Best Test-Optional U.S. Colleges
CollegeSimply ranks 1045 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, Stanford University and Harvard 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.
William Paterson University of New Jersey
- Public 4 Year
- Wayne, NJ
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| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
William Paterson is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The suburban Wayne campus sits in northern New Jersey within reach of New York City.
- SAT Range 990-1345
- Avg GPA 2.97
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $13,509
Benedictine University
- Private 4 Year
- Lisle, IL
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| 0 reviews
Benedictine is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and biology. The suburban campus is in Lisle in Chicago's western suburbs.
- SAT Range 1050-1280
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $23,139
Delaware Valley University
- Private 4 Year
- Doylestown, PA
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| 0 reviews
Delaware Valley is a private university known for undergraduate agriculture, animal science, and equine studies. The suburban Doylestown campus includes extensive working farmland used in hands-on programs.
- SAT Range 1090-1303
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $28,975
Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Private 4 Year
- Fayette, MO
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Central Methodist is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The historic campus sits in the small college town of Fayette.
- SAT Range 960-1045
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $22,929
Appalachian State University
- Public 4 Year
- Boone, NC
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4.3 | 10 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Appalachian State is a large public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and sustainable development. Boone is a mountain college town in North Carolina's Blue Ridge range.
- SAT Range 1120-1280
- Avg GPA 3.96
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $14,978
Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Public 4 Year
- Moorhead, MN
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| 0 reviews
Minnesota State Moorhead is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, fine arts, and mass communications. The campus sits in Moorhead across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota.
- SAT Range 1080-1290
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 59%
- Net Price $18,221
North Dakota State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Fargo, ND
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
NDSU is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and pharmacy. The main campus sits in Fargo along the Red River.
- SAT Range 968-1216
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $15,596
Westfield State University
- Public 4 Year
- Westfield, MA
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| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Westfield State is a public university known for undergraduate education and criminal justice. The campus sits in the small city of Westfield in western Massachusetts.
- SAT Range 980-1190
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $17,406
Centenary University
- Private 4 Year
- Hackettstown, NJ
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| 0 reviews
Centenary is a private university known for undergraduate equine studies and education. The main campus is set in the residential town of Hackettstown in northwestern New Jersey.
- SAT Range 990-1170
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $22,640
Penn State Altoona
- Public 4 Year
- Altoona, PA
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| 0 reviews
Penn State Altoona is a public campus of Penn State known for undergraduate rail transportation engineering, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the city of Altoona in central Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1070-1290
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $21,618
University of Montevallo
- Public 4 Year
- Montevallo, AL
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5.0 | 2 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Montevallo is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate education, fine arts, and the performing arts. The historic campus sits in a small college town in central Alabama.
- SAT Range 970-1200
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 54%
- Net Price $17,890
University of New Haven
- Private 4 Year
- West Haven, CT
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| 0 reviews
University of New Haven is a private university known for undergraduate criminal justice, forensic science, and fire science. The suburban campus sits near Long Island Sound in West Haven.
- SAT Range 1060-1265
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $34,557
Roosevelt University
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
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| 0 reviews
Roosevelt is a private university known for undergraduate performing arts and business. The urban campus includes the historic Auditorium Building in downtown Chicago.
- SAT Range 895-1175
- Avg GPA 3.13
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $22,366
Saint Martin's University
- Private 4 Year
- Lacey, WA
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
Saint Martin's is a private Benedictine university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and business. The suburban campus sits in Lacey near Washington's state capital of Olympia.
- SAT Range 1025-1230
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $29,116
Graceland University Lamoni
- Private 4 Year
- Lamoni, IA
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| 0 reviews
Graceland is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and education. Most students live on the residential campus in the small college town of Lamoni.
- SAT Range 880-1120
- Avg GPA 3.22
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $19,574
University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Public 4 Year
- Las Vegas, NV
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4.0 | 3 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UNLV is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality and hotel management. The urban campus sits near the Las Vegas Strip.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,553
Alvernia University
- Private 4 Year
- Reading, PA
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4.0 | 1 reviews
Alvernia is a private Franciscan university known for undergraduate nursing, criminal justice, and business. Students live and study on a campus in Reading in eastern Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1093-1286
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $28,645
University of Idaho
- Public 4 Year
- Moscow, ID
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5.0 | 1 reviews
Idaho is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, natural resources, and engineering. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Moscow in northern Idaho.
- SAT Range 990-1230
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $15,111