Straight answers
Is the SAT still required for college admissions in 2026?
It depends entirely on the school — there's no single answer. Some colleges remain test-optional, a few are fully test-blind, and a number of selective schools have reinstated testing requirements in recent admissions cycles, so the honest answer is: check each target school's current policy directly.
Since the pandemic-era shift toward test-optional admissions, policies have kept moving — in different directions at different schools. Some institutions have stayed test-optional indefinitely; a handful eliminated testing from admissions entirely (test-blind); and several selective universities have reinstated a testing requirement, citing research on how scores add predictive value alongside grades.
The clearest recent example of that drift: in June 2026 Columbia announced it will require SAT or ACT scores starting with the 2027–28 application cycle, making it the last Ivy League school to move off test-optional after the other seven had already reinstated a requirement. Note the effective date — an announcement and the cycle it takes effect in are two different things, which is exactly why the school's own admissions page beats any news summary.
Because policy varies by school and can change year to year, there's no honest, single blanket answer — anyone who tells a student the SAT is (or isn't) required everywhere in 2026 is oversimplifying. The reliable move is checking the admissions page of each school on a student's list, since that's the authoritative, current source.
Even at test-optional schools, submitting a strong score can still help an application — it's optional to send, not irrelevant if sent. And scholarship programs, honors colleges, and some majors (or NCAA athletic eligibility) may have their own separate testing requirements regardless of a school's general admissions policy.
Given that uncertainty, most counselors recommend preparing for and taking the SAT anyway unless a student's full list is confirmed test-blind — it preserves optionality without costing much, since a score that isn't needed simply doesn't get submitted.