A New Direction in College Admissions: What’s New with the Re-enforcement of Mandatory Testing Policies? Kayla Hofman, Associate Editor February 26, 2026
![WHAT’S TRENDING Being test-optional does not truly mean “optional.” Although some top schools continue the “test blind” policy in their admissions process, the number of accepted students who submitted test scores is substantially more than those who chose not to. Because of the rising number of competitive applicants vying for admission at top universities, an excellent ACT or SAT score can make all the difference and be a valuable predictor of how an individual will perform at the college level. “I really do think that the SAT [and ACT] can be more helpful than harmful most of the time,” Mater Dei School Counselor Marybeth Nguyen said. “The college just wants to know that you're going to be successful there.” Photo Illustration by Kayla Hofman.](https://thescarletscroll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/HEIF-Image-12-1200x675.jpeg)
