Should I Take the SAT or ACT Essay?
We're asked this question all the time, ultimately, it depends on where you're applying. Thanks to our friend Cignas Vanni for compiling a fairly comprehensive list of schools that require or recommend submitting an essay from the SAT/ACT. FYI, as far as colleges go, "recommend" means "require." Without further adieu, here's the list:
Abilene Christian University (TX) – recommend
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (NY) – recommend
Amherst College (MA) – recommend
Augsburg College (MN) – require
Berry College (GA) – require ACT, neither require nor recommend SAT
Chapman University (CA) – recommend
Claremont McKenna College (CA) – require
College of Charleston (SC) – recommend
College of the Ozarks (MO) – recommend ACT, neither require nor recommend SAT
Duke University (NC) – require
Eastern Illinois University – recommend
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) – recommend SAT, neither require nor recommend ACT
Manhattan College (NY) – require; used for placement in writing courses, not for admission to school
Martin Luther College (MN) – require ACT, neither require nor recommend SAT
Michigan State University – recommend
Montana State University -- recommend
Montana Tech – recommend
Occidental College (CA) – recommend
Oregon State University – recommend
Rhode Island College – require ACT, neither require nor recommend SA (note: this is not the University of Rhode Island)
Rutgers University Camden (NJ) -- recommend
Rutgers University New Brunswick (NJ) – recommend
Rutgers University Newark (NJ) – recommend
Saint Anselm College (NH) – recommend
Saint Michael’s College (VT) – recommend
Saint Norbert College (WI) -- recommend
Sam Houston State University (TX) – require
Schreiner University (TX) – require
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania – recommend
Soka University of America (CA) – require
Stanford University (CA) – recommend
State University of New York at Buffalo – recommend
Stony Brook University (NY) – recommend
Texas State University – recommend ACT, neither require nor recommend SAT
United States Coast Guard Academy (CT) – recommend
United States Military Academy (NY) – require
University of Akron (OH) – recommend ACT, neither require nor recommend SAT
University of California Berkeley – require
University of California Davis -- require
University of California Irvine – require
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) – require
University of California Merced – require
University of California Riverside – require
University of California San Diego – require
University of California Santa Barbara – require
University of California Santa Cruz – require
University of Evansville (IN) -- require
University of La Verne (CA) – recommend
University of Mary Hardin Baylor (TX) – require
University of Massachusetts Amherst -- recommend
University of Miami (FL) – require
University of Michigan – require
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities – recommend
University of Minnesota, Morris -- require
University of Montana – recommend
University of Montana Western – require ACT, recommend SAT
University of North Texas – require
VanderCook College of Music (IL) -- require
Webb Institute of Naval Architecture (NY) – recommend
Wellesley College (MA) – require ACT; neither require nor recommend SAT
NOTE: All information current with the updating of this list on July 11, 2018. Be sure to check with each college to which you apply before you register for any standardized test as requirements can change