In 2025, several Ivy League universities will no longer require standardized testing scores as part of their admissions process. Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University have all announced that they will be test-optional for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
This change is a significant one, as standardized testing has been a part of the Ivy League admissions process for decades. However, there are a number of reasons why these universities are making the switch to test-optional admissions. One reason is that standardized tests have been shown to be biased against students from underrepresented backgrounds. Another reason is that standardized tests are not a good measure of a student’s academic ability or potential. Research has shown that there is no significant correlation between standardized test scores and college success.
