Another Ivy League School Backtracks on Test-Optional Admissions

Cornell University joins a growing list of elite institutions that have reverted to standardized testing to help determine probability for academic success.

An entrance sign to Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., on Sept. 1, 2019. Amy Lutz/Shutterstock

Cornell University will once again require prospective undergraduate students to submit their standardized test scores, making it the latest Ivy League school to backtrack on the pandemic-era test-optional admissions policy.

Starting in the 2026 admissions cycle, all students seeking admission will have to submit an SAT or ACT score with their applications, the Ithaca, New York-based university said on April 22.