evidence from the passage.
• Include an introduction and a conclusion. This will help “bracket” your great points and show that you know how to structure a solid piece of writing.
• Rely on evidence from the passage to build your argument.
• Don’t give your opinion on the issue! The new SAT essay is not opinion-based.
• Make sure you use correct grammar and academic language. (No “This passage, like my brows, is on fleek.”)
• Write at least a page.

Also see this guide to getting a perfect SAT Essay score and this one on improving your score.

Tips to success: don't fold up the Essay section into origami boats.

Final Summary and Actionables

With the new SAT making the essay section optional, many schools have chosen to neither require nor recommend that students take it. Most schools will no longer require the essay, but highly selective schools are divided on the issue.

Among those schools that do require the SAT Essay, many have gone on the record to say that they feel the essay provides a valuable additional piece of information on an applicant’s potential for college-level work. They plan on using the essay as a way to further evaluate an applicant’s writing skills, although for most of these schools it is considered the least important part of the SAT score .

At schools where the SAT Essay is not required, the essay has been eliminated for a variety of reasons: for more consistency with ACT requirements, because the Essay seems redundant or poorly predictive of college success, or to attract a more diverse applicant pool.

What does all this mean for you? If there’s even a chance you’ll apply to a school that requires or recommends the essay, take the SAT with Essay. If you don’t and end up needing it later, you’ll have to re-take the entire exam.

If you do take the SAT Essay, don’t stress too much about getting a perfect score, but do prepare enough that you are confident you won’t get a very low score compared to your composite.

What's Next?

If you're thinking about test scores and college, check out my article on the minimum SAT score for college.

Ready to get started with practice essays? Check out our thorough analysis of the SAT essay prompt and our complete list of prompts to practice with .

Aiming for a perfect SAT essay score? Read our guides to get strategies on how to get an 8/8/8 on your SAT essay .

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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Testing Matters: Why using SAT and ACT scores for admissions still makes sense

08/16/2016 |

Certain academic phrases can spark a heated debate almost anywhere. Consider the possible roundtable discussions pouring forth from the mere mention of such lightning rods as “the Common Core,” “standardized testing” and “SAT and ACT scores.” And from the teacher’s lounge to the kitchen table, there’s no shortage of opinions on what “education” needs.

One recent trend on the higher education landscape (in addition to its hot button possibilities) is a growing number of colleges and universities not using SAT and ACT scores in the admissions process. According to Pam Horne, Purdue’s vice provost of enrollment management, most of the several hundred schools not requiring standardized test scores are open admission or use state-mandated grade point average or class rank thresholds that guarantee admission. However, Horne says a few dozen selective institutions use a holistic review and, although students can submit such scores, they are no longer required for some or all applicants. Purdue is not among them, as are few of its academic peer institutions. Every Big Ten university continues to use ACT or SAT scores for admission consideration.

“Test scores provide the only common benchmark available to us to evaluate applicants,” Horne says. “At Purdue’s current level of competitiveness, the majority of our applicants come to us with A averages in high school, so the grade point average is not always a means to differentiate among students. In addition, high schools vary considerably in how they calculate the GPA, and many no longer rank their students. However, we are well aware that grades in core academic courses and the rigor of those courses are together the best predictors of college success at Purdue and elsewhere. Test scores provide some information, but we care much more about what students accomplish over four years than how they perform for four hours on a Saturday morning.

“We also look at test scores in context of a student’s socioeconomic background, and the opportunities available to them,” says Horne, who works closely with top university officials on setting and managing enrollment projections. “We are well aware that test scores are correlated with economic background and that’s one reason we continue to admit and enroll students with a wide range of SAT and ACT scores.”

Additionally, Horne’s office conducts studies to ensure that test scores add incremental validity to predict first-year grades. “And they do at Purdue,” she says. “We want to admit students who have achieved well in their schools and communities, but the tests help the university to identify students who may be at some academic risk and in need of academic support.”

