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Yale to require standardized tests, but they’re “flexible”

By Karen Hott, February 2024

Yale introduced another vocab word to the testing landscape: “test-flexible.”

I listened to podcasts (linked within the article below) from Yale admissions that explain the “big picture” and “details” of their decision. Their research showed that standardized test scores were better than grades at predicting success at Yale.

Applicants for fall 2025 will have to submit test scores; however, now “Yale will allow applicants to report Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam scores in lieu of the ACT or SAT.”

If you submit AP or IB scores for your standardized test requirement, you have to include all of the ones you took. Choose one or more standardized tests from this list: ACT, AP, IB, SAT. If you choose to submit AP scores for your testing requirement and you took only one AP test, that’s all you submit. But if you took 12, submit all 12. You can self-report on the application and send official scores later. If you take AP classes and don’t report the scores, even if you’ve submitted your SAT or ACT scores, they will wonder why, so you should report AP/IB scores or explain why you have left them out.