Where Can a Good ACT®/SAT® Score Get You?

The truth is that colleges and universities don’t only look at test scores when choosing students. Factors such as where and what you studied in high school, life experience, a personalized essay, recommendation letters and a convincing, personal presentation can all have a large bearing on whether your application to a particular educational institution is accepted or denied. Even so, many prestigious colleges and universities have minimum ACT and SAT score requirements for prospective students. If you fail to get the required score, there is no way some universities will consider your application even if you have other things going for you.

Selective Schools and Their Standards

Would you like to know which colleges and universities have selective ACT/SAT minimum scores for prospective students? Consider the following list to see where a good score can get you. Both the SAT and the ACT scores are listed for your reference; however, SAT reading/writing and math scores are listed separately as educational institutions have different minimum requirements for each portion of the SAT test. SAT math score minimum requirements are typically higher than those for the reading/writing portion of the test; however, this isn’t always the case.

Bear in mind that there are some exceptions to the rule; that is, a few students with average test scores have managed to get into a university that typically only accepts students with high ACT or SAT scores. However, you’ll have to show very good reasons why you should be considered an exception to the rule.

University	Score
California Institute of Technology	Average ACT score: 34 – 35 ​Average SAT reading/writing score: 750 – 790 Average SAT math score: 780 to 800
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Average ACT score: 33 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 720 – 770 Average SAT math score: 770 – 800
Harvard University	Average ACT score: 32 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 730 to 790 Average SAT math score: 730 to 790
Princeton University	Average ACT score: 32 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 710 – 780 Average SAT math score: 720 – 790
Rice University	Average ACT score: 32 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 730 – 780 Average SAT math score: 760 – 800
University of Notre Dame	Average ACT score: 32 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 680 to 750 Average SAT math score: 690 to 770
Stanford University	Average ACT score: 31 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 690 – 760 Average SAT math score: 700 to 780
Yale University	Average ACT score: 31 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 730 to 780 Average SAT math score: 730 to 800
Duke University	Average ACT score: 31 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 670 – 750 Average SAT math score: 710 – 790
Brown University	Average ACT score: 31 – 35 Average SAT reading/writing score: 705 – 780 Average SAT math score: 710 – 800
Cornell University	Average ACT score: 30 – 34 Average SAT reading/writing score: 690 – 760 Average SAT math score: 700 – 790
Georgetown University	Average ACT score: 30 – 34 Average SAT reading/writing score: 680 – 760 Average SAT math score: 670 – 760
Tufts University	Average ACT score: 30 – 33 Average SAT reading/writing score: 700 – 760 Average SAT math score: 710 – 780
Emory University	Average ACT score: 29 – 33 Average SAT reading/writing score: 670 – 740 Average SAT math score: 680 – 780

It is important to note that the test you choose to take could very well have an impact on which university you get into. Because ACT scores are not listed separately, those who aren’t good at math may find that taking the ACT rather than the SAT is one good way to get into an ivy league college or university. On the other hand, students who excel in math will want to showcase their skills in the best possible light by taking the SAT and earning a high score on the math section. 

Earning a good score on the ACT or SAT will have a big impact on your educational dreams. A good score will not only increase your chances of getting into a prestigious college or university but also enable you to qualify for scholarship funding that would not have been available to you otherwise. Given all that is at stake, you’ll want to make time every day to practice for your upcoming exam. Take ACT or SAT practice questions or tests, shore up your weak areas and review important information you’ll need to know for your test. The results of your hard work and effort are sure to be more than worth it.