More colleges were going to a test-blind admissions policy before Covid, and this year the rate is way up. That means the weight given to essays is on the rise too.

FairTest documents that:

“More than two-thirds of 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S. will not require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores for fall 2021 admission.

“The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest), which maintains a free, online master list, reports that more than 1,570 schools are now test-optional. The federal government counts 2,330 bachelor-degree granting institutions.”