Should I submit test scores to the University of Chicago if applying test optional?

Yes, submit to UChicago if your SAT or ACT is clearly within or near the range of students they enroll; if it is noticeably below that level, test optional is a reasonable choice. UChicago has been test optional for years, so they are used to evaluating applicants without scores, and not sending them does not automatically hurt you. In practice, scores help most when they reinforce an already strong academic record.

A useful benchmark is to compare your score to UChicago’s recent middle 50 percent range for enrolled students. If you are around that range or above it, sending usually makes sense because it adds another academic strength. If you are well below it, especially if your transcript is already strong, leaving scores out can keep the focus on grades, course rigor, writing, and recommendations.

Your transcript matters more than the test decision. If you have top grades in rigorous classes, especially advanced math, science, English, and social science courses, UChicago can evaluate you well without a score. On the other hand, if your grades come from a school with less context, or you have a few weaker spots academically, a strong test can help reassure them.

One practical way to decide is this: send scores if they strengthen the academic story your application already tells; skip them if they create doubt. At UChicago, the essays are also unusually important, so a no-score application still needs very strong writing and a clear intellectual fit with the school.