Harvard Reinstates Standardized Testing Requirement

Harvard will again require its applicants to submit standardized test scores for admission, the university announced on Thursday.

Why it matters: Elite universities like Yale and MIT have reinstated standardized test requirements, reversing course on pandemic-era policies that made them optional.

• At Harvard, the mandate will be in place for students applying to begin school in fall 2025.

Between the lines: Harvard had previously committed to a test-optional policy for applicants through the class of 2030, which would have started in fall 2026.

{snip}

Catch up quick: Yale, Brown, Dartmouth and MIT had already reinstated exam score requirements for admissions.

{snip}

Reality check: A majority of U.S. four-year colleges and universities remain test-free or test-optional for fall 2025 admissions, per FairTest.