米国全土で1,900校以上の認可4年制大学が2026年アカデミックサイクルにおいてテストオプショナルまたはテストフリーの入試方針を継続しており、学部入試の構造を根本から変革しています。Common Appの志願者のうちスコアを提出したのは43％にとどまる一方、必須化を再開した難関大学は、標準化スコアが学術的能力を客観的に見出すために不可欠であると指摘しています。以下のデータは、FairTest、Common Application、College Board、ACT Research、および国立教育統計センター（NCES）の調査に基づいています。
この入試構造の変化を理解するには、college admissions and enrollment trendsの動向、高騰するcollege tuition costs、およびstudent debt burdensの負担と合わせて分析する必要があります。
TL;DR
- 1,900校以上の4年制大学（全米大学の80％以上）が2026年にSAT/ACTを必須としていません（FairTest）。
- **Common App志願者の43％**が2024〜2025年にスコアを提出（2019〜2020年の77％から低下）（Common App）。
- 全米ACT平均総合スコアは19.4点で、30年ぶりの低水準近辺に位置しています（ACT Research）。
- 全米SAT平均スコアは1028点（読解/筆記520点、数学508点）（College Board）。
- Dartmouth、MIT、Yale、Georgetown、UT Austinがテスト要件を正式に復活させました（大学開示データ）。
- テスト任意校でのスコア提出者は非提出者と比較して平均2.1倍高い合格率を獲得しています（入試統計）。
- 第一世代大学生志願者の出願数は、テスト任意方針導入後に私立難関校で82％急増しました（Common App）。
- **カリフォルニア大学公立システム（UC/CSU）**は32キャンパスで恒久的なテストブラインドを維持しています（UC理事会）。
- **高校進路指導担当者の84％**が、大学の上位50パーセンタイルを超えるスコアを持つ生徒に提出を推奨しています（NACAC）。
- **SAT受験者の98.4％**が世界的な移行に伴いデジタルSAT形式で受験を完了しました（College Board）。
- **SAT受験者の61％**が通常の授業日に学校で無料受験しました（College Board）。
- 過小評価マイノリティ志願者の出願プールは、テスト任意校で4年間に65％拡大しました（Common App）。
1. National Landscape of Test-Optional Policies
2020年の緊急免除措置以降、米国高等教育における標準化テスト要件は恒久的に変化しました。4年制大学の大多数が柔軟な運用を維持し、志願者の行動パターンを一新させています。
| Institutional Policy Status | Number of Institutions | Share of 4-Year US Colleges | Primary Governance / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test-Optional (Permanent Policy) | 1,520 | 64.2% | FairTest Higher Ed Database |
| Test-Optional (Temporary / Multi-Year Pilot) | 285 | 12.1% | FairTest Higher Ed Database |
| Test-Free / Test-Blind (Scores Not Reviewed) | 105 | 4.4% | FairTest / UC System |
| Test-Required (Mandatory Submission) | 455 | 19.3% | College Board / NCES IPEDS |
| Total Accredited 4-Year Institutions Tracked | 2,365 | 100.0% | FairTest / NCES |
Source: FairTest National Testing Directory and NCES IPEDS admissions reporting.
2. Applicant Submission Trends and Demographics
出願プラットフォームのデータは、州立総合大学を目指す学生と難関私立大学を目指す学生の間に明確な乖離が存在することを示しています。スコア提出の判断は世帯収入と強く相関しています。
| Applicant Demographic Category | Test Submission Rate (2019-20) | Test Submission Rate (2024-25) | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Common App Applicants | 77.0% | 43.2% | -33.8 pp |
| First-Generation Applicants | 70.2% | 31.4% | -38.8 pp |
| Non-First-Generation Applicants | 81.5% | 49.1% | -32.4 pp |
| Students in Top Decile Household Income | 84.1% | 58.6% | -25.5 pp |
| Students in Bottom Decile Household Income | 68.4% | 27.8% | -40.6 pp |
| Underrepresented Minority (URM) Students | 71.0% | 32.1% | -38.9 pp |
| STEM Major Applicants | 82.4% | 54.7% | -27.7 pp |
Source: Common Application Research Briefs on applicant submission behavior.
3. National Score Baselines and Academic Benchmarks
高校生の全米テスト平均スコアは低い水準で推移しています。大学進学準備基準を満たす卒業生の割合は、学術的準備状況における深刻な課題を浮き彫りにしています。
| Benchmark Assessment Metric | National Score / Value | College Readiness Benchmark | Meeting Benchmark (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Total Mean Score | 1028 / 1600 | 1010 Combined Benchmark | 40.2% |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing | 520 / 800 | 480 Benchmark | 64.1% |
| SAT Mathematics | 508 / 800 | 530 Benchmark | 41.5% |
| ACT Composite Mean Score | 19.4 / 36 | 21.2 Benchmark Target | 20.8% meeting all 4 |
| ACT English Benchmark (Score 18) | 18.6 Mean | 18 Benchmark | 53.2% |
| ACT Math Benchmark (Score 22) | 19.0 Mean | 22 Benchmark | 30.1% |
Source: College Board Annual Report and ACT Profile Reports.
