Do students still need to take the SSAT, ISEE, or HSPT if schools are test-optional?

Great question. “Test-optional” might sound like a pass, but here’s the fine print: Optional does not mean unnecessary. At many top Washington, D.C. private schools, like Sidwell Friends, Georgetown Day, and Gonzaga, test scores are still considered, and they still help. If your child doesn’t submit a score, admissions teams will lean more heavily on everything else: grades, interviews, essays, and recommendations. But if you do submit a strong score, it becomes a competitive asset.

A high SSAT, ISEE, or HSPT score shows academic readiness, especially if your child comes from a school with unweighted grades or an unconventional transcript. It also helps admissions officers compare students across different schools and programs. In a city like D.C., where the applicant pool is overflowing with strong students, a great test score can push your child to the top of the stack. So is it required? Maybe not. But is it smart? Absolutely.