The test-optional wave that swept through higher education during the pandemic hasn’t receded—more than 2,000 colleges and universities still don’t require SAT or ACT scores for admission. But the tide is turning in ways that matter for Houston families planning their college strategy. MIT brought back testing requirements in 2022. Dartmouth, Yale, and Brown followed in 2024.

These reversals at elite institutions signal something important: the test-optional experiment is yielding mixed results, and schools are responding accordingly.

For Texas families, the picture is particularly complicated. UT Austin returned to requiring test scores for Fall 2025 admission. Rice University strongly recommends first-year students to submit test scores, but but they are still technically optional. Texas A&M and the University of Houston remain test-optional.

Add in the Texas Top 10% automatic admission rule—which guarantees a spot at any public university for students in the top 5% of their class at UT Austin or top 10% at other state schools, regardless of test scores—and the decision matrix becomes genuinely complex.

This guide breaks down what five years of test-optional data actually shows, maps out current policies at Texas universities, and provides a practical framework for deciding whether your student should submit scores. The goal isn’t to tell you what to do—it’s to give you the information you need to make a decision that fits your family’s situation.

Where Do Test-Optional Policies Stand in 2026?

Test-optional policies existed before COVID-19, but the pandemic accelerated their adoption dramatically. When testing centers closed in 2020, schools had little choice but to waive requirements. Many institutions decided to keep those policies in place, framing the change as a step toward equity and access.

The current landscape reflects both that expansion and the growing skepticism that followed:

The shift back toward testing at elite schools doesn’t mean test-optional is disappearing. Most colleges that adopted these policies are keeping them. But the rationale for test-optional has weakened as data accumulates, and families should expect continued evolution in the coming years.

Which Texas Universities Require Test Scores and Which Don’t?

Texas public and private universities have taken divergent paths on testing policy. Here’s where major institutions stand for the 2025-2026 application cycle:

  • UT Austin — Test-required. Returned to requiring scores for Fall 2025; applies to all applicants
  • Texas A&M — Test-optional. Remains test optional, low scores cannot hurt your chance of admission
  • Rice University — Test-optional. Submitting test scores is optional, but “strongly recommended”
  • University of Houston — Test-optional. Maintaining test-optional policy through June 2030; scores considered if submitted
  • Texas Tech — Test-optional. Test-optional with scholarship considerations
  • Baylor University — Test-optional. Test-optional for admission; may affect merit aid

The Texas Automatic Admission rules add an important layer to this picture. Students who graduate in the top 5% of their Texas high school class receive automatic admission to UT Austin. At other public universities in the Texas system, the threshold is the top 10%. This automatic admission applies regardless of test scores—but it only guarantees admission, not acceptance into competitive majors or eligibility for merit scholarships.

For Houston-area students at competitive high schools, where class rank is harder to achieve, understanding both the testing requirements and the automatic admission thresholds becomes essential to building a realistic college list.

What Does the Research Actually Show About Test-Optional Outcomes?

Five years of test-optional policies have generated substantial data, and the findings challenge some of the assumptions that drove the original shift.

The most significant research comes from Opportunity Insights, a Harvard-based research group led by economist Raj Chetty. Their analysis of millions of student records found that standardized test scores predict college success—measured by graduation rates, post-college earnings, and graduate school attendance—independent of family income. Students from low-income families with high SAT scores performed just as well as wealthy students with similar scores. This finding is significant:

  1. Family income predicts both SAT scores and college success.
  2. SAT scores also predict college success.
  3. Students from low-income families who score highly on the SAT are just as likely to succeed in college as students from high-income families.

MIT’s decision to reinstate testing in 2022 stemmed from similar internal findings. The admissions office discovered that without test scores, they were less able to identify high-achieving students from under-resourced high schools. Test scores, despite their well-documented correlation with family income, provided a standardized benchmark that helped talented students from unknown schools stand out.

The equity argument for test-optional has faced particular scrutiny. Early hopes that removing test requirements would increase socioeconomic diversity at selective institutions haven’t materialized. Some research suggests the opposite occurred—that test-optional policies may have actually reduced representation of lower-income students at certain schools.