4. The Selective School Reversal and Acceptance Disparities
テスト義務化を復活させた難関研究大学は、STEM系初年次科目におけるテストの予測妥当性を強調しています。テスト任意方針を維持する大学でも、スコア提出者が大幅な合格率優位性を保っています。
| Institution / Category | Admit Rate (Submitters) | Admit Rate (Non-Submitters) | Submitter Advantage Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy League & Peer Institutions (Test-Optional) | 8.2% | 3.9% | 2.10x |
| Selective Private Colleges (Top 50 USNWR) | 18.4% | 9.6% | 1.92x |
| Competitive Public Flagships (Out-of-State) | 29.1% | 15.8% | 1.84x |
| Regional Comprehensive Universities | 68.2% | 64.1% | 1.06x |
| MIT (Reinstated Mandatory Testing) | 4.5% (All Submit) | N/A | Mandatory Testing |
| Dartmouth College (Reinstated Testing) | 5.3% (All Submit) | N/A | Mandatory Testing |
Source: Institutional Common Data Set filings and university admissions disclosures.
5. Economic Costs, Testing Access, and Digital Delivery
デジタル適応型テストへの移行により、試験中止のリスクが低減され試験時間が短縮された一方、公費負担による校内無料受験プログラムが生徒の受験機会を拡大しました。
| Testing Program Feature | Volume / Value | Economic Metric | Operational Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital SAT Test Administration Time | 134 Minutes (2h 14m) | 43 Minutes Shorter than Paper | College Board |
| School Day Testing Share of All SAT Takers | 61.4% | 1.18 Million Students Free | College Board |
| ACT Fee Waivers Distributed Annually | 420,000 | $28.5M Value Waived | ACT Research |
| Standard SAT Registration Fee (Without Subsidy) | $68.00 | Direct Student Expense | College Board 2026 Schedule |
| Standard ACT Registration Fee (With Writing) | $94.00 | Direct Student Expense | ACT 2026 Fee Schedule |
| Private Test Prep Industry Market Size (US) | $1.42B | Commercial Expenditures | IBISWorld Market Reports |
Source: College Board Program Data and ACT Annual Operations Disclosures.
Summary: Test-Optional College Admissions by the Numbers
| Admissions & Testing Indicator | Value / Metric | Source Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Total US 4-Year Institutions Test-Optional / Free | 1,900+ Colleges | FairTest |
| Share of 4-Year Colleges Not Requiring Scores | 80.7% | FairTest |
| Common App Test Score Submission Rate (2025) | 43.2% | Common App |
| Common App Pre-Pandemic Score Submission Rate | 77.0% | Common App |
| National Mean SAT Score | 1028 / 1600 | College Board |
| National Mean ACT Composite Score | 19.4 / 36 | ACT Research |
| First-Generation Applicant Score Submission Rate | 31.4% | Common App |
| Top Household Income Decile Submission Rate | 58.6% | Common App |
| Admission Multiplier for Score Submitters (Top 50) | 1.92x | Common Data Sets |
| Application Surge from URM Students under Test-Optional | +65.0% | Common App |
| Application Surge from First-Generation Students | +82.0% | Common App |
| Digital SAT Duration Reduction | -43 Minutes | College Board |
| Students Taking SAT via Free School Day Program | 61.4% | College Board |
| High School Seniors Meeting All 4 ACT Benchmarks | 20.8% | ACT Profile Report |
| High School Seniors Meeting Both SAT Benchmarks | 40.2% | College Board |
| California Public Campuses Operating Test-Blind | 32 Campuses | UC / CSU Regents |
| Private US Test Preparation Commercial Market | $1.42B | Industry Benchmarks |
Methodology and Sources
Data compiled from admissions filings, testing agency registries, and longitudinal applicant tracking repositories. Primary institutional authorities include FairTest, the Common Application, the College Board, and ACT Research.
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FairTest National Directory of Test-Optional Colleges (Fall 2026 cycle).
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Common App Research Briefs: Trends in College Application Testing Submissions (2020-2025 cohorts).
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College Board Annual SAT Suite of Assessments Cohort Reports.
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ACT National Profile Report and College Readiness Benchmarks.
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National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
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Institutional Common Data Set disclosures across public and private research universities.
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Data watch: Submission rates calculated across Common App member institutions exclude non-member state flagships (such as the University of California system), which enforce systemwide test-blind review. Disclosed submitter admission advantages reflect confounding applicant strengths (GPA, coursework rigor, extracurricular distinction) rather than isolated score weight.
Last updated: September 7, 2026. Quarterly updates track ongoing regulatory revisions, institutional testing announcements, and annual applicant submission trends.