Anne Traynor, assistant professor of educational psychology, knows a thing or two about testing. As a high school teacher and principal, she routinely administered admissions tests and became well aware of student testing anxiety and other practical realities of the assessment process. That experience spurred her to pursue her own PhD. These days her research focuses on how well tests are aligned with particular school curricula.

“A basic principle of assessment is that anytime a test score would contribute to a high-stakes decision that would have a long-term impact on someone’s life, such as a college admission exam, you would want to use multiple sources of information,” Traynor says.

Unfortunately, Traynor says, many of those other measurable factors, including sports, club affiliations, and other extracurricular activities, could also be reflective of a simple lack of opportunity. Some students might work or watch younger siblings after school, effectively hurting their own college chances.

To consider each student applicant holistically, Horne says they look at that kind of personal experience, along with the student’s essay and school counselor recommendations. Purdue admissions counselors, who visit hundreds of high schools and community groups, are sensitive to both the challenges and opportunities students encounter in their own environments.

A revised SAT exam offered nationwide this winter even got a trial run on campus last fall as Purdue served as a field test site. Horne says participating students agreed to have their first-year grades sent to the College Board for analysis with their test score results. “We were privy to the validity results for our students. It was unique and fascinating for Purdue staff to help facilitate the field testing.”

– William Meiners

From the July/August issue of the Purdue Alumnus,  http://bit.ly/2cs0H1I

Above: Illustration by Brucie Rosch

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What Colleges Require the SAT Essay?

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If you’re going to be applying to college soon, there’s a good chance that you’re already thinking about the SAT. Most colleges still require standardized test scores, and millions of students across the country tackle this exam each year. 

As you begin your college search, it’s important to understand the exact standardized test requirements of the colleges on your list. Some will be test-optional . Others require scores from the SAT or ACT. In addition, some will require that you submit scores from the optional essay portions of these tests. There may also be schools that require or recommend SAT Subject Tests. Knowing the exact testing policy at each school you’re considering will help you plan your test taking strategy, and begin test prep well in advance. 

If you’re planning to take the SAT, you won’t want to miss this complete overview of what colleges require the SAT essay. 

What is the SAT Essay? How is it Scored?

Before we dive into which schools require it, let’s take a closer look at what exactly the SAT essay is, and how it is scored. 

On the SAT Essay, students are provided with a written argument that they must read and analyze. Students have 50 minutes to read the passage, plan the essay, and write their response. Most successful responses stick to the standard five-paragraph essay format. To see an example prompt and scoring rubric, check out the Essay Sample Questions on the College Board website. 

It’s important to note here that the SAT Essay score is separate from your overall composite SAT score. It does not impact the score ranging from 400-1600 as reported on your score report. Instead of being included in your composite score, it is provided in addition to it. 

The Essay is scored on a scale from 2-8 in three areas of evaluation—Reading, Analysis, and Writing. Each essay is reviewed by two scorers, and scores between 1-4 are awarded in each dimension. These scores are then added together so that you’ll receive three scores for the SAT Essay—one for each dimension—ranging from 2–8 points. A perfect score on the essay would be 8/8/8, but the mean score on the essay is a 5 for Reading and Writing, and 3 for Analysis. This means if you can achieve any score over 5/3/5, you have scored above average on the essay. For a more complete look at how the test is scored, don’t miss our post What is a Good SAT Essay Score?

Should I Take the SAT Essay?

First of all, the SAT essay is technically an optional section, so no, you are not required to take it. That being said, some colleges do require applicants to take the SAT with Essay. If you choose not to take the essay portion of the test, you will not be an eligible applicant for any of these schools. 

The SAT Essay used to be required at many top colleges, but it has become optional at many schools. Now, among elite schools, only the University of California schools require the Essay. Other selective colleges like Duke University, Amherst College, and Colby College recommend the Essay, but it’s not required. 

Take a look at the colleges on these lists, and see if there are any you plan to apply to. Also be sure to double-check on your schools’ webpages, as these policies can change. 

