Johns Hopkins University will reintroduce standardized testing requirements beginning with those seeking admission for the fall 2026 semester to the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences or the Whiting School of Engineering. For rising seniors (those applying for admission in fall 2025), submitting an ACT or SAT score is encouraged, but not required.
JHU, considered one of the New Ivies, follows a wave of elite universities who have returned to standardized testing requirements. Most recently, Stanford University announced it would once again require students to submit test scores. Ivy League institutions, including Dartmouth College, Yale University, and Brown University, have also announced that they would require standardized test scores again, effective for the Class of 2029.
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The review published by JHU said test scores are an “imperfect” measure” but “stand out as a significant quantitative metric to assess the likelihood of students’ academic success” at the university.
The review also found that undergraduate students at Johns Hopkins who submitted test scores tended to perform better in both their first and second years.
Meanwhile, the university found evidence that some first-generation, low-income students and/or students from underrepresented backgrounds suppressed their test scores during the application process, despite those scores being high.
“The past three years under a test-optional policy have helped refine our understanding of the value of standardized testing in the admissions process and have shown that these tests provide relevant information about applicants,” the university’s review said.
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JOHNS HOPKINS REINSTATES STANDARDIZED TESTING: THE TOP TIER TEAM WEIGHS IN
Dr. Liz Doe Stone, TTA President
I respect JHU’s (unsurprising) decision to reinstate the ACT or SAT requirement, but I do wish they had made this announcement earlier, as it’s clear they have a strong preference for testing, even in this admissions cycle. Their announcement follows a clear trend, which began with Dartmouth’s announcement last February, emphasizing the importance of standardized testing as a critical component of the admissions process. Despite the ongoing debate about their accessibility and fairness, these scores continue to play an important role as predictors of academic success.
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