Columbia University reversed course and reinstated SAT/ACT testing requirements for first-year applicants beginning in fall 2027, ending a test-optional policy that began during the pandemic. The university said a multi-year faculty review concluded standardized scores remain “a useful indicator of potential student success,” while Columbia will stay test optional for the 2026–27 cycle. The policy requires applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, with exemptions available for certain access barriers such as financial or personal hardship, lack of testing locations, or natural disaster and community disruption. Columbia also said applicants who request waivers will not be penalized. The change lands amid renewed scrutiny of standardized testing and after the University of California announced an academic senate “data-driven review” of admissions policies. Columbia’s reinstatement matters as selective institutions set signaling effects for broader admissions behavior—especially when waivers and exemptions become part of the competitive strategy for high-achieving applicants.