If you think you might change your mind about which schools you want to apply to, you should take the SAT Essay to leave those doors open. This is why we generally recommend taking the essay, regardless of whether or not it’s required. After all, you can’t go back and just take the SAT Essay if you decide to change your mind and apply to a school that requires it—you’d have to retake the entire SAT.

Some colleges don’t require the essay, but do recommend it. In these cases, we always direct students to do what the college recommends. 

That being said, there is currently no option to withhold your essay score if you do terribly on it. Your essay scores will always be reported with your other test scores from that day, even to colleges that don’t require them. 

What Colleges Require the SAT with Essay?

There colleges request scores from the SAT with Essay in order to apply.

Schools that Require the SAT Essay:

• All of the University of California schools
• Benedictine University
• City University London
• Delaware State University
• DeSales University
• Dominican University of California
• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Howard University
• John Wesley University
• Kentucky State University
• Martin Luther College
• Molloy College
• Schreiner University
• Soka University of America
• Southern California Institute of Architecture
• Texas A&M University—Galveston
• United States Military Academy (West Point)
• University of North Texas
• West Virginia University Institute of Technology
• Western Carolina University

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These schools do not require the SAT Essay, but do recommend that students submit it. At CollegeVine, our best advice is to always follow a college’s recommendations. 

Schools that Recommend the SAT Essay:

• Abilene Christian University
• Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Allegheny College
• Amherst College
• Art Institute of Houston
• Augsburg University
• Austin College
• Caldwell University
• California State University, Northridge
• Central Connecticut State University
• Central Michigan University
• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
• Coastal Carolina University
• Colby College
• College of Wooster
• Colorado School of Mines
• Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
• Corban University
• Cornerstone University
• Dallas Christian College
• Duke University
• Eastern Illinois University
• Eastern Nazarene College
• Easternn University
• Endicott College
• Five Towns College
• Gallaudet University
• George Washington University
• Georgia Highlands College
• Greenville University
• Gwynedd Mercy University
• High Point University
• Hofstra University
• Holy Family University
• Husson University
• Indiana University South Bend
• Indiana University Southeast
• Indiana Wesleyan University
• Inter American University of Puerto Rico: Barranquitas Campus
• Juilliard School
• Keiser University (West Palm Beach)
• Lehigh University
• Madonna University
• Manhattan College
• Marymount California University
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy
• McMurry University
• Mercy College
• Modern College of Design
• Montana Tech of the University of Montana
• Morehouse College
• Mount Saint Mary College
• Mount St. Joseph University
• National-Louis University
• New Jersey City University
• Nichols College
• North Park University
• Occidental College
• Ohio University
• Oregon State University
• Purdue University Northwest
• Randall University
• Randolph-Macon College
• Reading Area Community College
• Rowan University
• Rutgers University—Camden Campus
• Rutgers University—Newark Campus
• Saint Michael’s College
• Sciences Po
• Seton Hill University
• Shiloh University
• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
• Silver Lake College of the Holy Family
• Southern Illinois University of Carbondale
• Southern Oregon University
• Spring Hill College
• Sul Ross State University
• SUNY Farmingdale State College
• SUNY University at Stony Brook
• Tarleton State University
• Texas A&M International University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas State University
• The King’s College
• United States Air Force Academy
• University of Evansville
• University of La Verne
• University of Mary Hardin—Baylor
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Minnesota: Twin Cities
• University of New England
• University of Northwestern—St. Paul
• University of the Virgin Islands
• University of Toledo
• University of Washington Bothell
• VanderCook College of Music
• Virginia Union University
• Wabash College
• Webb Institute
• Webber International University
• Wesleyan College
• William Jewell College

If any of the schools you are considering appear on either of the lists above, we recommend taking the SAT with Essay. In fact, we recommend that most, if not all, students take the SAT essay since it leaves more doors open in your college search. However, if you’re absolutely sure you won’t be applying to colleges that require or recommend the SAT with Essay, you can skip it.

Regardless, as you consider which colleges to add to your list, you’ll want to be certain you know what colleges require the SAT essay so that you can plan ahead for this part of your test. 

