In recent years, more colleges and universities have adopted test-optional policies.
April 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
Allowing students to apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores. On the surface, this seems like a relief—especially for students who feel anxious about standardized testing or who haven’t hit their target scores yet.
But here’s the truth: Test scores still matter—a lot.
Even in a test-optional world, strong ACT or SAT scores can be a game-changer in college admissions, especially for competitive schools, scholarships, and honors programs. So, while skipping the test might feel like a safety net, the best strategy is still this: Aim for your highest possible score.
Why Test Scores Still Matter
Even at test-optional colleges, test scores can:
🔹Strengthen your application when your GPA, extracurriculars, or coursework don’t quite match the college’s typical admit profile.
🔹Open doors to merit-based scholarships, which many still require minimum test scores.
🔹Help with admissions into selective majors or honors programs that use test scores as part of their internal evaluations.
🔹Showcase academic readiness, especially for students at schools with grade inflation or less rigorous curricula.
Admissions officers often use test scores to validate your academic performance and to help compare students across different high schools and grading systems.
Best Practices for Achieving Your Best Score
Now that we’ve established why test scores still matter, let’s discuss how to get your best possible results. Here’s what works:
1. Start Early
Don’t wait until junior or senior year to start thinking about the SAT or ACT. Early exposure leads to confidence and better performance.
🔹Take a diagnostic test as early as 10th grade.
🔹Use the results to decide whether the SAT or ACT is a better fit for your strengths.
2. Make a Realistic Timeline
Plan your testing schedule around your academic workload, sports, or extracurriculars.
🔹Most students benefit from taking the SAT or ACT 2 or 3 times, starting in the spring of junior year and finishing by early senior year if needed.
🔹Be sure to build in time for prep and retakes.
3. Prep with a Purpose
Test prep isn’t just about doing practice tests. It’s about learning how to take the test.
🔹Use official materials from the College Board (SAT) or ACT.org.
🔹Consider working with a tutor or test prep program to identify your weaknesses and build a strategic approach.
🔹Aim for weekly practice, not cramming.
4. Practice Like It’s Real
Simulate testing conditions:
🔹Time yourself.
🔹Take full-length practice tests.
🔹Review your mistakes in detail. Every error is a learning opportunity.
5. Focus on Your Strengths, Fix Your Weaknesses
Students often over-study what they already know. Instead:
🔹Identify which question types or sections cost you the most points.
🔹Drill those areas until your confidence grows.
🔹Build testing stamina—success isn’t just about accuracy but endurance, too.
6. Take Care of Yourself
Don’t underestimate how much sleep, nutrition, and mindset impact your scores.
🔹Prioritize your rest in the week leading up to your test.
🔹Avoid last-minute cramming.
🔹Practice test-day routines ahead of time so there are no surprises.
7. Retest Strategically
Unless your first score is stellar, plan to retest.
🔹Focus prep on areas where you lost points.
🔹Review your previous score report to guide your study plan.
What’s a Good SAT or ACT Score for College?
For local public universities in South Carolina, such as Coastal Carolina, Winthrop University, and USC Aiken, prospective students should aim for an SAT score between 1050 and 1200 or an ACT score between 20 and 24.
A higher standard applies to flagship universities like Clemson University and USC Columbia. Ideal SAT scores fall between 1250 and 1400+, and ACT scores typically range between 26 and 32.
If you’re targeting highly selective institutions or the top 50 universities, such as Vanderbilt University, Duke University, and the University of Georgia Honors Program, a competitive score on the SAT would be around 1450 to 1550 or between 32 and 35 on the ACT.
Keep the Option, Don’t Rely on It
Test-optional doesn’t mean test-blind. Colleges still consider test scores when available, and many students will submit them. By skipping the test, you might be closing doors that could have stayed open.
Here’s my best advice: Use the test-optional policy as a backup plan, not a primary strategy. Prepare thoroughly, give it your best shot, and submit your score when it strengthens your college application. You’ll thank yourself later.
Special thanks to Christopher Parsons for writing this blog post.
Christopher has a strong educational background, including Doctoral studies in English Literature and Creative Writing, a Master’s Degree in English, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and History. He also has a background in Mass Communications and Public Relations/Marketing.
He has successfully won scholarship offers from prestigious schools and over $250,000 in grants and scholarships. His real-world personal experience resonates well with today’s students.
