Let’s be honest: standardized testing kind of sucks.

The SAT and ACT are stressful, time-consuming, and sometimes feel disconnected from everything you’ve worked hard to accomplish in high school. And for many students—especially those juggling demanding schedules, learning differences, or testing anxiety—these exams can feel like an unfair barrier to college.

The good news? A growing number of colleges agree. Since the pandemic, test-optional policies have become widespread across U.S. institutions, and some schools have even gone test-free altogether. 

But here’s the catch: if you’re aiming for the most selective schools in the country (think Ivies, Stanford, MIT, Duke, and other highly rejective institutions) testing still matters. A lot. And if you’re applying for competitive scholarships or programs with specific academic requirements, those test scores could be the tipping point.

So how do you decide between the SAT and the ACT? How do you manage cancellation policies, score reporting quirks, and changing school requirements? Here’s what students and families actually need to know in 2025–26.

First: How Colleges Use Test Scores in 2025–26

It’s easy to think of SAT and ACT scores as make-or-break numbers. But they’re just one part of a much bigger story.

Admissions officers typically use standardized test scores to:

• Confirm academic readiness, especially in rigorous majors like engineering or pre-med
• Compare students across different high schools (where GPA scales and course rigor vary)
• Contextualize GPA trends: a high score can balance out a slightly lower GPA, or vice versa
• Award merit scholarships (many schools automate this process based on scores + GPA)

Translation? Even if you’re applying test-optional, a good test score can help. A poor one won’t necessarily sink you, but it’s important to know the full picture.

SAT or ACT? It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All

Let’s get this out of the way: colleges do not prefer one test over the other. The SAT and ACT are equally accepted at every major U.S. college that requires or allows testing. The real question is: which test is better for you?

Key Differences Between the SAT and ACT

While both tests assess reading, writing, and math skills, there are subtle structural differences that can impact performance depending on your strengths.

Try both. We recommend taking a full-length practice test of each to compare your scores and pacing comfort. Some students are naturally better suited to one format.

Score Choice vs. “Send Everything”: Know Your Schools’ Rules

Once you’ve taken the test, what you do with the score matters just as much as the score itself.

What is Score Choice?

“Score Choice” allows students to choose which test dates to send to colleges. For example, if you take the SAT three times, you can choose to send only your highest test date.

Most colleges accept Score Choice for both SAT and ACT. But some do not.

Schools That Require All Scores

The most famous outlier? Georgetown University. Georgetown requires applicants to send all scores from every SAT or ACT you’ve taken. Yes, even that one you bombed after a sleepless night.

A few other schools (like the University of Tennessee system) recommend sending all scores, though they don’t require it. Always check each college’s policy directly on their admissions page or Common Data Set. Don’t guess.

Pro Tip: If you’re applying to schools that require all scores, you may want to be more conservative with how often you test and be extra strategic about your test prep timeline.

Can I Cancel a Bad Score?

Let’s say you walk out of the test center and know something went wrong. Maybe you misread an entire math section, forgot your calculator, or had a panic spiral in the reading passage. Whatever the reason, you’re now wondering: can I stop colleges from ever seeing this score?

Yes, but only if you act quickly.

Cancelling a score means your test won’t be scored at all, and it will never appear on your record. Superscoring (where colleges only consider your best section scores across test dates) doesn’t help here because if a score is weak across the board, you might prefer to erase the entire thing from existence. That’s where cancellation comes in.

If you took the SAT on a weekend:

• You have until 11:59pm ET one week after your test date to cancel your score.
• You can cancel by calling College Board or submitting the score cancellation form via your online account.
• Cancelled scores will not be scored at all and will never appear on your record.

If you took the SAT on a school day (e.g., through your high school):

• You can cancel your test by asking staff to submit a student-requested cancellation form in Test Day Toolkit
• Cancellation requests must be submitted within five days of the test day.
• In some instances, scores may still be shared with schools, states, or districts.

So if you’re taking the SAT during the school week and the test goes badly, speak up immediately before you hand in your materials and leave the testing site.

‍ACT Cancellation:

• Cancel on test day before leaving the test center, or
• Request to stop reports from being sent by Thursday at noon (CST) after the test.
• You cannot retroactively delete a score after it’s been released to you.

Important: cancelling is irreversible. Before you panic and hit the cancel button, we’d usually recommend that you wait to see how you actually did unless you know for sure something went drastically wrong.

Do I Even Need to Take the SAT or ACT?

With so many schools going test-optional, this is a fair question. But here’s our honest answer: if you’re aiming for a top-tier school, take the test.

While many colleges are still test-optional (especially liberal arts colleges), schools like MIT, Dartmouth, Yale, and Brown have reinstated their SAT/ACT requirements and others are signaling they may follow. Even at test-optional schools, a strong score (think 1450+ SAT or 32+ ACT) can significantly boost your application and demonstrate readiness for rigorous academics.

Plus, certain majors, honors programs, or scholarships may quietly factor in test scores, even if they’re not required. And international students? Often expected to submit scores unless they’re applying to test-free schools.

Final Note: Test-Optional ≠ Test-Irrelevant

We hear this myth a lot: “If a school is test-optional, they won’t care if I don’t submit scores.”

That’s not quite true.

Most test-optional schools will still consider scores if submitted and those who do submit are often admitted at higher rates than those who don’t. (Of course, this could reflect stronger overall applicants, but the data speaks.)

That means if your scores are strong relative to your target schools’ middle 50%, it’s usually better to send them.

Bottom Line: What Should You Do?

Here’s our advice:

1. Take both a practice SAT and ACT. Use free tools or official College Board and ACT resources.
2. Choose your stronger test and create a 2–3 month prep plan.
3. Register early: fall and spring test dates fill up quickly.
4. Understand cancellation policies and make score reporting decisions carefully.
5. Check your colleges’ test policies, especially around score choice.
6. Use your score strategically: submit it where it helps, withhold it where it doesn’t.

Testing might not be your favorite part of the process, but it can be a meaningful asset if approached with clarity and strategy.

Need a Customized Test Plan?

At AtomicMind, we help students build a personalized SAT/ACT strategy: whether you’re aiming for MIT, navigating test-optional uncertainty, or trying to figure out if you should cancel a score.

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all prep. We help you decide:

• When to test
• Which test fits you best
• Where to send scores
• And how to use them to strengthen your college application

Let’s demystify standardized testing together. Reach out today and turn your testing strategy into an advantage, not an obstacle.