For help figuring out which schools might be a great fit for you, don’t miss our customized and innovative Chancing Engine and School List Generator . Here, we use a proprietary algorithm backed by over 100,000 data points to develop a school list based on your real admissions chances and preferences.

Want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

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Purdue University to require SAT, ACT scores for Fall 2024 incoming students

WEST LAFAYETTE — For the past two years, Purdue University has recommended, but not required, SAT and/or ACT test scores for incoming admitted students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purdue announced those scores will once again be required for admissions applications, beginning with students who apply for Fall 2024 admission.

Purdue accepts SAT or ACT scores and has no preference on which test is taken.

Purdue will begin accepting 2024 applications on Aug. 1, 2023.

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Hey everyone, I'm considering applying to Purdue University. I was wondering what the typical SAT scores are for admitted students? Just want to make sure my score is within their range. Thanks!

Hey there! You've picked a great school to consider applying to! For Purdue University, the middle 50% SAT range for admitted students during the most recent Fall admission cycle was between 1210 and 1450. This means that 25% of admitted students scored below 1210, and 25% scored above 1450.

As a general rule of thumb, you'd like your SAT score to fall within this range or even higher to be considered competitive. However, it's important to keep in mind that your SAT score is just one part of your application, and Purdue looks at various factors to make their admissions decisions, such as your GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation.

Best of luck with your application!

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Purdue university requires sat or act score for 2024 admission.

As of Tuesday, November 9th, 2022, Purdue University has announced that they will require an ACT or SAT college entrance exam for 2024 acceptance. The university's board of trustees has officially endorsed this announcement.

Implications

So why does this announcement matter?

Well, for one, if you are trying to get into Purdue University, then you will need a good exam score to get in. But even beyond that, this announcement has echoed implications.

Purdue University was one of many colleges that were lenient on college entrance over the course of the pandemic. Many students were unable to get to a testing site at this time, and many students needed another option to take a college entrance exam.

Because of this, various schools like Purdue have made their policy "test flexible." Meaning that students unable to take a college entrance exam could forgo a score submission with the proper credentials.

Purdue going back on this policy likely reflects a larger trend in the application process. As a leader in education, other schools will follow Perdue's example as a precedent. 

What Should You Do?

So now that we know schools are going back to their traditional testing policies, what should you do? 

If you or someone you know is planning on applying to college in the near future, you should make sure that you take the SAT or ACT college entrance exam . These exams will assign a simple score to a student's proficiencies, and a high score in this regard will help to gain acceptance.

If you or a student you know needs assistance for an exam, make sure to check out some of the many test prep materials from The College Review . Taking the time to study will help to boost scores and can prevent having to retake the test.

Hindsight may be 20/20, but that doesn't mean you can't get ahead of the curb. Make sure to take charge and get the proper testing preparation a student needs to succeed. After all, their future is on the line.

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Colleges reinstating the act/sat should add a program like this too.

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Colleges reinstating standardized admission tests have an obligation to increase their efforts to ... [+] attract and admit more traditionally underserved students

Several colleges have made headlines this year with their decision to reinstate ACT or SAT test scores as an undergraduate admission requirement.

Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, and Caltech have decided to once again require test scores. In March, the University of Texas ended its pandemic-era test-optional policy and resumed requiring standardized test scores as part of the application process. Other public universities are considering following suit or have already done so.

The usual justifications for resuming the test requirement is that it helps predict future academic success and can identify talented applicants from under-resourced backgrounds.

Claims that standardized tests can find well-qualified candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds, serving like some kind of a diamond-in-the-rough detector, may be true. And, while many observers remain skeptical, schools that have become convinced by that logic may be able to use the tests to yield socioeconomically and racially diverse entering classes.

However, there’s a flip side to this issue. For every traditionally underserved applicant given a boost by a good test score, innumerable others will be overlooked because they lacked the resources to prep for the tests or their scores fail to reflect their true academic abilities.

