{"id":1171,"date":"2025-03-23T22:18:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T06:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/?p=1171"},"modified":"2025-03-28T01:15:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T09:15:10","slug":"test-optional-admissions-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Test-optional. You hear colleges say it all the time now. It means you don\u2019t HAVE to send your SAT or ACT scores to apply. Sounds simple, right? Nope!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Test-optional has made college admission way more confusing for students. Should YOU send your scores? Or should you go test-free? What\u2019s the smart move to get into college? It\u2019s not the same for every student.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s break down test-optional admissions. Let\u2019s help YOU decide what\u2019s right for YOUR college applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2-1024x575.png\" alt=\"Test Scores: Send or Not? Your College Choice Guide\" class=\"wp-image-1903\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2-1536x862.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2.png 1825w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Test-Optional: College Admission Just Got More Confusing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before, it was simple. Take the SAT or ACT. Get the best score you can. Send it to colleges. Now? Colleges say \u201cTest-Optional.\u201d It\u2019s a CHOICE. And choices can be hard. Do you send scores if you don\u2019t have to? Will it hurt you if you don\u2019t send them? Will it help you if you do? So many questions!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Test-optional is meant to be more fair for students. But it can feel like a puzzle to figure out what to do. Don&#8217;t worry! We\u2019re here to help you solve that puzzle and make the best choice for YOU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What \u201cTest-Optional\u201d REALLY Means \u2013 It\u2019s Your Call<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s get super clear on what \u201ctest-optional\u201d actually means. It means: sending SAT or ACT scores is OPTIONAL. It\u2019s up to YOU. Colleges that are test-optional will look at your application the same way, whether you send scores or not. They say they won\u2019t put students who don\u2019t send scores at a disadvantage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Test-optional means you get to CHOOSE. You get to decide if showing your scores will help your application \u2013 or not. It\u2019s about putting YOU in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Colleges Went Test-Optional \u2013 It\u2019s Not Just COVID<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Why did so many colleges go test-optional? Was it just because of COVID? COVID did play a part. It made it harder for students to take tests. But test-optional was a trend even BEFORE COVID. Colleges went test-optional for reasons like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fairness for All Students:<\/strong> Some students don\u2019t test well, even if they are smart and good students. Test-optional is meant to make it fairer for students who shine in class but not on tests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Focus on the \u201cWhole Student\u201d: <\/strong>Colleges say they want to see the \u201cwhole student,\u201d not just test scores. Test-optional lets them focus more on essays, activities, and who you are as a person, not just a test number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Get More Diverse Students:<\/strong> Some think test scores can hurt diversity. Test-optional is seen as a way to get a wider mix of students from different backgrounds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So, test-optional is not just a quick change. It\u2019s a bigger shift in how colleges are looking at students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Big Question: Should YOU Send Your Scores? Let\u2019s Break It Down<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, the big question: Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores? It\u2019s not a yes\/no answer for everyone. It depends on YOU and YOUR scores. Let\u2019s break it down into some simple scenarios to help you decide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario #1: Your Scores Are STRONG &#8211; Time to Show Them Off!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, the easy case: Your scores are STRONG. What does \u201cstrong\u201d mean? It means your scores are AT or ABOVE the average score for students who get into that college. How do you find that out? Check the college website. Look for their \u201cfreshman profile\u201d or \u201cadmitted student data.\u201d It will often show the average SAT or ACT score range for students they accept. If your scores are in that range, or even better, ABOVE it? Then YES, send your scores! Strong scores are a plus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can help you stand out. They show you can do well on tough tests. In this case, test-optional is a bonus \u2013 you get to CHOOSE to show off your good scores!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> Go to Cirkled In\u2019s College Search Page and you\u2019ll get all colleges\u2019 info at one place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario #2: Your Scores Are \u201cJust Okay\u201d &#8211; Think Carefully<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What if your scores are \u201cjust okay\u201d? What does \u201cjust okay\u201d mean? It means your scores are CLOSE to the average score for that college \u2013 maybe a little below, maybe right in the middle of the range. This is a trickier choice. Think carefully:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Look at the \u201cWhole You\u201d App:<\/strong> How strong are the OTHER parts of your application? Are your grades super high? Are your essays amazing? Do you have killer activities? If other parts of your app are super strong, maybe you can go test-optional. Your app might still shine without scores.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>See if Your Scores Show YOU \u201cGet\u201d That College: <\/strong>Think about the college itself. Is it known as a super-test-focused, high-score kind of place? Or is it more about \u201cwhole student\u201d stuff? If it\u2019s a test-focused school, sending even \u201cokay\u201d scores might help a bit to show you\u2019re in the ballpark. If it\u2019s more \u201cholistic,\u201d maybe scores matter less, and you can go test-optional.