As part of a larger research study entitled "Where Do Test Scores Fit in a Test-Optional Environment," the authors surveyed students who took the ACT on June 11, 2022, in order to better understand why high school students would take a standardized test like the ACT when they knew they were applying to test-optional institutions. Among other questions, students were asked the following open-ended question: "Given your choice to apply to a test-optional institution, what factors contributed to your decision to take the ACT?" The authors received responses from 81 students, and found six themes within these responses. In this brief the authors highlight what was learned from the ACT-tested respondents. The six themes are presented in order from the most to the least mentioned: school/state role, student benefits, test-required, test my skills, stand out, and just in case.