As Akil Bello, the Senior Director of Advocacy for FairTest noted , universities “can trot out the heart-warming story of the rare successful graduate ‘saved’ by the test, (but) they do not publicize the countless individual narratives of deserving, capable, hard-working low income students whose college dreams were snuffed by standardized testing.”

Selective universities can use standardized tests if the want, but if they’re genuinely dedicated to being institutions of opportunity, they need to supplement those tests with other strategies intended to find, recruit and nurture talented students who risk being overlooked, discouraged or disqualified by too much reliance on the SAT/ACT.

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Fortunately, that strategy exists in the form of a game-changing national program that enrolls high school students from low-income neighborhoods in credit-bearing college courses taught by faculty at several of the nation’s most highly regarded universities.

It’s the National Education Equity Lab , an education justice nonprofit that I’ve written about before. Founded in 2019 by Leslie Cornfeld, a former federal civil rights prosecutor and advisor to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and two U.S. Secretaries of Education, the Lab has become one of the nation’s leading models for preparing low-income and traditionally underserved students to enroll and succeed in college.

It’s the first to do so at scale, helping fill the college pipeline with talented students who might have otherwise never have believed they could succeed at college. College admission offices seem to agree. Richard Shaw, dean of admissions and financial aid at Stanford University, said he thought the program would “become one of the most important models in the nation to introduce admissions offices to incredible students they wouldn't otherwise find and to introduce those students to incredible colleges they would otherwise not consider.”

A first of its kind, here’s how the Lab works.

School districts serving students in low-income high schools are invited to participate. Principals pick the high school teachers who assist college faculty in offering the course, and they also select the students - typically about 25 per course.

Many Ed Equity Lab high schools offer multiple courses – meaning students can graduate having completed a semester or more of transferable credits, resulting in substantial tuition savings.

Students - typically juniors and seniors - are selected on the basis of their academic record and teachers’ nominations. The courses are offered as dual enrollment classes, allowing students to earn both college and high school credit. They’re taught by college faculty members, who deliver the lectures asynchronously via video, and hold office hours via Zoom and are assisted by high school teachers who co-teach the course during the school day.

Graduate or undergraduate students are an important part of the mix, functioning as teaching assistants who lead a weekly live discussion section via Zoom and help with course grading.

Ed Equity Lab onboards the schools and universities, conducts orientations and training for the teachers and teaching assistants, and organizes career and college advising sessions. You can watch a brief introduction to the Ed EquityLab by Cornfeld and others and listen to some former students describe their experiences here .

The courses are free for students, and the universities provide them to the Lab at cost. School districts pay $250 per student per class, a highly discounted rate made possible by the universities’ commitment to the effort and the contributions the Lab receives from private donors.

Since starting in 2019, the program has scaled up quickly. It’s now served over 25,000 students, 10,000 just this year. It’s in 132 school districts across 33 states. The Lab’ goal is to reach more than one million students over the next ten years.

The curriculum has expanded as well, with 31 credit-bearing courses this year. For example, students can enroll in an Introduction to Computer Science by Stanford’s Patrick Young, Environmental Studies from Howard professor Janelle Burke, or a psychology course taught by University of Pennsylvania Professor Angela Duckworth.

“Our students have demonstrated that talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not,’’ said Cornfeld. Over 80% of students completing a Lab course pass it. Many students take pass multiple classes, giving them a strong start on their college degrees.

If the rationale for standardized tests is that they predict college success, passing Ed Equity Lab courses goes one step better — it’s not a prediction, it’s a confirmation of college readiness. Rather than relying on a fallible proxy of future college performance, why not test students’ ability in a real college class. The Lab’s growing list of college partners understands that and are using more holistic reviews of candidates from under-resourced communities.

The roster of universities now participating in the Ed Equity Lab includes Princeton, Stanford, Georgetown, Cornell, Wesleyan University, Barnard, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Brown University, all campuses in the University of California, Howard University, and Arizona State University.

