For decades, the SAT and ACT have served as gatekeepers of college admissions. The COVID-19 pandemic briefly disrupted this status quo, ushering in test-optional policies that removed a long-standing barrier for marginalized students. By eliminating the financial burden of high-stakes testing and costly private tutoring, these policies helped level the playing field for low-income and international applicants, contributing to a more equitable admissions landscape.

Yet that progress is now being reversed. As standardized exams return as mandatory requirements at many institutions, the door is once again beginning to close for millions of students. This shift reinforces the commercialization of higher education and raises renewed concerns about equity, accessibility, and opportunity.

To address this issue, Edvance USA developed the 2025–2026 advocacy initiative in collaboration with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs capstone project team. The project combined quantitative data analysis from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) with qualitative interviews and testimonies from graduates affiliated with Edvance USA to evaluate the impact of standardized testing policies on college admissions outcomes.

This public advocacy tool presents the findings of that research and serves as a resource for educators, policymakers, students, and families seeking to better understand the equity implications of standardized testing in higher education admissions.

Acknowledgments

This project was developed with the support of the UCLA Public Affairs academic community and was co-authored by Todd Lin under the leadership of Peggy Zhang.