Recent policy changes around standardised tests have taken students by surprise. 

After years of going test-optional, many highly selective colleges are reinstating the SAT requirement. Schools like Yale, Dartmouth, MIT, and even Stanford have announced they will once again require standardised test scores for upcoming admission cycles. 

The University of Texas at Austin has also joined the lineup, making standardised test scores part of its first-year application process again.

For some, this feels like a step backwards. But for others, it’s a chance to prove academic readiness in a clear, measurable way. Either way, the change is big, and it’s sparking plenty of questions as to what is driving these decisions. 

Here, we’ll explore why these top schools are reinstating the SAT. Dive in, then! 

Test-Optional Was a Pandemic Experiment, Not a Forever Plan

The decision to make the SAT optional was not a permanent choice for many schools. Instead, it was a quick, temporary solution to an emergency. 

When the pandemic hit in 2020, testing centres were closed. This made it nearly impossible for high school students to take the SAT safely. Colleges had to adapt their admissions policies fast. To be fair to applicants, they temporarily suspended the SAT requirement. 

But many schools were clear that this was not a forever plan. Yale, for instance, made it clear that the change would be in effect during the 2020-2021 admissions cycle. All transfer applicants and first-year applicants applying for fall 2022 and beyond were required to submit their ACT or SAT scores.  

It was not just Yale; Dartmouth and Cornell had also announced that their new policies would only last for one year. 

The intention was always to go back to the old way of doing things once the world returned to normal. As the pandemic has receded, so has the original reason for going test-optional. Therefore, the return of the SAT was a natural next step.

Data Shows Test Scores Can Predict Success

During the test-optional years, colleges had a chance to run a big experiment. They could see how students admitted without test scores performed. What they found was a powerful argument for bringing the tests back. 

New research has shown a clear link between test scores and how well a student does in college. Specifically, a faculty-led review at Stanford found a meaningful connection between a student’s test score and their academic outcomes at the university.

This data goes beyond simple grades. Research from sources like Opportunity Insights found that students with higher ACT or SAT scores tended to have higher first-year college GPAs. This was true even for students who had the same high school grades. 

The research found that a student with a perfect SAT score of 1600 earned a college GPA that was 0.43 points higher than a student with an SAT score of 1200. These findings confirm that test scores can provide a useful look at a student’s academic potential. 

When a college looks at both grades and test scores, it gets a more complete picture of who will succeed in its challenging classes.

Data from Test-Optional Years Changed Minds

The test-optional policy was supposed to make things fairer. However, colleges discovered some surprising side effects. 

They saw that many students played a game of strategic disclosure. Students with high scores had submitted them to get an advantage. Students with low scores simply had chosen not to. So, colleges had an incomplete picture of many applicants.

The data revealed a clear admission advantage for those who submitted a strong score. At some schools, the acceptance rate for students who submitted scores was double that of students who didn’t. This showed that the test-optional policy was often not truly optional for competitive applicants.

Many top schools conducted their own internal research during this time. They all found similar results. 

UT Austin is an excellent example. It found that students who submitted scores performed significantly better in their first semester. They earned an estimated 0.86 grade points higher on average than students who did not. 

UT Austin’s data showed that students who submitted scores were also 55% less likely to have a first-semester GPA below 2.0. This data proved that test scores are a valuable tool for predicting who will succeed in college.

3 Tips to Help You Succeed in the SAT

If your dream schools are reinstating the SAT requirement or if they are still test-optional but you want to stand out, here’s how to prepare without burning out:

1. Start Preparing Early

Achieving a score within the 1400-1600 range significantly enhances your chances of getting admitted into well-regarded US colleges. 

But you can’t reach that score by cramming formulas the night before. Starting your SAT preparation early, ideally six months to a year before your test date, gives you space to understand the exam format, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and improve at a steady pace. 

Early preparation also means you can spread out your study sessions, which makes the process less stressful and more effective.