However, the question remains — why aren’t even more prominent colleges and universities taking part in the program? For example, most of the 140 institutions in the American Talent Initiative are strugglin g to reach the ATI goal of enrolling 50,000 more Pell Grant recipients by 2025. Given the Lab’s proven success in building talent pipelines for exactly the kinds of students ATI aims to educate, more ATI institutions should consider partnering with it.

If colleges see a decline in the socioeconomic and racial diversity of their incoming classes this fall — as many observers are expecting — they’ll have plenty of factors to blame, including themselves.

Start with the Supreme Court ban on race-conscious admissions and then add in the botched roll-out of the revised FASFA (Free Application for Student Federal Aid form that’s compromised timely financial aid offers for so many low-income students. Further complicating the problem is legislation in many states prohibiting a wide range of diversity-equity-inclusion activities that helped attract students from underserved backgrounds.

While those factors are no doubt important, they don’t tell the whole story. Universities that are resuming standardized testing are likely to see less student diversity in their entering classes whether they want to admit it or not. That’s particularly true for those who cling to legacy and donor preferences at the same time.

Almost all of the nation’s best institutions say they’re committed to educating qualified students from all backgrounds. If they really mean it, they’ll need to supplement their admissions polices — whether test-optional, test-blind or test-required — with new forms of student outreach and assessment. Programs like the Ed Equity Lab are perfectly situated to address that need. The real question is whether colleges will get on board or will they be satisfied with a return to business-as-usual admissions.

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Is the SAT Still Needed?

• Posted May 17, 2024
• By Elizabeth Christopher
• College Access and Success
• Counseling and Mental Health
• Education Reform
• Higher Education Leadership
• Inequality and Education Gaps

Sam Noel, a senior at Melrose High School in Massachusetts, didn’t sleep well the night before his SAT last spring. “I was nervous,” he says, not just about taking the college entrance exam but also about making it to the test center on time. When he searched online for a spot to take the test at his high school, or at any of the high schools in neighboring cities, the closest one he found was a 45-minute drive away.

Difficulty accessing test centers, a problem that reached its peak during the pandemic, is just one of the reasons colleges and universities have adopted test-optional admission policies. Another, and perhaps bigger reason, is the belief that making submissions of SAT or ACT scores optional is fairer and more equitable for students that come from less-advantaged backgrounds. Data shows that students from high-income families on average score higher than those who come from lower-income families. Recent research from Opportunity Insights, a team of Harvard-based researchers and policy analysts, which set out to examine if highly selective colleges perpetuate privilege across generations, reveals how wide the score gap is. 

“One-third of the children of the very richest families scored a 1300 or higher on the SAT, while less than 5% of middle-class students did,” out of a possible 1600, according to the study. “Relatively few children in the poorest families scored that high; just one in ­five took the test at all,” The New York Times reported, citing the study. 

This is where it gets complicated. 

Some researchers say that, despite that sobering data, dismissing the SAT and tests like it is shortsighted. Harvard Professor Raj Chetty, part of the Opportunity Insights team, told The New York Times the disparities in SAT scores by class and race are a “symptom, not a cause,” of educational inequality in the United States. Moreover, researchers like Chetty say SAT scores can do a good job of identifying students who are better prepared to complete the rigorous course work of Ivy Plus institutions — the eight ivy league schools, plus others like MIT and Duke. This is true regardless of the income level of students’ families, Chetty says. This is, in part, the reason schools like Harvard, Brown, Yale, and Dartmouth College are returning to requiring standardized tests for undergraduate admissions. Dartmouth did its own study on the role of testing in its admissions process and concluded that, as its website reads, “a standardized testing requirement will improve — not detract from — our ability to bring the most promising and diverse students to our campus.”

Yet many people, including college admissions officers and high school counselors, say the benefi­ts of making test scores optional in college admissions are too great to ignore. They feel that college admissions should be based on other aspects of a student’s application — the transcript, essay, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. Today, more than 80% of colleges do not require applicants to submit standardized test scores as part of their college applications, according to Inside Higher Ed . 

And, so, the question being asked is, is the SAT still needed?