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>When in Doubt? Maybe Send Them:<\/strong> If you are really not sure, and your scores are close to the average, it might be safer to send them. \u201cOkay\u201d scores won\u2019t hurt you, and they might help a little. But again, it depends on your whole application.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario #3: Your Scores Are Low &#8211; Test-Optional is Your Friend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, the clear case for \u201ctest-optional\u201d: Your scores are lower than the average for that college. \u201cLower\u201d means your scores are BELOW the average range for accepted students. In this case, the test-optional is YOUR FRIEND. It\u2019s there to help students like you! If your scores are lower than the college\u2019s average, then YES, go test-optional. Do NOT send your scores. Why?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because lower scores won\u2019t help you. They might even hurt your chances a little bit. Test-optional lets you take scores out of the picture and focus on the stronger parts of your application \u2013 your grades, essays, activities, and YOU as a person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It\u2019s Not Just About Scores \u2013 Other Things Matter Even More Now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Test-optional means colleges are looking at OTHER things more closely now. If you go test-optional, make sure the REST of your application is AMAZING. Really focus on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Your Grades \u2013 They REALLY Count Now:<\/strong> If you don\u2019t send test scores, your grades become even more important. Make sure your grades are as high as you can get them. Colleges will look at your grades extra closely if they don\u2019t see test scores.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your Essays \u2013 Make Them Killer:<\/strong> Essays are always important. But in a test-optional world, they are HUGE. Your essays are your best way to show colleges who you are, what you care about, and why they should pick YOU. Spend extra time making your essays amazing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your Activities \u2013 Show What You DO:<\/strong> Colleges want to see what you do outside of class. Your activities, your clubs, your volunteering \u2013 these show your passions and skills. Make sure your activities list is strong and shows you are active and engaged.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Action Plan: Make YOUR Test-Score Choice with Confidence!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to decide if YOU should send test scores or go test-optional? Yes! Do these things now to make your smart choice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Check Cirkled In for Your Colleges: <\/strong>Use Cirkled In to look up the test-optional policies and score ranges for colleges you are applying to. Get the facts for each school.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Be Honest About YOUR Scores:<\/strong> Be real with yourself about your scores. Are they strong? Okay? Or lower than average for your target colleges?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Think \u201cWhole App\u201d Too:<\/strong> Don\u2019t just think about scores. Think about the rest of your application. Are your grades and essays super strong? Or do you need your scores to boost your app?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Talk to Your Counselor:<\/strong> Still not sure? Talk to your school counselor. They can give you advice just for YOU based on your scores and your college list.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thought: Your Choice, Your Best Application \u2013 Test Scores or Not<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Test-optional puts YOU in charge. It\u2019s your choice if you send scores or not. Use this guide to think smart. Be honest about your scores and your whole application. And make the choice that makes YOUR application the strongest it can be \u2013 test scores or not!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Need more tips on&nbsp;<strong>college applications<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>scholarships<\/strong>, or just how to survive this whole process?&nbsp;<strong>Cirkled In<\/strong>&nbsp;has your back\u2014check out&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/\"><strong>Cirkled In resources<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;to help you through every step of your college journey!<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Test-optional. You hear colleges say it all the time now. It means you don\u2019t HAVE to send your SAT or ACT scores to apply. Sounds simple, right? Nope!&nbsp; Test-optional has made college admission way more confusing for students. Should YOU send your scores? Or should you go test-free? What\u2019s the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1902,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[372,373,374,375,376,377,79,369,370,371],"class_list":["post-1171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-applications-and-admissions","tag-should-i-submit-my-test-scores","tag-college-application-strategies","tag-test-optional-colleges","tag-sat-optional-schools","tag-test-score-decisions","tag-holistic-college-admissions","tag-college-admissions-tips","tag-test-optional-admissions","tag-college-admissions-without-sat","tag-act-vs-test-optional"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices - Cirkled In<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Test-optional is confusing! Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores or go test-free? This guide breaks it down. Make the smart choice for YOUR college apps!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices - Cirkled In\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Test-optional is confusing! Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores or go test-free? This guide breaks it down. Make the smart choice for YOUR college apps!