100 Years Ago, Students Across the U.S. Took the First SAT. Today, Relatively Few Colleges Require the Test. Where Is It Headed?

The standardized exam has evolved over the past century, all in the name of testing for college readiness. Now, it has become a symbol of the American higher education system

McKenzie Prillaman

| Assistant Digital Editor, Science & Innovation

June 23, 2026 12:16 p.m.

Around two million graduating high school students in the United States—more than half—take the SAT each year.