Harvard is mandating SATs again

Harvard made waves today after announcing that students applying for fall 2025 admission will once again need to take the SAT or ACT, joining Ivy League peers Yale, Dartmouth , and Brown.

In 2020, with test centers closed during the pandemic, many universities, including Harvard, waived standardized test requirements for applicants.

However, research has shown that standardized test scores are one of the best tools for identifying promising students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, as they are less susceptible to biases than letters and essays. As the "return to testing" trend gains more momentum, it will be interesting to see if the rest of the Ivy League follows suit.

Harvard announces return to required testing — Harvard Gazette

However, research has shown that standardized test scores are one of the best tools for identifying promising students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, as they are less susceptible to biases than letters and essays. As the "return to testing" trend gains more momentum, it will be interesting to see if the rest of the Ivy League follows suit.