Do SAT scores still matter for college admissions and scholarships?
In 2025, the honest answer is: it depends on your list. Some colleges require scores again, many remain test-optional, a few are test-free, and a handful are “test-flexible.” The winning move is to treat scores like any other part of your application—use them when they help, skip them when they don’t.
TL;DR
• Yes, scores can still help. They’re valuable where required and can boost merit scholarship odds at many schools.
• Policy varies by campus. Expect a mix of required, test-optional, test-free/blind, and test-flexible policies.
• The SAT is fully digital now—shorter, adaptive, and faster to score.
• Strategy first. Submit scores when they strengthen your application relative to a school’s typical range.
A 60-second history
The SAT (born in 1926) and ACT (1959) were created to compare students from very different high schools on a common scale. Decades later, they’re still debated: do scores predict success, or just measure test-taking skill? Either way, they’ve been a consistent yardstick for admissions offices reading thousands of applications.
Before / During / After COVID-19
Before COVID
• Testing was the norm. Strong scores helped with admissions and often with merit scholarships.
• A large test-prep industry emerged, raising fair-access concerns.
During COVID (2020–2022)
• Test sites closed; cancellations piled up.
• Colleges pivoted quickly to test-optional, and some moved to test-free policies to keep the process fair.
After COVID (2023–2025)
• The landscape split. Some highly selective schools reinstated score requirements (or added “test-flexible” rules).
• Many colleges stayed test-optional.
• A few systems remain test-free (scores not reviewed for admission).
• More students are reporting scores again where it helps them—because strategy matters.
Test-optional vs. test-free/blind vs. test-flexible (cheat sheet)
• Test-optional: You choose whether to submit SAT/ACT. If you submit, they’re considered; if you don’t, other parts of your file carry more weight.
• Test-free/blind: Scores won’t be reviewed even if you send them.
• Test-flexible: Scores are required, but you can meet the requirement with alternatives (for example, AP/IB exam results instead of SAT/ACT).
Merit scholarships: do SAT scores still matter?
Often, yes. Even at test-optional schools, competitive merit scholarships may still consider SAT/ACT as a signal. If your score is at or above the school’s typical range, submit it—it can boost both admission odds and aid. If testing isn’t a strength, focus on grades, rigor, essays, activities, recommendations, interviews, and demonstrated interest.
The digital SAT: what changed (and why it matters)
• All-digital in the U.S. since 2024.
• Shorter (~2 hours) with adaptive modules.
• Faster score reports and a smoother testing experience for most students.
• Prep should include on-device practice and comfort with the testing app, not just content review.
So… do SAT scores still matter?
Yes—but only if they help your story.
• If you’re aiming at schools that require testing (or use test-flexible rules), strong scores are basically table stakes.
• If your list is mostly test-optional or test-free, scores are strategic: submit when they strengthen your file, hold back when they don’t.
A simple 5-step playbook
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Map your list
Make a one-page grid for every target school: “required / test-optional / test-free / test-flexible,” plus whether scores influence merit aid. Policies can change—always check the admissions page for the current cycle. -
Take a practice test
Get a baseline SAT and/or ACT. If your projected score is competitive for your list, prep and test. If not, build a strong test-optional plan (or consider AP/IB alternatives where “test-flexible” applies). -
Submit smartly
Use published middle-50% score ranges as a guide. If your score meets or beats the typical range for admitted students at that school, it’s usually worth submitting. -
If you go test-optional, level up the rest
Lean into course rigor (AP/IB/dual enrollment), grades, essays with voice, specific recommendations, sustained activities, and demonstrated interest (attend sessions, connect with reps, visit if possible). -
Think scholarships early
Note which colleges or programs still weigh scores for merit. If your number helps, submit it; if not, focus on academic performance, leadership, community impact, and fit.
Common questions (fast answers)
• Do SAT scores still matter for top schools?
Often yes—many highly selective colleges now require scores again or use test-flexible policies.
• If a school is test-optional, should I still send scores?
Only if they help. If you’re at/above that school’s typical range, submit. If you’re well below, consider holding back and strengthening the rest.
• Will not sending a score hurt me at a test-optional school?
Not by itself. Admissions will read what you give them. Without a score, other parts of your application carry more weight—so they need to be sharp.
• SAT or ACT?
Colleges accept both. Pick the one that fits your strengths and stick with it.
Turn Scores into Scholarships with MyCAP Premium
Do SAT scores still matter? They do—when they move the needle for your particular list. In 2025, the smart approach is policy-by-policy and school-by-school: confirm requirements, test if there’s real upside, and build a balanced application that reads true to who you are.
Want a shortcut to the smart move? MyCAP makes it easy. As a Premium member, you can search millions of scholarships, filter by fit, and—most importantly—see how different SAT/ACT scores change your merit scholarship potential at specific schools. Toggle your current score vs. a projected score to watch merit estimates update in real time, then build a list of colleges that historically award big merit for students with your profile. In other words, you’re not just asking, “Do SAT scores still matter?”—you’re using MyCAP to prove how much they matter for your budget, and targeting the campuses where a few extra points could translate into thousands of dollars.
