College applications aren’t easy. There’s a host of stressful sections that you must fill out and agonize over. From the essay (don’t sound like everyone else!) to your transcripts (let’s hope they don’t see that B-!), applications do a good job at giving admissions officers a bit of insight into the applicant.

How The SAT Affects Admissions

As a former admissions officer, I can honestly share with you that I did pay attention to SAT scores. I glanced at them and then moved onto the essay and then closely examined the applicant’s transcripts. That being said, my final decision to admit / waitlist / deny an applicant had very little to do with the SAT scores. These standardized tests are a good benchmark admissions officers can use to quickly compare multiple applicants. However, SATs are now being reconsidered and there is a large move from schools to not care about SAT scores.

This does not mean it will be easier to get into your reach / dream school.

It actually makes it harder.

For example, If you are a good test taker but don”t have as many extracurricular activities as a competing applicant, you may not actually get into a school like you would have a few years ago. In fact, there are dozens of schools that would probably admit the more well-rounded applicant simply because they are moving away from considering the SAT scores in admissions decisions.

Many Schools Already On Board

Here’s the schools de-emphasizing the importance of the SAT:

• Agnes Scott (GA – women only) (More info here.)
• Assumption College (MA) (More info here.)
• Augustana College (IL) (More info here.)
• Bard (NY)
• Bates (ME)
• Bennington College (VT) (More info here.)
• Bowdoin (ME) (Detailed policy information here.)
• Bryn Mawr (PA) (Bryn Mawr hasn’t gone testing-optional, but is offering more testing options; see info here.)
• Chatham College (women’s college in Pittsburgh, PA) (More info on their policy is here.)
• Colby College (ME) (Colby hasn’t gone testing-optional, but is offering more testing options; see info here.)
• Colby-Sawyer College (NH)
• College of the Holy Cross (MA) Detailed policy info here.)
• Connecticut College (CT) (detailed policy recently announced on their website, here)
• Denison (OH) (Press release re: policy is here.)
• Dickinson College (PA)
• Dowling College (NY) – (www.dowling.edu)
• Drew University (NJ) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Fairfield University (CT) (Press release here.)
• Franklin & Marshall (PA) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Gettysburg (PA) (Press release here).
• George Mason University (VA) (If your gpa > 3.5; detailed policy information is here).
• Goucher College (MD)  (Detailed policy info here.)
• Green Mountain College (VT) (Detailed policy info is here.)
• Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)  (Policy info here.)
• Hamilton College (NY)
• Hampshire College (MA)
• Hartwick College (NY) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Hobart and William Smith (NY) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Johnson & Wales (CO, FL, NC, RI) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Knox College (IL) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Lawrence University (WI) (Detailed policy info is here.)
• Loyola University Maryland (MD) (Detailed policy info is here.)
• McDaniel College (MD) (If your gpa is > 3.5; more info is here.)
• Merrimack College (MA) (Detailed policy info is here.)
• Messiah College (PA) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Middlebury College (VT) (Modified testing requirements; some info here.)
• Mitchell College (CT) (Some info here.)
• Mount Holyoke College (MA) (Detailed policy info as well as some press clippings here).
• Muhlenberg (PA) (Detailed policy info here.)
• NYU (NYU hasn’t gone testing optional, but they have offered students more options with regards to required testing… see details here.)
• Providence College (RI) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Sacred Heart University (CT) (More info here.)
• Sarah Lawrence College (NY) (More info here.)
• St. Anselm College (NH) More info here.)
• St. Michael’s College (VT) (More info here.)
• St. Lawrence University (NY) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Sewanee University of the South (TN) (More info here.)
• Smith College (MA) (More info here.)
• Southern New Hampshire University (NH) (More info here.)
• Stonehill College (MA) (More info here.)
• SUNY Potsdam (NY) (Press release here.)
• Susquehanna University (PA) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Union College (NY) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Ursinus (PA) (News coverage of the school’s decision is here.)
• University of Scranton (The policy applies to applicants in the top 20% of their graduating class or with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Some majors are not available via the SAT/ACT Optional
• program.  Detailed policy info here.)
• Wake Forest University (NC) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Washington College (MD) (The policy applies to applicants with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher or who rank in the top 10% of their class; detailed policy info is here.)
• Washington and Jefferson College (PA) (Interview required; detailed policy info here.)
• Wheaton College (MA) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Wittenberg University (OH) (Detailed policy info here.)
• Worchester Polytechnic Institute (MA)  (Announcement of new policy is here, specifics about how it works are here.)

Fairtest also maintains information on the testing-optional movement as well as the most comprehensive list of schools that are doing away with or de-emphasizing standardized testing in their review process. – Source: College Lists

What do you think? Should schools continue to consider the SAT? Should the SAT be stopped? Weigh in down in the comments or by tweeting us by mentioning @edudemic.