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.
Brandeis University
- Private 4 Year
- Waltham, MA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
Brandeis is a private university known for undergraduate neuroscience, biology, and the social sciences. The suburban campus in Waltham sits just west of Boston.
- SAT Range 1390-1520
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 40%
- Net Price $43,550
Rhode Island School of Design
- Private 4 Year
- Providence, RI
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
RISD is a highly selective private art and design college known for undergraduate fine arts, industrial design, and architecture. The urban Providence campus borders Brown University and offers a dual-degree program with it.
- SAT Range 1396-1530
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 19%
- Net Price $43,492
Connecticut College
- Private 4 Year
- New London, CT
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental studies and international relations. Much of the campus sits within a large arboretum overlooking the Thames River.
- SAT Range 1350-1500
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 37%
- Net Price $45,700
American University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
American University is a private university known for undergraduate international relations, political science, and communications. The residential campus sits in northwest Washington, D.C., near the city's diplomatic quarter.
- SAT Range 1280-1460
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $39,676
Denison University
- Private 4 Year
- Granville, OH
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Denison is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, the sciences, and theatre. Most students live on the hillside residential campus in the village of Granville.
- SAT Range 1320-1490
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.76
- Acceptance Rate 17%
- Net Price $43,721
Muhlenberg College
- Private 4 Year
- Allentown, PA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Muhlenberg is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate theater, biology, and media and communication. The residential campus sits in Allentown in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.
- SAT Range 1250-1410
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $34,739
Macalester College
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Paul, MN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Macalester is a selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate international studies, political science, and economics. The urban campus sits in Saint Paul within the Twin Cities.
- SAT Range 1350-1510
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 29%
- Net Price $40,225
University of California Irvine
- Public 4 Year
- Irvine, CA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Irvine is a large public university known for undergraduate computer science, biological sciences, and engineering. The suburban campus centers on Aldrich Park in the planned city of Irvine.
- SAT Range 1230-1430
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 29%
- Net Price $15,889
DePauw University
- Private 4 Year
- Greencastle, IN
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
DePauw is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and communication. Most students join the large Greek system on its college-town campus in Greencastle.
- SAT Range 1200-1410
- Avg GPA 3.97
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $31,411
University of California Davis
- Public 4 Year
- Davis, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Davis is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, environmental science, and biological sciences. The campus sits in the bike-friendly college town of Davis.
- SAT Range 1160-1400
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 42%
- Net Price $17,270
University at Buffalo
- Public 4 Year
- Buffalo, NY
-
3.4 | 8 reviews
University at Buffalo is a large public university known for undergraduate pharmacy, engineering, and architecture. Most undergrads are based on the suburban North Campus in Amherst.
- SAT Range 1210-1380
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $20,529
Purdue University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- West Lafayette, IN
-
4.6 | 5 reviews
Purdue is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and computer science. Students live on a large campus in the college town of West Lafayette along the Wabash River.
- SAT Range 1200-1480
- Avg GPA 3.67
- Acceptance Rate 50%
- Net Price $13,722
Chapman University
- Private 4 Year
- Orange, CA
-
4.3 | 6 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Chapman is a private university known for undergraduate film, media arts, and performing arts. The suburban campus is in the city of Orange in Southern California's Orange County.
- SAT Range 1260-1440
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $47,902
Furman University
- Private 4 Year
- Greenville, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Furman is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate biology, political science, and business. The residential campus centers on a lake just outside Greenville.
- SAT Range 1260-1430
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $34,086
The University of Texas at Austin
- Public 4 Year
- Austin, TX
-
5.0 | 4 reviews
- Dec 1 application deadline
UT Austin is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate business, engineering, and computer science. The urban campus occupies a large site in central Austin.
- SAT Range 1250-1510
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 27%
- Net Price $17,942
University of Connecticut
- Public 4 Year
- Storrs, CT
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
UConn is a large public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and engineering. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Storrs.
- SAT Range 1210-1440
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 52%
- Net Price $25,310
Bentley University
- Private 4 Year
- Waltham, MA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Bentley is a private university known for undergraduate business, accounting, and finance. The suburban campus sits in Waltham just west of Boston.
- SAT Range 1280-1430
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 45%
- Net Price $45,802
Babson College
- Private 4 Year
- Wellesley, MA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Jan 3 application deadline
Babson is a private college known for undergraduate entrepreneurship and business. The suburban campus is in Wellesley near Boston.
- SAT Range 1390-1530
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 17%
- Net Price $32,019