Will the Classic Learning Test Shake Up College Admissions?

A rapidly expanding standardized test called the Classic Learning Test (CLT) is gaining traction as an alternative to the SAT and ACT, especially among conservative policymakers and educators. Originally created in 2015 as a niche assessment for private classical schools, the CLT focuses on reading passages drawn from the Western canon, from Aristotle and Shakespeare to Jane Austen, and aims to measure critical thinking alongside traditional reading and math skills. 

Once limited to a small segment of schools, the CLT has seen significant institutional acceptance in recent years. In 2023, the Florida State University System began allowing its use for admissions and merit scholarship eligibility. Since then, states including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Wyoming have approved the CLT for public university admissions or scholarship consideration. The University of North Carolina System also now accepts scores for students meeting a minimum GPA threshold. 

Supporters, particularly on the political right, argue that the CLT offers a more rigorous and merit-focused alternative to the traditional college entrance exams. Some conservative thinkers claim it restores a focus on “enduring texts” and critical thinking rather than purely test-taking strategy. High-profile boosters like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have endorsed the CLT, noting its value for service academy admissions. 

However, critics raise significant concerns. Detractors argue the test’s emphasis on the classical Western canon can marginalize voices beyond that tradition and reflect a narrower cultural perspective. Questions have also been raised about the test’s quality and comparability to the SAT/ACT, with organizations like the College Board highlighting a lack of comprehensive, independent research validating the CLT’s predictive power for college success. Critics point to gaps in security due to the CLT being administered remotely with video review rather than live proctoring, as well as potential differences in math competency coverage compared with other exams. 

Despite these debates, legislative and institutional support continues to grow. Bills in states like Indiana and Texas aim to expand CLT use in higher education, showing the test’s reach may broaden further in coming years. Whether the CLT ultimately reshapes college admissions nationally — or remains a politically charged alternative used primarily in certain regions — is still unfolding in the landscape of U.S. higher education.