How much do SAT/ACT scores matter for my college application?

In a test-optional environment, many families are unsure how much weight is given to test scores during the admissions process. Questions such as: should I, as a parent, encourage my student to pursue testing or, if my student is testing but isn’t getting the results they were hoping for, should they continue with further testing or stop, given that some schools are test-optional. 

The short answer is this: It depends on the student and situation. 

The truth is that test scores are only one part of a student’s application package, and this was true even before test-optional policies became commonplace. The test-optional movement really began to gain traction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although some institutions were already operating under test-optional policies, that position became much more widespread during the pandemic. As we have distanced ourselves from the pandemic, many institutions have remained test-optional, which leaves many of us questioning how important scores are to the admissions process. 

When reviewing a student’s application, admissions officers are engaging in a holistic review. The most important thing to a college or university is a student’s transcript. Admissions officers review transcripts for two main things: grades and academic rigor. This means that admission officers are looking to see that students are earning high marks in their college prep coursework as this can be an indicator of success at their specific institution. When engaging in holistic review, however, schools are also looking at test scores, recommendation letters, essays, and extracurricular activities. 

So, if colleges and universities are reviewing the entirety of an application package, how important is it to submit a test score? In a test-optional environment, it is often still important for students to engage in the testing process. Submitting a strong test score can validate a transcript for a university because it gives colleges and universities a way to more easily compare students who submit test scores because all students are sitting down at the same time for the same test. Additionally, a test score can improve a student’s application if their test score is stronger than their GPA. It is certainly possible, however, that the opposite is also true: a test score could reduce an otherwise positive impression of a student’s application. The increased number of schools with test optional policies are a definite win for students who are engaging in an academically rigorous course load and achieving at the highest level, but who struggle with test anxiety, because they are now able to maximize their admission chances by forgoing test score submission.

All of this is to say that, in most cases, it makes sense for students to engage in test preparation and try their best on the ACT/SAT because a strong score can make their application stand out and further demonstrate their academic prowess. Once a student has begun the testing process, the question of whether or not to submit inevitably surfaces, and the answer ultimately is a student-by-student, school-by-school decision. A student can decide what is their best course of action. They can decide to submit their test scores to all of the schools to which they apply or they can decide to submit their test scores to only a handful of schools where their scores improve their application – or they can choose to not disclose their scores at all. 

College admissions has never been about a single test result. Now more than ever, college admissions is about developing a strategy that will highlight all of a student’s strengths and result in strong applications that can be submitted to specific colleges that are the right fit for the student’s long term goals. 

If you and your student are looking for help in making this decision, PrepMatters has college counselors who can help. They are able to evaluate a student’s total application package (including the relative benefits of test scores) through the lens of an admissions officer, give feedback, and make an informed recommendation. Give us a call if you are ready to explore how such a relationship might benefit the choices available to you and your student.