2. Take Full-Length Practice Tests in Real Conditions

One of the best ways to beat test-day nerves is to make your practice feel exactly like the real SAT. 

Set aside a quiet block of about three hours, follow official timing rules, and use only approved materials. This helps you get used to the pacing, stamina, and focus the SAT demands. 

Simulating real conditions also trains your brain to stay sharp even in the last section, when fatigue usually hits. Review every mistake carefully afterwards. Taking these SAT practice tests regularly will make the real exam feel routine, so you’ll be calm, confident, and prepared to perform your best.

3. Focus on Weak Spots First

When prepping for the SAT, it’s tempting to keep practising what you’re already good at. But if you really want to see a noticeable score jump, tackle your weak spots first. 

Diagnostic tests or your past practice results can help identify the areas where you lag. Use topic-specific drills, watch quick explainer videos, and reattempt questions until the concepts click. 

While self-study is great, online SAT prep classes can make a huge difference. At Prep7Edu, we offer flexible and personalised classes with mentors who provide innovative and result-oriented guidance. 

Our comprehensive curriculum covers every SAT topic in depth, while our real-time SAT online testing portal lets you practice under exam-like conditions. 

Plan Now For Fall 2025 Applications

The pendulum has swung back toward standardised testing. But that doesn’t mean that the days when your SAT score was the only thing that mattered are back. 

The SAT is just one part of your application. Schools still care about your essays, recommendations, activities, and the story you tell about yourself.

Whether you love this trend or hate it, it’s the reality for students applying to highly selective colleges right now. The best approach? Focus on putting together the strongest application you can across all areas, including your SAT score.

If you’re aiming for a top score, getting support from experts can make a huge difference. We, at Prep7Edu, offer flexible, personalised SAT classes led by experienced mentors who know how to bring out your best. With the right prep plan, you can walk into test day feeling confident, ready, and one step closer to your dream school.

Ready to get started? Book your free SAT strategy session today and take the first step toward your highest possible score! 

Have a big standardised test on the horizon—the kind you’ve had circled on your calendar for weeks, maybe even months? Yet, here you are, scrolling through your phone, reorganising your bookshelf, or watching just one more episode before you start studying.

Procrastination before a big test is very common. But what’s worrying is that procrastination often leads to anxiety. 

Research backs this up. One study published in ScienceDirect found that higher levels of academic procrastination are associated with higher levels of test anxiety. This means, when you put off your academic work, you are likely to experience more anxiety around tests.

Delaying tasks may bring comfort at first, but that relief turns into regret and stress as deadlines near. You can break the cycle, however. A few smart strategies can help you calm your nerves and focus without the guilt trip. Dive in to learn them!

Why Does Test Anxiety Happen?

Test anxiety is more than just nervousness. It is a mix of thoughts and physical reactions. It is the body’s natural alarm system, which is designed to warn of danger. However, sometimes it gets activated by things that are not a threat, like an exam.

A person’s mindset about their own worth is a big driver of test anxiety. When grades become an estimate of personal value, every test feels like a judgment.

A failing grade can make a person feel like they are not smart enough. This thinking can lower self-esteem and cause more anxiety. The problem is not the test itself, though. It is the belief that the outcome of the test defines a person.

Another psychological cause is external pressure. People often worry about disappointing people they care about. They may believe that they will lose a person’s affection if they do not do well. This perceived pressure can become a heavy burden. The fear of not living up to those expectations makes tests even more anxiety-inducing.

How to Reduce Anxiety Before Standardised Tests: 4 Study Tips for Students

The key to beating test anxiety is to take control of the behaviours that perpetuate it. Here are a few study tips to help you build a healthier, more productive approach to test preparation.

1. Chunk, Don’t Cram

Your brain has a limited capacity for new information at any given time. When you try to learn too much at once, you can overload your brain.

Cramming stores information in short-term or working memory. This type of memory is not designed for long-term recall. On average, most people can only juggle about 5 to 9 things in their working memory at once. That is what Miller’s Law states. 

