Question Mark on College: SAT–to Keep Score or not to Keep Score

Dear Mark,

My daughter is a junior with a 3.7 GPA, and she just got her SAT score back: 1180. She’s disappointed. Honestly, so am I. She studied hard. But almost every school on her list says they’re “test-optional.”

We were told, “Just don’t submit it.” But that feels too simple. I keep reading articles that say scores still matter, and I’ve heard that some schools use them for merit scholarships even when they say they’re optional for admission. Is that true?

We’re also wondering: should she retake? Or would she be better off putting that energy into her essays and activities? My husband thinks we should just move on. I think leaving potential scholarship money on the table would be a mistake. We’re going in circles. Is there a strategy here, or are we overthinking this?

Sincerely,

Going In Circles

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Dear Going In Circles,

I had three families reach out last week with the exact same question. Different students. Different schools. Different scores. But the same look on their faces; that mix of confusion and low-grade panic that tells me something has gone wrong in how we’re communicating about college admissions.

The question? “Should we submit the test score?”

It sounds simple. It’s not.

Here’s some context on what happened: when hundreds of colleges went test-optional during COVID, families heard a clear message–– “tests don’t matter anymore.” And I get it. That’s exactly what it sounded like. But the reality is more complicated than the headline, and the gap between what parents believe and what’s actually happening in admissions offices is costing families both acceptances and scholarship dollars.

What “Test-Optional” Actually Means

Test-optional means a college will review your application without a test score. That’s it. It does not mean scores are irrelevant. It does not mean that submitting a score can’t help you. And it definitely does not mean admissions officers have stopped looking at scores when they’re submitted.

Think of it this way: test-optional is like a restaurant that says ties are optional. You can absolutely walk in without one. But the person wearing the tie? They might get the better table.

The Scholarship Blindspot

Here’s where it really gets families: many colleges that are test-optional for admission still use test scores to award merit scholarships. This is the part almost nobody talks about. A student who doesn’t submit a score may get in, but they may leave thousands of dollars on the table because the scholarship formula requires a test score to qualify.

I worked with a student last year; let’s call her Rachel. She had a 3.8 GPA, strong extracurriculars, and a 1210 SAT. Her family decided not to submit because “it wasn’t high enough.” She got accepted. Great news. But when the financial aid package arrived? No merit aid. Meanwhile, a classmate with a similar GPA and a 1250 submitted her score and received $8,000 per year. That’s $32,000 over four years. Same school. Nearly the same profile. Different decision.

That’s real money. And that story is happening more than most families realize.

So, How Do You Decide?

This is where I tell parents to stop thinking about testing as a pass/fail situation and start thinking about it as a strategic decision. There’s no universal answer, but there is a framework that works:

Step 1: Know the school’s middle 50%. Every college publishes the test score range of admitted students. If your student’s score falls within or above that range, submit it. If it’s below the 25th percentile, hold it.

Step 2: Check the scholarship requirements. Some schools publish merit aid grids that tie dollar amounts to GPA and test score combinations. If a score opens a scholarship door, that changes the calculus entirely.

Step 3: Consider the rest of the application. A student with a strong GPA and weaker score might actually be better off not submitting if the rest of the profile tells a compelling story. But a student with a modest GPA and a strong score? That score could be the thing that tips the balance.

Step 4: Don’t make this decision in a vacuum. This is a school-by-school decision, not a blanket strategy. A score that’s strong for one university might be below average at another.

The Real Problem

The biggest issue I see isn’t the test scores themselves. It’s the decision paralysis. Families are so overwhelmed by conflicting information—some of it outdated, some of it just wrong—that they freeze. They default to the path of least resistance, which usually means “just don’t submit it.”

Sometimes that’s the right call. But sometimes it’s a missed opportunity wrapped in a false sense of security.

Testing is now a strategic decision rather than an automatic requirement. And strategic decisions deserve strategic thinking, not guesswork, not what your neighbor’s kid did, and not a one-size-fits-all answer from a Google search.

If this is the conversation happening in your house right now, don’t wing it. Get the data. Build the strategy. And make the decision that fits your student, not someone else’s.

Are you ready to wear a tie and try for a better table? We have plenty of seating available at Capstone for test prep! Send us an email: [email protected]

-Mark

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Mark Cruver is the Founder of Capstone Educational Consultants in Peachtree City, GA. With over 20 years of combined experience in higher education admissions and independent practice, providing individualized college, career, and essay advising, Mark has assisted hundreds of students and families with their college admissions decisions as one of only six Certified Educational Planners in Georgia. 

For more information, email Mark at [email protected]—he will be happy to help!