SAT Rules Change: What Students and Colleges Are Saying

A student from Greater Latrobe, Autumn Blozowich, took the SAT three times but chose not to send any scores when she applied to Pitt, Kent State and Penn State. She felt the essays better showed who she was than the numbers on a test, and the plan worked—she got in to all three schools. In Western Pennsylvania, many colleges like Duquesne and Point Park have let students decide whether to include SAT scores for six years. But a new trend is emerging. Andrew Gillen, who studies higher‑education policy, thinks the shift back to requiring SAT scores is coming. Carnegie Mellon will need scores for competitive majors such as computer science next fall, hinting that standardized tests might return to the mix. The SAT began in 1926 as a test inspired by army IQ exams and costs $68 today, though many students can get fee waivers. The pandemic forced a pause in 2020, and more than one million students had to cancel their test dates. Colleges responded by dropping SAT requirements for a while, but research shows that this change didn’t dramatically alter who got admitted. Gillen predicts that bringing the test back will have a similar small effect, not a huge shift in enrollment. Some universities still see value in the test as a quick gauge of academic potential, especially when there are many applicants. Michele Wisnesck from Seton Hill University says the test can help spot students who might otherwise be overlooked by grades alone. Yet Seton Hill prefers a holistic review, weighing coursework, leadership and community work more heavily than any single score. About 70% of its recent applicants chose not to submit SATs, and the school reports steady rises in applications and graduation rates.Penn State also keeps its test‑optional policy, arguing that a body of work is more telling than one exam. Matt Melvin worries about the test becoming a barrier for students who can’t afford prep courses or multiple attempts. Laura Hamilton from the Center for Assessment agrees that high‑stakes decisions should use many data points, not just a single score. Students who face the choice of sending scores report mixed feelings. Erin Ulewicz took the test three times and believes it helped her application to Saint Francis, but she also thinks schools need clearer guidelines on how they use the scores. This confusion led Dartmouth to re‑introduce SAT requirements after a study found that scores help spot high‑achieving students from less‑advantaged backgrounds. Many high schoolers back the test‑optional approach, saying it levels the field and reduces stress. Addison Tinsely sees it as a way to focus on real abilities rather than test money. Yet others, like Avery Adkins from Leechburg Area High School, invest in prep courses and see strong scores open scholarship doors. She credits an online practice program created by a district teacher for her success. Sarah Levan, also from Greater Latrobe, notes that attitudes toward the SAT have shifted. She says students now know the test is just one part of an application, and colleges are more willing to look at the whole picture rather than a single number.