US Colleges Restore Test Requirements, Cut Essays as AI Reshapes Admissions for 2026
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 24
US Colleges Restore Test Requirements, Cut Essays as AI Reshapes Admissions for 2026
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 24
Summary
Standardized tests are returning across U.S. college admissions, while some schools are dropping supplementary essays as the 2026 cycle opens.
AI is driving much of the shift: admissions officials worry essays are easier to generate artificially, while questions about student readiness, the end of affirmative action and a renewed emphasis on “merit” also push schools back toward testing.
Tulane paused its “why us” essay, saying concerns about AI-written submissions were a factor, and schools from large publics such as the University of Georgia to private institutions like Washington University in St. Louis are reworking application requirements.
The changes follow a pandemic-era loosening of admissions rules and come as applications recently rose, yet colleges face an expected demographic drop in enrollment and broader skepticism about higher education’s value.