To test or not to test, that is the question. Well, one of them anyway (Part 2)
Part 1 of this series discusses how test scores still matter at selective schools and walks through how to decide whether to invest in test prep. This post is about the second decision: how your test score situation — whether you have a strong score you'll submit, no score at all, or one in between — should shape the colleges you apply to.
The short version: not all test-optional schools function the same way, and treating them as a single category overlooks publicly available, useful information.
What the Common Data Set tells you
The Common Data Set is a standardized document every college publishes annually. The relevant section is C9, and you can find it on each school's institutional research page (search "[school name] common data set"). C9 reports what percentage of enrolled students submitted SAT scores and what percentage submitted ACT scores.
At most selective test-optional schools, somewhere between 30% and 65% of enrolled students submitted some kind of test score. Where the school falls in that range tells you a lot about how it operates under its test-optional policy.
A school where 60-70% of enrollees submit scores means that, while the school may not require submission, admission without a score is far less common. Applying without a score at a school like this is a steeper climb than the school's overall admit rate suggests.
A school where 30-40% of enrollees submitted scores is one where the admissions office has built real capacity to read files without scores. A larger share of admitted students went through that path. Applying without a score is still harder than applying with one, but it's a more realistic choice than at schools where the non-submitter pool is small.
Your odds aren't equal across schools just because they're all called test-optional. Keep that in mind as you decide how to invest time and other resources on supplemental essays and research into the school.
Calibrate to the tier you're targeting
As I discussed in Part 1 (read HERE), the substitute-signal requirements vary by tier. At single-digit-admit-rate schools, applying without a score requires heavyweight credentials — strong AP exam scores, real academic awards, and substantive research. At schools that aren't quite as competitive, the bar is lower, and demonstrated interest can do some of the work.
That tier distinction matters for your list, too. If you're applying without scores at the most competitive schools, be honest about whether your file has the substitute signals to compete in the non-submitter pool. If it doesn't, consider whether it’s worth investing your time in that application, or reconsider whether studying and retaking the test could help.
At the tier below, the calculus is more forgiving. Strong grades, rigorous coursework, and clear engagement with the school can carry an application without scores. But it's still worth using the submission rate as a check on which schools at this tier are genuinely realistic for you as a non-submitter.
Build your list strategically
If you're applying without scores, build in more “safeties” than you otherwise would. The non-submitter pool is harder to crack at every selective school. The way you protect yourself is by having more schools where the admission math works in your favor.
This doesn't mean avoiding your dream schools. Apply if they feel right for you, but be clear-eyed about how your test situation changes your odds at each school. A non-submitter applying to a school where 70% of enrollees submitted scores is in a harder spot than the school's overall admit rate suggests. Set yourself up for success by including more schools with high enough admit rates or a large enough number of test-optional applicants that the math works in your favor.
The takeaway
Your test score decision isn't separate from your college list — it shapes it. The information you need is publicly available. Use it! Look up the submission rates at the test-optional schools you're considering. Dream schools? Absolutely apply, but have a realistic understanding of your chances.