Columbia hasn\u2019t required test scores since 2020.<\/p>\n
VW Pics\/Universal Images Group Editorial\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
More than three years after deciding<\/a> to go test-optional permanently, Columbia University will again require applicants to submit standardized test scores, starting fall 2027.<\/p>\n The university said in a statement<\/a> Friday that the change follows a multiyear faculty review that determined \u201ctest scores, among other factors, were a useful indicator of potential student success.\u201d Columbia was the last Ivy League institution<\/a> to remain test-optional; the majority of higher ed institutions don\u2019t require test scores.\u00a0<\/p>\n Advocates of test-optional policies argue the standardized scores don\u2019t reflect a student\u2019s academic potential, particularly for students unable to afford tutoring and other test-preparation tools. But supporters say they can help low-income and underrepresented minority students stand out to admissions officers. The Trump administration has urged<\/a> colleges to require test scores as part of its crackdown on what it considers illegal diversity, equity and inclusion policies and its focus<\/a> on merit.<\/p>\n