Should You Apply “Test Optional”?

Today we’re talking about if you should apply to colleges “test optional,” which is an option some colleges offer but other colleges don’t—so make sure to read their requirements carefully.

On most colleges’ websites, you can find their interquartile range, which is the middle 50% of their enrolled students who submitted scores. If you’re in that bracket, you should consider sending scores, because you’re in good company with most of their students. But if you’re below that number, it might be wise to NOT submit scores to increase your chances of getting in.

Maybe you’ve taken the SAT a few times and weren’t able to reach a score that matched your academic abilities. Or maybe you took the PSAT once, took a look at that score, and figured it was a lost cause and never bothered taking the SAT or ACT after that.

How are you going to stand out against all of those other students who are submitting good, maybe even great scores? You need good grades and you need great extracurricular activities, but you also need phenomenal, standout essays to package it all together and make you a whole, three-dimensional person to those colleges.

If you need help about whether or not you should apply to test optional, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 732-556-8220. We are here to help.