2,085 +
Test-Optional/Test-Free Schools for
Fall 2026
Record Number of Colleges and Universities Remain Test-Optional or Test-Free for Fall 2026 Applicants.
Despite news reports focusing on the few colleges that have returned to testing, over 90% of colleges have retained or extended their testing policies including: Bowdoin College, Emory University, Tufts University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, Williams College, and the entire University of California, CalState, and SUNY systems.
FairTest Report: Why College Admissions Should Remain Test Optional or Test Free
With the pushback of certain media outlets and reinstitution of standardized test requirements by an exceedingly small number of competitive colleges, we thought it a good time to respond to arguments made in favor of testing, and lay out arguments and compile studies, data, and resources in favor of test optional and test free admissions.
FairTest Reports on Assessment & Accountability
We teamed with the NEA to advise state and local affiliates on how they can work with states to improve assessment and accountability systems, pursuing innovation both without and with federal ESSA waivers.
With the uncertainty surrounding DOE assessment policy and accountability enforcement in the Trump Administration, FairTest teamed with the Center for Innovation in Education (CIE) to provide insight on what states and districts can and should do to make their accountability and assessments make schools accountable to students and communities and assessments actually serve student learning needs. Doubling down on large scale tests NCLB-style is not the answer. Following the examples of places as diverse as Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York City and Chicago.
