Nathaniel’s July 2026 College Admissions Update

Hello dear families and readers!

Nathaniel here. I wanted to send around a quick college admissions update for 2026 as we get closer to the annual Common App reset later this month/in early August. Some aspects of admissions are currently shifting, so I wanted to bring them to your attention. No need for panic! Just a few items worth knowing about.

The short version: the SAT/ACT are back, essays are changing, AI is making everything a little weirder, and families should be careful about making assumptions based on what they heard a year or two ago. This is why you have us: so that we can put all of this together for you.

2026 College Admissions Update: The SAT and ACT Are Back

For a while, a lot of families heard “test-optional” and understandably translated that as “tests matter less now.” But, as anyone who has been on the phone with me recently has heard, we knew that they’d come roaring back as an admissions metric.

For now, only some highly selective colleges are bringing testing back. Yale will require testing again for students applying for fall 2027 entry. Columbia and Princeton have also announced that they will require testing again for students applying in the 2027–28 cycle.

That does not mean every college is suddenly going back to requiring the SAT or ACT. Plenty of schools are still test-optional, and some are test-blind. But it does mean that we are more motivated than ever to make sure our test prep students get their highest possible scores.

If you’re thinking about testing, the real question now (and for the next few years) is not just, “Does this college require a test?” The better question is: “Would a strong score help this student?”

Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes the answer is no. We advise students based on their particular situation.

But big note here: this is extra important for younger students aiming at selective colleges. A rising senior and a rising junior will be looking at two very different testing landscapes.

The ACT, Specifically

For years we’ve recommended the SAT over the ACT because the ACT was so in flux, but they’ve now leveled out a bit.

The newer version is shorter, and the Composite score is now based on English, math, and reading. Science is optional and reported separately if a student takes it.

That does not mean the science section never matters. For students looking at STEM, engineering, nursing, or science-heavy programs, it may still be worth taking. We haven’t found any information from admissions officers about whether or not taking the ACT over the SAT gives STEM students an advantage in admissions because of the science score.

So, if your student is deciding between the SAT and ACT, or trying to figure out whether to take the ACT science section, that decision should be based on the student’s actual strengths, timeline, college list, and possible major — not just on what worked for an older sibling.

Fewer Supplemental Essays This Year

I’ve been watching this one like a hawk: some colleges are cutting down on supplemental essays.

At first glance, that sounds amazing. Fewer essays! Less work, hooray! Everyone wins. But, of course, there is a catch.

When a college makes it easier to apply, more students may apply. So a school with fewer essays is not automatically easier to get into. It may just be easier for everyone to throw onto their list.

That can mean more applications, more competition, and fewer chances for a student to show why they are a great fit.

So, I would not treat a no-supplement school as an “easy” application. Sometimes those schools are actually harder to read because there are fewer places for the student to make their case.

You Knew It Was Coming: AI

Of course we have to talk about AI. Students are using it. Parents are asking about it. Colleges are thinking about it. It is part of the process now whether we like it or not.

Our position remains the same: while AI can be a useful tool, we have never seen it produce application essays up to our standards. Our students must craft thoughtful, personal writing that shows who they are and provides insights that a robot could never come up with. These essays must still sound like they were written by a teenager.

Because of its proliferation, admissions committees are always on the lookout for AI. It’s not a shortcut in this context!

What Should Families Do Right Now?

For rising seniors (and juniors!), here’s our list of summer to-dos before we jump into the supplemental essays with you in August:

1. Check the testing policy for every college on the list. Do not assume it is the same as last year.

2. Make a real testing plan if you haven’t already, even if you’re not working with us on it. That might mean taking the SAT or ACT again. It might mean stopping. But either way, it should be a decision.

3. Keep drafts somewhere safe outside the Common App. The Common App refreshes every year, and though they say you won’t lose your work, students lose it every year during the reset.

4. Some of the supplemental essays are already out (looking at you, Cornell)! Feel free to start looking at these, and when they’re all out in August, we’ll help you look through them and identify similarities among the prompts.

5. If you’re a student who uses AI: have a family conversation about it. What is okay? What is not okay? Where is the line between help and outsourcing? It is much better to talk about that clearly now than to deal with confusion later.

A Wee Conclusion

There’s no need for panic. But! This year it’s clear: the process is not becoming simpler. It is becoming harder to interpret because what colleges use to make their decisions is shifting.

Testing matters at some schools and not others. Essays are still important, but there may be fewer of them. Don’t let AI steal your unique voice. And a school that looks easy to apply to may not be easy to get into.

So be careful with the internet, social media, news sites, and parent Facebook groups. Don’t let them get in your head! The goal is to make thoughtful decisions, based on the student, the college list, and the year they are actually applying.

Can’t wait to see all of you as soon as you’re back from your summer activities!

If you’re reading this and don’t yet have support during the college application or test prep process, email us at info@kingfisherprep.com or fill out the contact form on our website. We’d love to help you strategize!

Sources (you know I love sources)/Further Reading

Yale Undergraduate Admissions, “Standardized Testing”https://admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing

Columbia Undergraduate Admissions, “Testing Policy”https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/process/testing

Princeton Admission, “Standardized Testing”https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing

ACT, “The ACT Test for Students”https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html

Common App, “2026–2027 Common App Essay Prompts”https://www.commonapp.org/blog/announcing-2026-2027-common-app-essay-prompts/

NACAC, “The Role of AI: Insights, Ethics, and Best Practices”https://www.nacacnet.org/the-role-of-ai-insights-ethics-and-best-practices/