Best Test-Optional U.S. Colleges
CollegeSimply ranks 976 four-year colleges that do not require SAT or ACT scores for admission. These are the highest-ranked test-optional schools in the U.S., sorted by academic quality and student outcomes. Policies can vary by applicant and year, so confirm requirements on each school's website before applying.
Princeton University leads our 2027 test-optional rankings, ranked #1 nationally. The top rated public option is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Also highly ranked: Duke University, University of Chicago and Rice University.
Without test scores, your GPA, activities, recommendation letters, and essays carry more weight. Compare acceptance rates, tuition, and enrollment across the full list below. Filter by state or sort by selectivity to build your list. You can also explore matches by GPA on our college search by GPA. See our ranking methodology for how schools are scored.
University of Rhode Island
- Public 4 Year
- Kingston, RI
-
4.0 | 7 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
URI is a public university known for undergraduate oceanography, marine science, and pharmacy. The main campus sits in the college town of Kingston in southern Rhode Island.
- SAT Range 1020-1280
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $24,118
University of Hartford
- Private 4 Year
- West Hartford, CT
-
| 0 reviews
University of Hartford is a private university known for undergraduate music, dance, and theater at the Hartt School. The suburban campus sits in West Hartford next to the state capital.
- SAT Range 1120-1310
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $31,261
Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- Forest Grove, OR
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 25 application deadline
Pacific is a private university known for undergraduate health sciences, education, and psychology. The residential campus is in the small college town of Forest Grove west of Portland.
- SAT Range 900-1240
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $35,235
Champlain College
- Private 4 Year
- Burlington, VT
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Champlain is a private college known for undergraduate game design, digital forensics, and media production. The hilltop campus overlooks Lake Champlain in downtown Burlington.
- SAT Range 1220-1380
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $38,173
University of Cincinnati Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Cincinnati, OH
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
University of Cincinnati is a large public university known for undergraduate architecture, design, and music. The urban campus occupies a hillside site in Cincinnati's Uptown area.
- SAT Range 1160-1370
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $24,696
Presbyterian College
- Private 4 Year
- Clinton, SC
-
4.2 | 5 reviews
- Sep 21 application deadline
Presbyterian College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and known for undergraduate business and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Clinton.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $20,840
Andrews University
- Private 4 Year
- Berrien Springs, MI
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Andrews is a private Seventh-day Adventist university known for undergraduate theology, architecture, and aviation. The campus sits in the small college town of Berrien Springs in southwest Michigan.
- SAT Range 990-1290
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $24,728
Houghton University
- Private 4 Year
- Houghton, NY
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
Houghton is a private Christian liberal arts university known for undergraduate music and the liberal arts. The rural residential campus sits in a small village in western New York.
- SAT Range 1170-1375
- Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $21,274
St Catherine University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Paul, MN
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
St. Catherine is a private Catholic women's university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. Most bachelor's programs enroll women on the urban Saint Paul campus.
- SAT Range 850-1140
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $20,918
Oklahoma State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Stillwater, OK
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
Oklahoma State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and business. Stillwater is a classic college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1040-1250
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $19,561
Simpson College
- Private 4 Year
- Indianola, IA
-
2.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Simpson is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, business, and education. The residential campus is in the small college town of Indianola near Des Moines.
- SAT Range 890-1280
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,282
University of Kentucky
- Public 4 Year
- Lexington, KY
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Kentucky is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and business. Lexington is a midsize city in the state's Bluegrass horse country.
- SAT Range 1070-1290
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $21,958
University of Massachusetts Boston
- Public 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
UMass Boston is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and environmental science. The urban waterfront campus sits on Columbia Point along Boston Harbor.
- SAT Range 1070-1290
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $17,768
Caldwell University
- Private 4 Year
- Caldwell, NJ
-
| 0 reviews
Caldwell is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The suburban campus in northern New Jersey has Dominican roots and a primarily residential feel.
- SAT Range 1130-1370
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $21,875
State University of New York at Oswego
- Public 4 Year
- Oswego, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
SUNY Oswego is a public university known for undergraduate meteorology, broadcasting, and education. The campus sits on the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
- SAT Range 1070-1270
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,853
Saint Ambrose University
- Private 4 Year
- Davenport, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Saint Ambrose is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus sits in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 930-1170
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $25,345
Concordia University Wisconsin
- Private 4 Year
- Mequon, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Concordia Wisconsin is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The suburban campus sits on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Mequon.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $31,916
University of North Carolina Asheville
- Public 4 Year
- Asheville, NC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNC Asheville is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate environmental studies and the arts. The campus sits in the mountain city of Asheville in the Blue Ridge.
- SAT Range 1170-1360
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $13,798