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cirkled In\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cirkledin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-24T06:18:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-28T09:15:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cirkledin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@cirkledin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@cirkledin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cirkledin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cirkledin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/51a2b89ea0cca116ce0a38b31f71daae\"},\"headline\":\"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-24T06:18:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-28T09:15:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\"},\"wordCount\":1426,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Should I Submit My Test Scores\",\"College Application Strategies\",\"Test-Optional Colleges\",\"SAT Optional Schools\",\"Test Score Decisions\",\"Holistic College Admissions\",\"College Admissions Tips\",\"Test-Optional Admissions\",\"College Admissions Without SAT\",\"ACT vs Test-Optional\"],\"articleSection\":[\"College Applications and Admissions\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\",\"name\":\"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices - Cirkled In\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-24T06:18:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-28T09:15:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"Test-optional is confusing! Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores or go test-free? This guide breaks it down. Make the smart choice for YOUR college apps!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1024,\"caption\":\"Test Scores: Send or Not? Your College Choice Guide\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/\",\"name\":\"Cirkled In\",\"description\":\"Student Portfolio, College admissions, Internships, jobs,  scholarships\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Cirkled In\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cirkled-in-logo-1000.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cirkled-in-logo-1000.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":204,\"caption\":\"Cirkled In\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cirkledin\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/cirkledin\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/cirkled-in\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/cirkledin\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cirkledin\/\",\"https:\/\/tiktok.com\/@cirkledin\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Cirkledin\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/51a2b89ea0cca116ce0a38b31f71daae\",\"name\":\"cirkledin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1b15eb0a2e01da270496698fed542170?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1b15eb0a2e01da270496698fed542170?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"cirkledin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/ec2-50-17-66-55.compute-1.amazonaws.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/author\/cirkledin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices - Cirkled In","description":"Test-optional is confusing! Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores or go test-free? This guide breaks it down. Make the smart choice for YOUR college apps!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices - Cirkled In","og_description":"Test-optional is confusing! Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores or go test-free? This guide breaks it down. Make the smart choice for YOUR college apps!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/","og_site_name":"Cirkled In","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cirkledin","article_published_time":"2025-03-24T06:18:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-03-28T09:15:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"cirkledin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@cirkledin","twitter_site":"@cirkledin","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"cirkledin","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/"},"author":{"name":"cirkledin","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/51a2b89ea0cca116ce0a38b31f71daae"},"headline":"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices","datePublished":"2025-03-24T06:18:53+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-28T09:15:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/"},"wordCount":1426,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png","keywords":["Should I Submit My Test Scores","College Application Strategies","Test-Optional Colleges","SAT Optional Schools","Test Score Decisions","Holistic College Admissions","College Admissions Tips","Test-Optional Admissions","College Admissions Without SAT","ACT vs Test-Optional"],"articleSection":["College Applications and Admissions"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/","name":"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices - Cirkled In","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png","datePublished":"2025-03-24T06:18:53+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-28T09:15:10+00:00","description":"Test-optional is confusing! Should YOU send your SAT or ACT scores or go test-free? This guide breaks it down. Make the smart choice for YOUR college apps!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Applications-Admissions-10.png","width":1024,"height":1024,"caption":"Test Scores: Send or Not? Your College Choice Guide"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/college-applications-and-admissions\/test-optional-admissions-guide\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Navigating Test-Optional Admissions: Your Guide to Test Score Choices"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/","name":"Cirkled In","description":"Student Portfolio, College admissions, Internships, jobs,  scholarships","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#organization","name":"Cirkled In","url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cirkled-in-logo-1000.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cirkled-in-logo-1000.png","width":1000,"height":204,"caption":"Cirkled In"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cirkledin","https:\/\/x.com\/cirkledin","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/cirkled-in","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/cirkledin\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cirkledin\/","https:\/\/tiktok.com\/@cirkledin","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Cirkledin"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/51a2b89ea0cca116ce0a38b31f71daae","name":"cirkledin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1b15eb0a2e01da270496698fed542170?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1b15eb0a2e01da270496698fed542170?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"cirkledin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/ec2-50-17-66-55.compute-1.amazonaws.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/author\/cirkledin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1171"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1171\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cirkledin.com\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}