University Drops SAT and ACT Writing Tests

Princeton and Stanford are the latest schools to stop requiring applicants to submit writing portions of the SAT and ACT. Beginning this fall, applicants to the University will be required to submit a graded high school writing sample — preferably in history or English.

“Assessing a student’s in-class work will provide helpful and meaningful insight into a student’s academic potential,” the University said in a statement. “With this policy, Princeton aims to alleviate the financial hardship placed on students, including those who have the opportunity to take the test without writing during the school day and for free.”

Taking either test with the writing section costs about $16 more than taking the test without the writing section. More than 1,600 other schools across the country have dropped the essay requirement, according to the Princeton Review.

The University is the first Ivy League school to require a graded writing sample in the application process. More information on how to submit a graded paper will be available on the University website later this summer.