Do all private schools in the Bay Area require standardized testing?

Not all of them, thankfully. While many traditional and academically competitive schools might still ask for scores from tests like the ISEE, SSAT, or even the school’s own assessment, others are happily moving away from test-heavy admissions. Some schools are more interested in your kid’s curiosity, creativity, or quirky side rather than how fast they can bubble in answers. The pandemic also nudged a few schools into going test-optional or test-blind. So don’t panic if your kid isn’t exactly a testing wizard. Just make sure to look at each school’s specific requirements—some are more flexible than others and might just surprise you.