Why might this be? Several factors:

  • High-income families have better access to application coaching that helps them present strong applications without test scores.
  • Students from well-resourced high schools have transcripts, extracurriculars, and recommendation letters that signal achievement without standardized measures.
  • Lower-income students with strong test scores lost one of their clearest ways to demonstrate ability.

None of this means test-optional policies are wrong for all schools or all students. But it does mean families should approach the decision with clear eyes about what the research shows.

Do Students Who Submit Scores Have an Admission Advantage?

At schools with test-optional policies, students who submit scores are admitted at higher rates than those who don’t. This pattern holds across institution types, with the gap typically ranging from 5 to 20 percentage points.

At selective test-optional schools, roughly 80% of applicants still submit test scores. This high submission rate itself tells you something: students and families have concluded that scores help.

Interpreting this data requires caution. Students who submit scores are self-selecting—they submit because their scores are strong relative to their applications. A student with a 1500 SAT and a 3.5 GPA (Grade Point Average) submits because the score strengthens their profile. A student with a 1150 SAT and a 3.9 GPA might wisely choose not to submit. The higher admission rate for submitters partly reflects this selection effect.

But selection effects don’t fully explain the gap. Admissions officers, even at schools that claim scores are truly optional, may view non-submission as a signal. The absence of scores invites questions about what the student might be hiding. This implicit bias—conscious or not—seems to affect outcomes. Consider this question: “Would you rather buy a car that gets 50mpg and has 400 miles of range, or a car with good gas mileage and sufficient range?” All else equal, one is clearly more impressive.

For Houston families, the practical takeaway is straightforward: if your student’s scores are competitive for a given school, submit them. The research consistently shows this helps. The only question is defining “competitive.”

Which Students Benefit Most from Test-Optional Policies?

Test-optional policies aren’t equally valuable to all applicants. Some students genuinely benefit from the option not to submit. Others are better served by taking and submitting scores even when they’re not required.

Students most likely to benefit from going test-optional:

  • Strong GPA, weak test performance: Students whose classroom work significantly outpaces their standardized test scores gain the most from test-optional policies. If a student has a 3.9 GPA in rigorous courses but scores below a school’s 25th percentile, not submitting may present a stronger application.
  • Poor performance under timed conditions: Some students have documented testing anxiety or processing differences that affect timed test performance but don’t reflect their actual abilities. Test-optional policies give these students an alternative path.
  • First-generation college students: Research here is mixed, but some evidence suggests first-generation students—who often have less access to test prep and testing infrastructure—benefit from test-optional policies at certain institutions.
  • Students from under-resourced schools: When a high school doesn’t offer AP (Advanced Placement) courses or has limited extracurricular options, a strong GPA becomes harder to contextualize. In some cases, these students benefit from test-optional; in others, strong test scores actually help them stand out.

The commonly cited rule of thumb: submit if your scores are at or above the 25th percentile of a school’s admitted student range. Below that threshold, the calculation becomes more nuanced and depends on the rest of your application.

What Are the Downsides or Risks of Going Test-Optional?

Choosing not to submit test scores isn’t cost-free. Houston families should understand the potential downsides before making this decision.

  • Implicit signaling: Fair or not, not submitting scores may signal to admissions officers that your scores were weak. At highly selective schools where most applicants submit, the absence of scores stands out. Some admissions professionals have acknowledged this dynamic privately, even as their institutions publicly maintain that not submitting carries no penalty.
  • Opportunity cost: Strong test scores can offset other application weaknesses. A student with a lower GPA but excellent test scores demonstrates academic ability through a different lens. Going test-optional removes this potential counterweight.
  • Merit scholarship eligibility: Many scholarships—including institutional merit aid at schools with test-optional admission policies—still require test scores. This deserves emphasis because the financial impact can be substantial. A student might gain admission without scores but lose access to significant scholarship money. At some schools, the difference can be tens of thousands of dollars over four years.
  • Preparation burden for mixed college lists: If your student is applying to both test-required schools (like UT Austin) and test-optional schools (like Rice or University of Houston), they need to prepare for and take standardized tests anyway. At that point, the question becomes whether to submit, not whether to test.

How Should Houston Families Approach Testing Strategy for 2026-2027?

Students applying to college should always prepare for and take the SAT and/or ACT. But when applying to test-optional schools, the decision to submit test scores should be made strategically. The simple framework is: submit scores when they help your application and withhold when they don’t.

