How to Build a Smart Testing Plan in 2026 and Beyond

SAT? ACT? Should I test at all?

The college admissions process has continued to change and evolve, especially in the years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of today, California public schools like the UCs and Cal States are test blind. At test blind schools, SAT or ACT scores are not used as part of the selection process, although standardized test scores, if submitted, may be used for course placement or to determine scholarship eligibility at certain schools.  

Some universities have gone back to requiring SAT or ACT scores.  This list has continued to grow, albeit incrementally, over the past few years.

The vast majority of four-year universities within the U.S., however, continue to remain test optional.  A college that is “test optional” does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission.  If you choose to submit a score, however, that number becomes an additional piece of information used in evaluating your application.  In short, a strong SAT or ACT score could be a boon to your application!  For most students, it’s worth it to investigate how the SAT or ACT might fit into the bigger picture.

Any college that still accepts standardized test scores will take either SAT scores or ACT scores, so it is worthwhile to get starting data points from both tests to understand your baseline and to see if you have a natural aptitude for one exam over the other.  Many schools offer the PSAT and/or PreACT to their 10th and 11th graders.  Those exams are a good way to understand your potential performance on the SAT and ACT.  If your school does not host these tests or if you missed them, you can find practice tests for the SAT on the College Board website (collegeboard.org) and practice tests for the ACT on the ACT website (act.org).  

Once you have a data point from each exam, you can start thinking about the bigger picture: How do the SAT and ACT scores compare to each other?  Are these scores on target for the schools I’m interested in or could they use some work?  When should I take the test?  Should I study on my own or get some professional help?

One of the great things about the SAT and the ACT is that they are offered multiple times throughout the year (eight times per year for the SAT and seven times per year for the ACT!), so there is a lot of flexibility around when you can test.  Work your SAT or ACT test date, and any prep you’re doing for those exams, around the things in your life that are less flexible.  For example, if you’re taking five AP exams in May, the May SAT may not be the best date for you.  

For many students, the SAT and ACT are still an important part of the college admissions process but if you plan ahead, they don’t have to be a stressful part!