High schoolers are applying to BYU without submitting their test scores again this year, for the sixth consecutive time since 2021.
Initially, BYU waived the SAT and ACT requirements for the spring 2021 through winter 2022 semesters. Since then, the university has extended the test-optional policy multiple times, now continuing through winter 2028.
The original shift came in response to the challenges students faced in finding testing locations during the COVID-19 pandemic. While universities claimed the change would be temporary, most schools have stuck with a test-optional policy.
This shift has received high praise from some who say removing the requirement promotes equity and a level playing field. A study reported by The New York Times found that children from the richest 1% were 13 times more likely than the poorest students to score 1300 or higher on the SAT.
While those statistics highlight the correlation between test scores and family income, some critics argue that standardized tests are still important. With concerns about grade inflation in recent years, they say test scores offer a more objective measure of academic potential than GPA alone.
However, BYU media relations manager Todd Hollingshead emphasized that test scores are now just one piece of a broader admissions review process.
“That shift (to an optional policy) has just made it so that students who apply know that they’re going to be considered for everything that they’ve accomplished — their academic work, all of their extracurricular work, service and everything else they’ve done,” Hollingshead said.
Although ACT submissions remain optional at BYU, only 56% of admitted applicants opted to have their test scores considered.
Jared Hubbard, a recently admitted BYU student who started school this fall, did not submit his ACT score.
“I didn’t do it because it was a slightly above average score, and I believe it would not have benefited my application,” Hubbard said.
Lucy Leininger, another student attending BYU this fall, didn't even take the ACT. When Leininger realized it wasn't required, she said she didn't waste her time.
However, she was still paranoid that not submitting her score would negatively impact her application.
"I was worried that not submitting an ACT would make the admissions people think that I got a terrible score that I didn't want them to see, or that I was being lazy by not taking it," Leininger said.
Hollingshead said the flexibility gives students control over how they present themselves.
“It provides a way for any student who’s applying to put their best foot forward,” he said.
In addition to changing how students apply, the test-optional policy may also be influencing how many do. BYU has seen a rise in applications in recent years, increasing about 15% since 2023.
While it remains uncertain whether this increase is due to the test-optional policy, Hollingshead noted that it may be a possibility.
“I think the communication from our admissions teams has been really good," he said. "They make this information available to high school students, so they have a good sense of what the process looks like."
BYU isn’t alone in its test-optional approach. More than 2,100 universities — including Cornell, Vanderbilt and Princeton — have made similar changes. Some schools have announced when testing requirements will return, while others remain undecided.
Though BYU has announced the policy will remain through winter 2028, Hollingshead clarified that admissions will continue to monitor applications to determine the best course of action.
“We’re definitely a couple of years away from that 2028 date, but it’s something we will watch,” he said.
Hollingshead also noted that while it is not required for most applicants, some students still need to include test scores on their applications, including homeschooled students who haven’t fulfilled a set of requirements.
To stay updated on testing requirements, visit https://enrollment.byu.edu/.