Do SAT/ACT scores still matter for NCAA eligibility?

You've probably heard that the SAT and ACT "don't count anymore" for college sports. It's one of the most common questions recruiting families ask right now — and the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Test scores are no longer part of NCAA eligibility at all, but they still carry real weight almost everywhere else that matters. Here's what's actually going on, in plain English.

The short answer

For NCAA initial eligibility — the academic clearance that lets a recruited athlete compete as a freshman — the answer is settled: the NCAA no longer requires an SAT or ACT score. The requirement was suspended during the pandemic, and in January 2023 the NCAA permanently eliminated test scores from Division I and Division II initial eligibility for students enrolling on or after August 1, 2023. The old GPA-to-test-score sliding scale is gone with it. For the NCAA's own academic check, the core-course GPA does all the work.

But "not required by the NCAA" is not the same as "doesn't matter." Colleges, recruiting, and money all still run partly on those scores.

Why a strong score still helps — a lot

Even with the NCAA requirement gone, here are the places a good SAT or ACT score still moves the needle:

• College admission. Plenty of universities have gone "test-optional," but many have brought testing back, and others never dropped it. Athletes still have to be admitted to the school, not just cleared by the NCAA. A solid score keeps every door open.
• Merit scholarships and aid. Academic money is frequently tied to test scores. A strong number can mean thousands of dollars a year — money that has nothing to do with athletic scholarships and that an athlete can stack on top of them.
• Recruiting leverage. Coaches juggle limited roster spots and academic standards within their own athletic department. An athlete who is clearly "academically clean" — strong GPA and a strong score — is an easier yes. It removes risk for the coach.
• The NAIA path. The NAIA runs its own eligibility system. A 2.3 final high school GPA qualifies an incoming freshman automatically, but below 2.3 an 18 ACT or 970 SAT is one of the two-of-three criteria a student can use to qualify (details at PlayNAIA.org).

So should my athlete still take the SAT or ACT?

In almost every case, yes. Skipping the test to save a Saturday is rarely worth what it can cost later. Here's the practical thinking:

• It's insurance against changing admissions policies. The NCAA change is permanent, but college testing policies still move year to year, and some test-optional schools have brought scores back. A good score on file means a policy shift at a target school can't catch your athlete flat-footed.
• It's leverage you control. GPA is built over four years and hard to move quickly. A test score can be prepped for and improved in months — it's the fastest academic lever a junior or senior has.
• It keeps the school list wide. Until your athlete knows exactly where they're being recruited and what each school requires, a score keeps every option live. It's far easier to have a score and not need it than to need one and not have it.
• It can pay for itself. If a higher score unlocks even one merit award, the cost of a prep book and a test fee is trivial by comparison.

The one place this gets softer: if your athlete is targeting genuinely test-optional schools, has a strong GPA, and testing is a real source of stress or cost, it's a reasonable conversation. But for most families chasing recruiting opportunities, taking the test at least once — and prepping for it — is still the smart default.

How to think about timing

Plan to test in the spring of junior year, with room to retake in the fall of senior year if needed. That sequencing lets your athlete prep, see a real score, and improve it before applications and coach conversations heat up. If the score comes back strong, you have leverage in hand exactly when recruiting decisions are being made.

Send official scores where they're needed — to colleges for admission and aid. The NCAA Eligibility Center no longer needs them. Keep the testing-account login and score reports organized in one place; you'll reach for them more than you expect.

The bottom line

The headline that "test scores don't matter for the NCAA anymore" is half a story. The NCAA permanently removed them from initial eligibility in 2023, but admission offices, scholarship committees, and coaches still read those numbers closely. A strong SAT or ACT score remains one of the most useful, most controllable pieces of leverage a recruited athlete has.

One important caveat

The NCAA side of this is settled: test scores are out of initial eligibility, permanently. What still shifts year to year is the college side, where testing policies for admission and merit aid vary by school and change often. Before your athlete decides whether to test, check each target college's own testing policy for admission and aid, and confirm current eligibility requirements at the official NCAA Eligibility Center (eligibilitycenter.org).