______________

Students’ scores from the SAT, ACT, and standardized tests like them are “just not the main thing a lot of colleges are paying attention to,” says Jamiere Abney, Ed.M.’17, director of admissions at Western Oregon University. He feels that concerns about grade inflation are overblown and that a student’s transcript, GPA, essay, and letters of recommendations do a better job of helping admissions officers understand who the student is and what their potential for success is. Taken together, these components of a student’s record “give us a three- to four-year story of who you are academically and intellectually, not just at one moment in time,” Abney says.

If a student sees a test requirement or if they see that their score falls below the average scores of students attending that school, they may wonder, “is this a school that I can even have a chance at?” says Abney, who favors his school’s test-optional policy because it “gives students one less thing to worry about.” Encouraging lower-income students to apply is important, he says, because earning a college degree is still one of the surest paths to upward social mobility. Forty-seven percent of students at Western Oregon, the oldest public university in the state, are first-generation college students; some of them might have opted out of applying to college if it weren’t for its test-optional policy. “If testing is what’s turning people away, then we have to ask ourselves, ‘Is it really worth it?’” 

In general, Clara Yom, Ed.M.’15, a high school counselor in Chicago, advises her students not to submit scores if that’s an option. “I usually tell them there should be a good reason you’re sending your SAT scores in with your application.” It’s rare for her to see an SAT score above 1200 and those scores just don’t reflect her students’ potential, she says. 

Between 75% and 80% of the students at the high school where Yom works now are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, and a large percentage of students identify as Black and Latino. The vast majority of students at her school aspire to go to college. “Personally, I think it’s impossible to get an SAT score above 1200 without ‘studying’ the SAT,” she says. “It’s not like you get straight A’s in your high school classes and you take AP English and then you’re guaranteed a high score on the SAT.” Rather, it’s about learning how to take the test well and that often depends on having parents who can pay for tutoring. Before becoming a high school counselor, Yom worked as an SAT tutor. Most of the students she tutored came from affluent families and were able to raise their scores 200 to 300 points after weeks of drills.

Others who welcome test-optional policies do so because it represents a shift away from what they feel is an overemphasis on personal achievement. It says, “loud and clear, that who you are as a person and the choices you have made are more important than one test,” says Brennan Barnard, the college admissions program adviser for Making Caring Common, an Ed School project that seeks to help schools develop empathy in students. Colleges and universities should be looking at alternative ways to assess students’ readiness for college, says Barnard, who is also director of college counseling at the Khan Lab School, a mastery-based school in California, and author of The Truth About College Admission . “If a student shows they can master calculus and tutor other students, doesn’t that say a lot more about who they are as a student and their potential to be successful than a test score?” he says. 

But proponents of standardized testing say eliminating the SAT­ and ACT­, at least for admissions to Ivy Plus schools, would be a mistake because research shows that the tests uncover students who are more academically prepared for rigorous coursework, including those who come from less-advantaged backgrounds. 

“The SAT ­is a real lifeline for people who don’t go to elite high schools,” and who wouldn’t get noticed by admissions officers without those scores, says David Deming, a professor at the Ed School and the Harvard Kennedy School, as well as one of the authors of the Opportunity Insights study. This matters because attending an Ivy Plus school can have a significant impact on a student’s social mobility. “Attending an Ivy Plus instead of a flagship public college,” notes the study, “triples students’ chances of obtaining jobs at prestigious firms and substantially increases their chances of earning in the top 1%.” 

However, the researchers also found that Ivy Plus institutions currently rely “too much” on non-academic attributes of a student’s application in their admissions practices and “are more than twice as likely to admit a student from a high-income family as compared to a low- or middle-income family with comparable SAT­/ACT scores” because of their preferences for legacy applicants as well as for applicants with impressive extracurricular and athletic resumes. If these schools changed their admissions policies, the researchers say (to rely more heavily on SAT ­and ACT scores), then “Ivy Plus colleges could significantly diversify the socioeconomic backgrounds of America’s highest earners and leaders.” 

