Admissions Testing Policy
Oberlin College is test-optional for students applying to enroll in fall 2026, which means that applicants can choose whether or not to submit their SAT and/or ACT scores.
If you have taken the SAT or the ACT, we encourage you to submit your scores to Oberlin. While our holistic application review will weigh your four-year academic journey — including grades, strength of curriculum, and teacher recommendations — more heavily than the results of standardized tests, your standardized test score will provide an additional data point that can help increase our confidence in your ability to succeed at Oberlin.
If you are unable to take the SAT or ACT, or if you think your score doesn’t accurately reflect your academic ability, you are welcome to apply without those test scores. You will not be penalized for omitting scores and will receive equal consideration for admission and for merit scholarships.
Not sure whether to include your test scores? Your high school counselor is a great resource for providing personalized advice and recommendations.
Please note that international applicants may be required to submit standardized test scores to demonstrate English proficiency, as noted below.
How do I report my scores?
You can self-report your SAT or ACT scores when you fill out your admissions application. If you are reporting ACT scores, you can choose whether or not to include the Science section. Oberlin superscores both the SAT and ACT. This means that we use the highest subscore from each component of the test, even if taken on different dates, ensuring that applicants are evaluated with the highest overall score possible. For the ACT, we will calculate a superscore based on the subscores you provide (with or without Science).
If you choose to submit test scores, you’ll only need to provide an official score report if you are admitted and decide to enroll at Oberlin.
What if I change my mind?
If you have previously sent ACT/SAT scores to Oberlin but indicate on your admissions application that you would not like your scores to be considered, your test scores will be suppressed in our database and will not be viewed.
If you indicate on your application that you would like to have scores considered, but change your mind after submission, let us know as soon as possible so we can remove the scores from your application. Note that we can only switch you to test-optional if we haven't already started reading your application.
If you didn’t submit scores with your admissions application but later decide you would like them to be considered, please email us at college.admissions@oberlin.edu.
International Students
If English is not your native language and your secondary school instruction is not in English, you will need to demonstrate English proficiency. Oberlin accepts official score reports from TOEFL iBT (including iBT Home Edition), IELTS, or Duolingo’s English Test (DET) to satisfy this requirement.
If these required language exams are not available to you, you can request a waiver by emailing international.admissions@oberlin.edu. However, be aware that applicants who provide one of these test scores will be considered more favorably.