After the 5Cs released admissions decisions for the Class of 2030 last month, many incoming first-years have voiced that test-optional policies played a key role in their applications. While all the colleges are currently test-optional, Claremont McKenna College confirms it will reinstate test-mandatory applications in Fall 2028.
Pitzer adopted a test-free policy in 2021, which prohibited students from submitting test scores for the 2022 to 2025 admission cycles. Prior to 2021, Pitzer was the only 5C to have a test-optional policy for applicants, which they adopted in 2003.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, however, the other 5Cs instituted test-optional policies, citing limited access to testing facilities and broader concerns about equity in the admissions process as primary reasons for the change. Both Scripps’ and Pomona’s test-optional policies are now permanent, but Harvey Mudd’s test-optional policy and Pitzer’s test-free policy may change for future application cycles.
Claremont McKenna will extend its test-optional policy through the all 2027 application cycle, according to an email statement from Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid Jennifer Sandoval-Dancs. She said this will give current high school sophomores time to prepare for standardized tests such as the PSAT and PreACT, but the college will require applicants to submit scores for admission consideration starting in the fall 2028 cycle.
“The decision to reintroduce standardized tests as a requirement for Claremont McKenna College admissions was made with input from the Faculty Admission and Financial Aid Committee (AFAC) and the Board of Trustees Admissions and Financial Aid subcommittee,” Sandoval-Dancs said. “In a highly nuanced process, scores are among many factors that help CMC attract, admit and enroll students whose intellect, interests, leadership, and professional aspirations align with the College’s mission and values.”
Sandoval-Dancs underlined how requiring test scores for all applicants will help the admission office evaluate applicants consistently within a deeply holistic, context-based framework, as applicants are neither rejected nor accepted solely on the basis of test scores.
For some students, test-optional policies have reshaped their view on access to a college education.
David Simionca CM ’30, a student from Romania, said his decision to apply was primarily driven by academic interest rather than testing policy. He pointed to faculty research as a key influence, recalling that he encountered CMC professor Shanna Rose’s work while conducting research for a high school essay.
“This somehow determined me to look more into Claremont McKenna College, ultimately ranking it as my first choice,” he said.
Simionca said he was ecstatic when he received his acceptance letter last month.
“It was 4:00 in the morning, I just opened it and I ran to my mom. I called my family. They got really excited because I got a scholarship,” he said.
Simionca did not submit SAT scores and said that access to standardized-testing centers is limited for international students. He said that not having to submit test scores likely makes applying to college easier for those facing similar constraints.
A study from Harvard’s Opportunity Insights, which contributes to a growing body of research that questions the role of standardized testing in admissions, found that students from the top 1% of income earners are 13 times more likely to achieve top SAT scores than students from low-income backgrounds, highlighting how test performance is shaped by access to resources rather than intellectual ability alone.
This dynamic was reflected in Julia Savage’s CM ’30 application experience. Having applied without submitting test scores, she said she initially questioned how her application would be evaluated.
“I thought that because I didn’t submit my scores, I wouldn’t have gotten in,” she said, adding that her acceptance suggested a broader review process in which “our extracurriculars, our involvement in the community are much more important than a standardized test.”
Similarly, Hope Moronay PO ’30 said she liked Pomona’s small class sizes and campus environment, and chose not to submit ACT scores as part of her application.
“Having that option to not have who I am reflected through simply a test score was beneficial,” Moronay said.
While some studies, including research supported by The College Board, have found that SAT scores provide significant predictive power for estimating first-year GPAs, other studies reveal that high school coursework and grades are often stronger predictors of college performance than test scores, especially when considering differences in access to preparation and testing conditions.
Other students described similar pathways to the 5Cs — ones influenced by personal experience and strong academic performance at the colleges — emphasizing that factors beyond standardized testing also played a central role in their application and enrollment decisions.
Sophia Lu PZ ’30 said she first learned about Pitzer from family friends and later visited the campus, which helped her decide to apply. Her interest in a smaller, discussion-based academic setting shaped her approach to the admissions process, placing more emphasis on campus culture and academic experience than on standardized testing.
Sandoval-Dancs assured that test scores are only a fraction of what is considered in each application, and reviewing scores will help contribute to a holistic review process.
“Requiring test scores for all applicants helps us evaluate them consistently within a deeply holistic, context-based framework,” Sandoval-Dancs wrote.
Claremont McKenna remains the only 5C that has confirmed a return to mandatory-testing. Pitzer and Harvey Mudd are yet to release testing updates for future cycles and did not respond to TSL for comment.
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