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.
Hiram College
- Private 4 Year
- Hiram, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Hiram is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and biomedical humanities. Students follow the Hiram Plan of 12-week terms paired with intensive three-week courses.
- SAT Range 890-1100
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $21,868
Anderson University
- Private 4 Year
- Anderson, IN
-
| 0 reviews
Anderson University is a private Christian university known for undergraduate music, nursing, and business. Most students live on its residential campus in Anderson, northeast of Indianapolis.
- SAT Range 900-1150
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $25,332
Northwestern College
- Private 4 Year
- Orange City, IA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Northwestern College is a private Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate education and nursing. The campus sits in the small town of Orange City in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 940-1240
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $26,347
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Public 4 Year
- Delhi, NY
-
| 0 reviews
SUNY Delhi is a public college of technology known for undergraduate veterinary science technology, hospitality management, and architectural technology. The residential campus sits in a small village in New York's Catskill Mountains region.
- SAT Range 910-1160
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $16,371
Sonoma State University
- Public 4 Year
- Rohnert Park, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Sonoma State is a public university known for undergraduate wine business and environmental studies. The campus sits in Rohnert Park in Sonoma County wine country.
- SAT Range 950-1150
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $14,614
Holy Family University
- Private 4 Year
- Philadelphia, PA
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3.2 | 4 reviews
Holy Family is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The urban campus is in Northeast Philadelphia.
- SAT Range 910-1150
- Avg GPA 3.13
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $14,072
Averett University
- Private 4 Year
- Danville, VA
-
1.6 | 5 reviews
Averett is a private university known for undergraduate aviation and business programs. The small campus sits in the city of Danville near the North Carolina border.
- SAT Range 926-1143
- Avg GPA 3.07
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $23,471
Thomas University
- Private 4 Year
- Thomasville, GA
-
| 0 reviews
Thomas University is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The small campus is located in Thomasville in southern Georgia.
- SAT Range 990-1220
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 38%
- Net Price $17,823
Quincy University
- Private 4 Year
- Quincy, IL
-
2.3 | 3 reviews
Quincy is a small private Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus is in the Mississippi River city of Quincy.
- SAT Range 1000-1200
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 51%
- Net Price $19,477
University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Public 4 Year
- Omaha, NE
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNO is a public university known for undergraduate business, criminal justice, and information technology. The urban campus sits in midtown Omaha.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $13,662
Louisiana Tech University
- Public 4 Year
- Ruston, LA
-
3.3 | 3 reviews
Louisiana Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and architecture. Ruston is a college town in northern Louisiana built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1100-1310
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $12,325
University of California Merced
- Public 4 Year
- Merced, CA
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3.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Merced is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, biology, and psychology. The newest University of California campus is located in California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range 960-1140
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $13,690
Western Michigan University
- Public 4 Year
- Kalamazoo, MI
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
Western Michigan is a large public university known for undergraduate aviation, engineering, and education. The residential campus sits on a hillside overlooking Kalamazoo in southwestern Michigan.
- SAT Range 990-1220
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $17,331
Longwood University
- Public 4 Year
- Farmville, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Longwood is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Farmville.
- SAT Range 1030-1210
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $20,847
Maryville College
- Private 4 Year
- Maryville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
Maryville is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental studies and outdoor programs. The residential campus sits near the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.
- SAT Range 1018-1188
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $21,469
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Public 4 Year
- Greensboro, NC
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
UNCG is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the performing arts. The urban campus is located in Greensboro.
- SAT Range 1150-1355
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $11,404
Emory & Henry University
- Private 4 Year
- Emory, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Emory & Henry is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate teacher education and the social sciences. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.
- SAT Range 1051-1223
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $21,446
Hardin Simmons University
- Private 4 Year
- Abilene, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Hardin-Simmons is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, music, and education. The residential campus is located in Abilene in West Texas.
- SAT Range 1010-1190
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $19,811