Amid a tumultuous year, Harvard University decided the absence of the SAT and ACT exams in its admissions process was unsustainable and is once again requiring the tests from applicants.

Harvard first made the SAT and ACT exams optional during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a necessary step since the vast majority of SAT and ACT exams were canceled in the spring of 2020 and were still limited through the following school year. But unlike many other schools, Harvard did not reinstate the testing requirement when the pandemic receded and testing was once again readily available.