Why Test Prep Still Matters at Elite Colleges

At one of our recent info sessions, a parent asked a question I hear all the time:

“If test scores are only one part of college admissions, why should my student spend so much time on test prep?”

It’s a fair question—especially now that so many schools have gone test-optional. Families look at the admissions landscape (GPA, course rigor, extracurriculars, essays, recommendations, interviews, leadership, service…) and wonder why the SAT/ACT deserves a meaningful slice of a student’s limited time.

Here’s the quick and honest answer: (so I don’t hold you hostage for the rest of the blog)

Test prep matters because a test score can function like a gate—a quick academic signal that helps determine which colleges a student is realistically “in range” for before an admissions officer invests the bulk of their attention in the rest of the application.

That doesn’t mean test scores are the most important factor. In fact, across four-year colleges, grades and curriculum strength are consistently rated as more important than test scores. But even when tests aren’t dominant, they can still shape the set of doors that are open.

Let’s break down what that means—and how to think about test prep strategically.

What “holistic review” actually looks like at top schools

Top-tier universities consistently emphasize holistic admissions. Schools like Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology all state that there are no formal cutoffs and that students are reviewed in context.

That part is true.

But holistic does not mean all factors are weighed equally at all stages.

At elite colleges—where acceptance rates are often under 5%—admissions officers must quickly assess whether a student is academically prepared to succeed. Test scores provide one of the fastest, most standardized ways to do that across tens of thousands of applicants.

Once a student is clearly in the academic range, the focus shifts to:

1. GPA and course rigor
2. Class rank (when available)
3. Extracurricular impact
4. Essays and recommendations

In other words:

Strong scores don’t guarantee admission—but they often determine whether the rest of the application gets full consideration.

Data from elite colleges supports this reality

While grades and curriculum rigor remain the most important factors overall, elite schools still enroll students with very high test scores when scores are submitted.

For example:

• MIT reports that most enrolled students score near the top of the SAT/ACT range, even while evaluating scores in context.
• Ivy League and Top-30 schools consistently publish middle-50% score ranges that remain extremely high, reflecting the academic baseline of their admitted pool.

This is why test-optional does not mean test-irrelevant—especially at the top of the admissions pyramid.

The “threshold” effect—and the good news

At elite colleges, test prep has diminishing returns, but only after a key academic threshold is met.

1. Moving from below-range to in-range can significantly expand a student’s viable college options.
2. Once a student is clearly competitive, additional score gains have far less impact on admissions outcomes.

The good news:

You do not need a perfect score to be competitive at a Top-30 school.

Based on publicly reported score ranges at elite universities, students who earn:

• 1520+ on the SAT, or
• 34+ on the ACT

are typically well within the academic range of admitted students. At that point, further test prep often produces minimal admissions benefit, and students are usually better served shifting their focus to GPA trajectory, course rigor, extracurricular impact, and college essays.

In other words, once that threshold is cleared, test scores stop being the limiter—and the rest of the application becomes the differentiator.

The Takeaway: Test Prep is not the whole application—but it often decides whether the rest of the application can compete

So back to that parent’s question:

Why spend meaningful time on test prep if it’s only one aspect of admissions?

Because test scores often function like the early step of the review process: they help establish academic readiness and shape the list of colleges where the rest of the student’s profile can be evaluated on equal footing.

Once a student clears that threshold, admissions is not about squeezing out 30 more points at all costs. It’s about building a compelling academic and personal narrative—GPA, class rigor (APs, Honors, and/or Dual Credit), community impact, character, writing (Narrative and Supplemental Essays), and fit.

Holistic review is real.

But so is the reality that students need to be “in range” before holistic strengths can do their job.