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Test-required or test-optional?
Start with each college's policy, because it decides whether this is a choice at all. On the 60 colleges we checked on their own admissions sites on September 26, 2026:
- 19 require an ACT or SAT for the current cycle, including Arkansas State University, Brown University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- 41 are test-optional, though several attach conditions, such as a minimum GPA below which scores are required.
Several are changing soon: Columbia University (required from the 2027-28 cycle, for fall 2028 entry); Princeton University (highest ACT composite; required from the 2027-28 cycle, for fall 2028 entry); The University of Alabama (required below a 3.0 GPA; for everyone from fall 2028); University of Notre Dame (required from fall 2028 entry); Vanderbilt University (required from fall 2029 entry). If you're a younger student, plan for the policy that applies to your entry year.
The middle 50% rule of thumb
Guidance from admissions writers is consistent: if your score is within or above a school's middle 50% range, submitting it may help, and if it's below the school's typical range you may choose not to (Appily). BestColleges puts it the same way and adds that a lower-middle score can still help when other parts of your application are limited (BestColleges).
The middle 50% is the 25th to 75th percentile score of enrolled students. You'll find it in each college's Common Data Set, section C9 (Common Data Set), or in the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which is where the ranges below come from.
One catch: at test-optional colleges, only some students submit, and they tend to be the higher scorers. So the published range can run higher than the class as a whole, and a score just under the 25th percentile isn't necessarily a weak one.
Check your score against these colleges
A whole number from 1 to 36.
Disclaimer: This is a rule of thumb, not admissions advice, and it doesn't predict admission. Policies and ranges change, so confirm each college's current policy on its admissions site.
If you superscore, compare the superscore
Colleges that superscore judge your best sections across test dates, so compare your superscore with their range, not a single sitting. Colleges that use one sitting see your best composite. Our list of colleges that superscore the ACT shows which is which, and you can calculate your superscore from each test.
ACT or SAT: which to send
If you have both, put both on the same scale and send the stronger one. The conversion comes from the 2018 concordance, which predates the Enhanced ACT and the digital SAT, so treat close calls as ties.
What other guides say
The published guides we checked agree on the middle 50% rule (Appily, BestColleges) and on deciding school by school rather than with one all-or-nothing answer. Where they differ is on borderline scores: BestColleges leans toward submitting a lower-middle score when the rest of the application is thin, while Appily frames it as a choice once you're below the range.
Frequently asked questions
Should I submit a 28 ACT to a test-optional school?
Compare it with that school's middle 50% range. If a 28 is within or above it, submitting may help; if it's below, you can choose to apply without it. The tool on this page checks it against 60 colleges.
What does test-optional mean?
You can apply without an ACT or SAT score, and the college says it won't penalize you for leaving it out. Some test-optional colleges still require scores below a certain GPA or for scholarships.
Which colleges require the ACT or SAT again?
Among the colleges we checked, Arkansas State University, Brown University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Middle Tennessee State University, Ohio State University (Columbus) require scores for the current cycle. Always confirm on the college's own admissions page.
Is it bad to not submit test scores?
At a genuinely test-optional college, no. Appily notes that strong applications without scores remain viable when grades, essays, activities and recommendations are competitive.
Should I send my superscore or my best single score?
Send what each college uses. Superscoring colleges look at your best sections across dates; others use your best single sitting or highest composite.
Related guides
Sources and how this page is built
How this page is built
Research current as of:
Cedrick Reese built this guide for TutoringForAct.com from each listed college's own admissions pages, read on September 26, 2026, plus College Scorecard score ranges and published guidance from Appily and BestColleges. The score checker compares your number with each college's 25th and 75th percentile and applies the middle 50% rule of thumb; it doesn't predict admission. College policies are rechecked before each application cycle.
Sources
- Are Colleges Still Test-Optional in 2026? (Appily, May 26, 2026)
- Should You Send SAT/ACT Scores to Test-Optional Colleges? (BestColleges, updated March 23, 2023)
- Common Data Set Initiative
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education)
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