SATs are back… great news for “our” students

By General Education Advice

The Surge in “Test Score Reinstatement” at Selective Colleges

One of the most significant shifts in the last two years is the quiet but unmistakable return of standardized testing at many competitive colleges. While test-optional policies remain, many schools—including MIT, Dartmouth, Georgetown, University of Georgia, and others—reported that applicants who submitted strong scores had significantly higher admission rates.

Families from towns like Madison, Old Lyme, Guilford, and other shoreline communities are noticing the trend. Students at Daniel Hand High School increasingly turn to testing as a way to distinguish themselves in hyper-competitive pools.

Why? Because students from Daniel Hand High School – among other top Connecticut schools – do great on these tests.

Why Test Scores Are Reemerging

  • Colleges need an objective metric to differentiate thousands of strong GPAs

  • Grade inflation has reduced transcript clarity

  • AI-generated essays have made personal statements less reliable

  • Schools are recalibrating to pre-COVID standards

In short, submitted test scores make evaluation simpler and more precise for admissions readers.

A Story from Daniel Hand: “Ethan from Madison”

Ethan, a junior at Daniel Hand, originally planned to apply test-optional. His GPA was excellent and he was heavily involved in music. However, he noticed that many of the schools on his list—Northeastern, Villanova, Wake Forest—had higher admit rates for applicants who submitted strong scores.

We developed a structured SAT program for him through The Learning Consultants. After three months of disciplined preparation, Ethan raised his SAT to the 1470 range, placing him above the mid-50% for his target schools which were all strong.

He ultimately gained admission to Villanova, and the admissions counselor told his family that his score significantly strengthened his academic profile.

Professional opinion: The pendulum is swinging back. Test scores have reemerged as a decisive factor at many competitive institutions.

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