If you try cramming the entire syllabus or a huge chunk of it overnight, you’ll likely forget most of what you studied by the next morning.

Chunking is a better approach. It involves breaking down large amounts of information into small, manageable parts. The brain can handle these smaller parts more easily. This allows you to move the information from working memory into long-term memory.

Instead of studying an entire chapter, you could focus on just one section. This makes the first step much easier to take. This technique reduces stress by making a big task feel much smaller. It also helps you fight procrastination.

2. Simulate the Real Test

Practising for the test can help you feel less anxious. It helps you get used to the test’s format. You also get used to the time constraints. This makes the real test feel more familiar. It helps to reduce the fear of the unknown.

When you practice, you train your brain to perform under pressure. This can help you stay calm and focused. Simulating the test environment builds your confidence. It shows you that you can handle the real thing.

To get the most out of your practice, take a full practice test. Time yourself exactly as the real test does, including breaks. Sit at a desk, use a quiet space, and stick to the official materials allowed. Don’t forget to turn off your phone; this helps minimise distraction.

When you finish, don’t just glance at your score. Review your mistakes and figure out why they happened.

If you notice the same errors popping up again and again, it might be time to get expert help.

Experienced tutors at Prep7Edu can help you tackle those weak spots. They don’t just hand you answers, but analyse your patterns, pinpoint your weak spots, and give you personalised strategies. Under their guidance, practice tests can turn into powerful learning tools instead of stressful rehearsals.

3. Limit Doom-Scrolling

Consuming a never-ending stream of distressing news and negative social media content can have a serious negative impact on your mental health.

A research paper published in the Asian Journal of Healthy and Science confirms this. It states that doomscrolling often leaves you feeling more anxious and stressed out, which can make it much harder to focus, study, and retain information effectively.

On a biological level, doom-scrolling feeds the brain a steady stream of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can exhaust the brain and body over time. On top of that, this habit shortens your attention span, making it harder to concentrate and focus when you do try to study. 

To put it in another way, when you’re doom-scrolling you don’t just waste time, but actively damage the very mental faculties you need to succeed.

Changing this habit is less about raw willpower and more about making changes to your environment.

A simple notification from an app can trigger a dopamine release in the brain. This reward makes the habit hard to break. Put your phone in another room or a drawer, so you are not tempted to reach for it while studying. Turning off notifications can remove the temptation of constant alerts.

You can also set time limits on distracting apps. Another thing you can do is curate social media feeds by unfollowing accounts that cause anxiety.

4. Train Your Brain to Relax

When anxiety strikes, the body usually reacts with a racing heart, shallow breath, and tense muscles. These physical reactions can cause you to go blank during a test.

Learning to calm your nervous system is important; only then will you be able to perform your best on the test.

Breathing exercises, like the ‘4-7-8’ technique, force the brain to focus on the counting of breaths. This simple redirection of focus can break the cycle of negative thinking.

Another technique is progressive muscle relaxation. This involves tensing a muscle group, holding it for a few seconds, and then releasing it. This practice helps you pay attention to your physical sensations and release tension.

Don’t wait until test day to try these techniques. Practice them during your study sessions when you feel stress building up. The more familiar these relaxation methods become, the more effective they will be when you really need them.

Study Smarter and Beat Anxiety from the Get-Go!

Test anxiety doesn’t have to derail your performance, even if you’ve procrastinated until the last minute. The key is working with your brain instead of against it. Follow these tips, and you can lower your stress and boost your confidence.

Keep in mind, though, progress matters more than perfection. Every small step you take is moving you in the right direction.

Can’t do it all alone? You don’t have to. At Prep7Edu, our expert educators can help you master tricky concepts, clear doubts, and develop a personalised study plan that works for you.

More importantly, they will equip you with proven strategies to tackle every section with confidence, manage your time effectively, and keep anxiety in check. When you know exactly what to expect and have a strong game plan, that fear of the unknown disappears.

So, don’t wait anymore. Reach out to us today, so we can get you ready to face the exam with confidence!