Columbia University will require standardized test scores again for applicants beginning with the fall 2027 admissions cycle, ending its prior permanent test-optional policy. The university said a multiyear faculty review found that test scores—among other factors—can help indicate potential student success. Columbia will require first-year and transfer applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The change follows a long period in which most colleges have moved away from mandatory testing, with test-optional advocates citing inequities in access to test prep. The announcement lands as the Trump administration has urged colleges to require test scores amid its broader crackdown on what it characterizes as illegal diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Columbia said standardized testing is one element showing “a foundation of academic excellence,” alongside coursework and curriculum rigor.