Columbia University will reinstate SAT or ACT requirements for undergraduate applicants beginning with the 2027–28 admissions cycle, reversing an extended test-optional stance. The university said its return follows a multi-year faculty review concluding that standardized test scores remain a useful indicator of potential student success. Columbia will keep test optional for the 2026–27 cycle, and applicants may request exemptions for personal circumstances such as financial or access constraints, natural disasters, or community disruption. The policy change could affect how students plan testing timelines and how admissions offices model yield and academic readiness. With Columbia the last Ivy League institution to restore required tests, the decision also adds momentum to the broader national debate over whether standardized testing improves enrollment outcomes and preparation for college coursework.