Harvard brings back standardized testing for 2025 admissions cycle
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WLNE) — According to Harvard, the university is reverting back to requiring standardizing for prospective students.
The requirement for SAT or ACT scores will begin in the fall 2025 admissions cycle, or the class of 2029.
The school said that there will be additional eligible testing accepted for those who do not have access to SAT or ACT testing.
Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra shared the following statement regarding the test’s comeback:
“Standardized tests are a means for all students, regardless of their background and life experience, to provide information that is predictive of success in college and beyond. Indeed, when students have the option of not submitting their test scores, they may choose to withhold information that, when interpreted by the admissions committee in the context of the local norms of their school, could have potentially helped their application. In short, more information, especially such strongly predictive information, is valuable for identifying talent from across the socioeconomic range.”
The university shared that in recent studies, data revealed from more than 400 institutions that standardized tests emerged as an important tool in identifying eligible students.
According to Harvard, in 2020, the pandemic limited access to standardized testing, which prompted the test-optional policy.
The school shared that although the test was not required in recent years, a majority of students still submitted their scores.
In previous years, Harvard included information for those who may not be able to access the SAT or ACT, such as no-cost tutoring and test prep sources.
Furthermore, Hopi shared:
“Fundamentally, we know that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. With this change, we hope to strengthen our ability to identify these promising students, and to give Harvard the opportunity to support their development as thinkers and leaders who will contribute to shaping our world.”
