Standardized Testing Recommendations

Updated: 1 September 2023

We will update this document periodically as necessary to reflect our adjusted recommendations. 

Given the changing landscape of standardized testing and its usefulness in the college application process, we write to share our standardized testing policy. When we make the advice that we do, we do so with several principles in mind:

1. That standardized testing should be as stress-free as possible;

2. That students only take tests that they will be required to have;

3. That students never sit for more than three tests of any type; and

4. That students engage in test prep before sitting for any test.

In light of these commitments as well as the growth of the test-optional movement within the USA, we make the following recommendations based on students’ graduation year.

Class of 2024

Most colleges and universities in the USA have extended their test-optional policies to include the Class of 2024. As such, students will have already discussed with their college counselor if pursuing standardized testing will be advantageous to their applications. We recommend that students applying to US institutions do not continue sitting for the SAT or ACT beyond the August and September test dates so that they may focus on other aspects of their college applications and academic courses. For students applying to Korean or Brazilian universities, please note that we will continue to offer the SAT and ACT at Graded throughout the school year and until June 2024. 

Class of 2025 

There are many US universities that have already extended their test-optional policies to include the Class of 2025, but many universities will wait until February or March of 2024 to make formal announcements. Given that some US universities may require standardized testing, it is important for students to sit for at least one test in the grade 11 year in the event that universities on their list require testing. We recommend that students in the Class of 2025 determine which test is better for them by taking a mock SAT and ACT exam early in the G11 year (if not in G10). We recommend that students wait until grade 11 to sit for their first ACT or SAT exam, preferably by March of the G11 year and proceed from there with a testing strategy that meets their needs. 

Class of 2026 & Beyond

It is too early to commit to a recommendation for these grades yet; however, if things progress as we expect they will, then we will likely be recommending that students in the Classes of 2026 and later wait until the grade 11 year to determine which test – SAT or ACT – is better and then to sit for one test by the middle of the academic year to establish a personalized testing strategy for them. Again, though, we will have to wait to see how things develop. To be clear, there is absolutely no reason for current grade 9 or grade 10 students to sit for any SAT or ACT this year. If you have questions about this, please come see a college counselor!

PSAT

We advise that all grade 11 students sit for the October 21 PSAT at Graded as communicated through email. This is a consequence-free sitting of the SAT test. Regardless of what current plans are, there is great logic in having students sit for one test like this in the event that their university plans later involve the SAT. We cannot always anticipate whether students will indeed require a test, and this is a low-stakes opportunity to gain some experience with such tests. See our email for registration information.

English Proficiency Tests

Most universities around the world will not require an English proficiency test such as TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test (DET) for Graded students. However, if you have not been at Graded or another English-medium (not including bi-lingual schools) for all four years of high school, we recommend that students sit for one of these tests at the end of grade 11. Additionally, if a student has ESL or ELL on their high school transcript, we recommend that students sit for one such test at the end of the grade 11 year as they will likely be required to submit English proficiency tests as part of their university applications. Finally, students planning to apply to the United Kingdom will be required to sit for IELTS specifically for visa purposes, so we advise that such students (who come from a country that is not native English speaking) sit for the IELTS at the end of the grade 11 year. 

As always, please consult with your college counselor with any specific questions.