  • Above 50th percentile at target schools → Submit SAT/ACT scores
  • Between 25th-50th percentile at target schools → Probably submit SAT/ACT scores
  • Below 25th percentile at target schools → Probably don’t submit SAT/ACT scores

Timing matters. Take the SAT or ACT by no later than spring of junior year. This allows time for a retake in fall of senior year if needed. SAT scores remain valid for five years, and there is no limit to the number of attempts, so there’s no risk in testing early.

The digital SAT is now the standard format, taking 2 hours and 14 minutes—shorter than the previous paper version. The Enhanced ACT is also shorter, but remains available in paper format in most locations, which some students prefer.

Policy verification is essential. Schools change their testing policies, sometimes with limited notice. Check each school’s current requirements directly on their admissions website. Don’t rely on lists that may be outdated.

What About Special Situations?

Applying to both test-required and test-optional schools: This is the most common scenario for Houston students targeting UT Austin alongside private or out-of-state options. Prepare fully for testing, then make submit decisions on a school-by-school basis using the 25th percentile benchmark.

Merit scholarships: Check scholarship requirements separately from admission requirements. Many schools and external scholarships require test scores for merit aid even when admission is test-optional. Don’t assume test-optional for admission means test-optional for financial aid.

Homeschooled students: Standardized tests often help homeschooled applicants by providing external validation of academic preparation. Many test-optional schools strongly encourage score submission from homeschooled students. Without grades from an accredited institution, test scores offer admissions officers a standardized data point.

Testing accommodations: Students with documented disabilities can receive accommodations including extended time, breaks, and alternative formats. Apply for accommodations through the College Board (SAT) or ACT well in advance—the approval process takes time. Accommodations are also available for the PSAT.

Transfer students: Policies for transfer applicants often differ from freshman admission. Some schools don’t consider high school test scores for transfers; others do. Check each institution’s transfer requirements specifically.

Borderline scores: If your scores fall right around the 25th percentile, consider the rest of your application. Strong recommendations, compelling essays, and demonstrated interest might make score submission worthwhile even at the lower end. Conversely, if other application elements are weaker, not submitting borderline scores might present a stronger overall picture.

Making the Decision That’s Right for Your Family

The test-optional landscape is more nuanced than headlines suggest. Here’s what the evidence and current policies mean for Houston families:

  • Test-optional doesn’t mean tests don’t matter. At selective schools, 80% of applicants still submit scores, and submitters are admitted at higher rates.
  • Texas public universities are split: UT Austin requires scores;  Texas A&M and University of Houston don’t. The Top 10% rule provides automatic admission to public universities for top-ranking students, but competitive majors and scholarships are separate considerations.
  • Research from Opportunity Insights and MIT’s experience suggests standardized tests still predict college success and can help talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds stand out.
  • The 25th percentile benchmark provides useful guidance: submit if you’re at or above, consider not submitting if you’re well below.
  • Scholarship implications often matter more than admission implications. Merit aid can total tens of thousands of dollars, and many awards require test scores.

Concrete next steps for Houston families:

1. Take the SAT and/or ACT by spring of junior year or earlier, regardless of whether you plan to submit
2. Research testing policies for every target school directly on their admissions websites
3. Check scholarship requirements separately—don’t assume test-optional admission means test-optional aid
4. Use the best resources resources: a Piqosity Advanced plan comes with 24 full-length exams: 12 each for the Digital SAT and Enhanced ACT
5. Make submit decisions on a school-by-school basis using the 25th percentile benchmark

If you want personalized guidance on testing strategy based on your student’s specific target schools and academic profile, consider scheduling a consultation with a college counselor who understands both the national landscape and Texas-specific factors.

More about College Readiness from General Academic

For more than 22 years, General Academic has provided tutoring, test preparation, and consulting services in addition to producing publications like this one.

This article was last updated on February 13, 2026.

Author

  • Samuel Pearson

    Samuel Pearson is General Academic's Lead Manager and Director of College Counseling. He graduated from Rice University in 2017 with a B.A. in Cognitive Science & Visual and Dramatic Arts. Before joining General Academic's team in 2023, Samuel was a high school teacher and technical director at a premier independent school in Houston. He holds a Certificate of College Access Counseling from Rice University's Center for College Readiness.

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