Texas Public Universities Begin Accepting Classical SAT Alternative
Public universities in Texas will start accepting the Classical Learning Test (CLT) for college admissions beginning August 1, following a decision by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The CLT is a classical alternative to the SAT and ACT, featuring excerpts from past texts, designed to challenge the dominance of the college Board. A study commissioned by THECB found that the CLT matches the rigor and reliability of the SAT and ACT, with overall scores within acceptable ranges for college admissions despite less extensive data. Texas joins several other states-arkansas, Florida, Georgia, indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, and Oklahoma-that recognize the CLT.Additionally,the test has been adopted by military service academies under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth,who called it the “gold standard,” with efforts to solidify its acceptance through legislation. The rise of classical education in the U.S.,with around 900 classical schools and many homeschooling families,supports the CLT’s expanding role. Enthusiasts like Hillsdale student Matthew Tolbert praise the test for its engaging questions and logical math section, viewing it as a beneficial alternative to traditional standardized tests. the increase in CLT acceptance reflects a growing movement toward classical education and standardized testing options outside the SAT and ACT frameworks.
Public universities in the state of Texas will begin accepting the Classic Learning Test (CLT) for college admissions on Aug. 1. This follows a decision by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) on July 22, according to the CLT’s website.
The CLT is a classical alternative to the SAT and ACT, containing excerpts from classical and historical texts. Co-founder Jeremy Tate said he created the exam to “challenge the monopoly” of the College Board, which he called the “unelected gatekeeper of American education.” According to Tate, the CLT was not meant to be a “niche alternative” to other standardized tests, but to instead be a legitimate competitor. Now, states like Texas are making this a reality.
THECB commissioned the Texas A&M Public Policy Institute to research the test, according to a July 23 memo from Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Wynn Rosser. The resulting study found that the CLT matches the “rigor and reliability” level of the SAT and ACT.
Although the study admitted that there is less data on the CLT than the other two standardized tests, it found that “all three examinations met the study rubric’s general readiness benchmark and received overall scores within the acceptable range for consideration in admissions.”
With this change, Texas becomes one of several states that now accept the CLT for public university admissions. Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, and Oklahoma already accept the test as part of their public university systems. In total, more than 360 public and private colleges and universities accept the CLT as a standardized testing option.
Service academies also recently began accepting the CLT under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Hegseth directed the academies to accept the test, calling it the “gold standard.” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., took this a step further and added an amendment requiring the service academies to accept the exam into the 2027 military budget. This would make it more difficult for future administrations to undo Hegseth’s decision.
The CLT’s rise coincides with the rise of classical education in America. There are now approximately 900 classical schools throughout the country, and many more parents choose to homeschool using classical curriculum. These schools use teaching methods dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, and emphasize Western civilization.
Hillsdale College senior Matthew Tolbert, the only student to ever achieve a perfect score on the CLT, told The Federalist that he found the CLT more engaging than the other tests, which he also took.
“I took the CLT because it had more interesting questions and respects my time better than the other tests,” Tolbert told The Federalist. “If the institutions you’re planning on applying to accept it, then there’s no reason to take the others.”
Tolbert noted that the CLT is a great option for liberal arts schools, while STEM-focused schools may benefit more from the SAT or ACT. The CLT’s math section, Tolbert said, is highly logical compared to the other exams.
“I am pleased to see that more states are breaking the SAT/ACT duopoly,” Tolbert told The Federalist.
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