As Deming says, “No one is suggesting only the highest-scoring students be admitted to Ivy League colleges,” as diversity also needs to be a priority. But that goal can sit alongside another priority, he says, which is to admit students who are ready to succeed and who can benefit the most from a challenging academic environment. To get there, Deming supports a system that includes the SAT ­in student assessment but that also makes some allowances for students who come from lower-income families and are first-generation college students. “I think we do have that system in a lot of ways,” he says. “Colleges do tend to put a thumb on the scale positively for low-income students who do well on the SAT. That’s just empirically true.” 

The SAT is not perfect, says Deming, who believes test-taking practices that give the advantage to higher-income families should be eliminated. For example, he disagrees with “superscoring,” a practice which allows students who can afford to take the SAT or ACT multiple times to submit their highest scores without colleges knowing the number of times they took the test. But he maintains that “we should have some close-to-universally accepted standard of judging whether somebody is prepared to do rigorous college level work.” 

And that works best when everybody takes the test, according to Professor Andrew Ho, president of the National Council on Measurement in Education. He’s a proponent of requiring the tests in college applications, but only if everyone were required to take it. He points out that in states that require public high school students to take the SAT or ACT to graduate, the pool of college applicants is more balanced demographically. The problem when the test is not required is that some students talk themselves out of taking the test and potentially out of the running for some schools and “the people who have the money and the time … get over-represented in the population” of college applicants, he says. 

In 2007, Michigan began requiring its public high school students to take the ACT during their junior year, which the state offers for free during the school day. (Eleventh-graders in Michigan are now required to take the SAT. They are one of nearly a dozen states that have made the test mandatory.) As a result, the state saw small increases in college attendance, particularly among disadvantaged students. By mandating the test, wrote Professor Susan Dynarski in The New York Times in 2017, a significant number of low-income students who scored high enough to attend a selective college were discovered. “For every 1,000 students who scored well on the optional test, an additional 480 did so on the mandatory test,” she wrote.

As educators, researchers, parents, and students consider the question about whether the SAT is still needed, Ho says it’s important to remember that test scores are just one part of a five-legged stool that college admissions officers draw upon to make their decisions and believing the other legs of the stool — the personal essay, recommendation letters, student records, and extracurriculars — are fairer is wrong because there is more and more evidence that the wealthy have an advantage in those other areas. These advantages reflect deep-seated educational inequalities that begin to take hold long before a student takes the SAT, “including differences in school quality, neighborhood exposure, and many other environmental conditions,” according to Opportunity Insights. As Ho says, “Disparities in test scores reveal deep inequalities in educational opportunity, but removing the test does not remove the disparity.” 

Regardless of whether SAT and ACT are required as part of undergraduate college admissions, the educational inequality the test reveals is something we want to fix, says Deming. And how to do that comes down to an established formula, which, he says, includes more resources, more time in school, early childhood education, smaller classes, highly qualified teachers, attention to the core curriculum, and not letting students fall behind, which requires testing. “We can’t fix a problem unless we can diagnose it,” says Deming. He would also like to see more testing to identify learning gaps at the state, district, school, and even grade and classroom level. 

Part of the solution starts with changing how the public thinks about testing, says Ho. Tests like the SAT can be a tool for educational equity if we can break three fallacies, he says: “that test scores are more meaningful, more precise, and more permanent than they are.” Getting a low score doesn’t mean you can’t learn and thinking it does is damaging. Ho believes that educators are getting better about talking about how to interpret test scores in terms of asset frames versus deficit frames. In other words, “it’s not what you lack; it’s what you have and what you can do if we help. It takes good teachers, good educational systems, to remind people of this.” 

Melrose student Sam Noel made it to his test on time and was relieved when it was over, he says. It turned out that none of the schools he applied to required him to submit his scores and he was happy to have the option to share his scores only with the schools where he thought they’d make a difference in his application. 

Elizabeth Christopher is a writer based in Massachusetts. Her last story in Ed. focused on community college transfer challenges

Ed. Magazine

The magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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