ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Central Florida college prep agencies are fielding questions from parents as college admissions policies change once again following the pandemic. Many universities, including three Ivy League schools, have ended their test-optional policies, which accepted students without SAT or ACT scores.

What You Need To Know

  • Yale, Brown, and Dartmouth are just a few of the universities ending their test-optional policies this year

  • In a statement, Yale officials said test scores not only provide information about a student, but can also help students who are at a disadvantage

  • A Central Florida tutoring agency said regardless of policy, they almost always recommend students take the exams so that they qualify for select scholarships

After four years, Yale announced they will forgo their test-optional policy. University officials admit that while ACT or SAT scores don’t give a complete picture of a student, they are helpful.

“We’ve found that standardized tests are especially valuable for students attending high schools with fewer academic resources and fewer college-preparatory courses,” wrote Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid at Yale, in a statement.

Other universities like Brown and Dartmouth join Yale in the decision. One Orange County college prep agency states regardless of policy, it almost always recommend that students take the ACT or SAT.

“Not particularly because of the college admissions process, which is where we generally think of the SAT or ACT, but because of money,” said Demetrie Luke, owner of InLighten Tutoring.

He said that many students can receive scholarships because of their exam scores.

He says that exams can offer more flexibility besides scholarship money because they allow for retakes, while GPAs are more finite.

“If a student doesn’t feel like their grades were the best, the SAT would allow them to at least tell a different story about their intellectual growth or achievement,” said Luke.

Other changes are also ahead for students this year. This is the first year the SAT will be taken in an online format. The exam is also an hour shorter in the new format.