Navigating College Admissions: Understanding ACT Requirements

The college application process can be daunting, with various requirements and policies to understand. One crucial aspect is standardized testing, specifically the ACT. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of ACT requirements for colleges, helping students navigate this important step in their higher education journey.

The Role of the ACT in College Admissions

The ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The ACT covers four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. An optional writing section is also available.

While ACT scores are an important part of your application, they’re just one piece of the puzzle.

ACT Scoring: Understanding Your Performance

The composite score on the ACT ranges from 1 to 36. According to ACT.org, the average Composite score for the Class of 2024 was 19.4. This number provides a benchmark, the percentile ranks indicate the percentage of students who scored at or below a particular score.

Test-Required, Test-Optional, and Test-Blind Policies

Colleges adopt different policies regarding ACT/SAT scores: test-required, test-optional, and test-blind. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for applicants.

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Test-Required Colleges

These colleges require all applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores as part of their application process. Some examples of test-required colleges include:

California Institute of Technology: Caltech requires students to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of the application process and also requires all available AP/IB scores.
Harvard College: Harvard requires applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Yale University: Yale requires applicants to submit SAT, ACT, or AP/IB scores.
Brown University: Brown requires students to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Dartmouth College: Dartmouth requires students to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Cornell University: Cornell requires students to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Carnegie Mellon University: CMU requires students to submit test scores. The School of Computer Science only allows SAT or ACT scores, while other schools allow AP, IB, A-Level, or French Baccalaureate in the place of SAT/ACT.
Georgetown University: Georgetown requires submission of SAT/ACT scores. Students who apply without scores will be asked to explain why they were unable to take a test.
The Cooper Union: Cooper Union requires applicants to the School of Engineering to submit SAT or ACT scores.
University of Central Florida: University of Central Florida requires either the SAT or ACT.
Auburn University: Auburn requires either the SAT or the ACT. However, a very limited number of applicants with a 3.6+ GPA may be admitted test optional in fall 2026.
Purdue University-West Lafayette: Purdue University requires either the SAT or ACT.
Florida International: Florida International University requires either the SAT or ACT.
Gallaudet University: Gallaudet University requires either the SAT or ACT.
Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge: LSU requires students to submit SAT or ACT scores.
University of Alabama: For the fall 2027 term, Bama will require SAT/ACT scores for applicants whose GPA is lower than 3.0.
Thomas Aquinas College: Thomas Aquinas College requires that applicants take the SAT, the ACT, or the CLT.

Test-Optional Colleges

Test-optional policies allow students to be considered for admission without submitting SAT or ACT scores. The increased prevalence of test-optional policies started with the pandemic, and many institutions have extended or even made these policies permanent. Some schools may recommend taking standardized tests, but it’s not required.

Here are some examples of test-optional colleges:

Bowdoin College: Bowdoin College offers a test optional policy.
Colby College: Colby College offers a test optional policy.
Barnard College: Barnard College has extended their temporary test optional policy to the 2026-27 admissions cycle.
Middlebury College: Middlebury has extended their temporary, test optional policy to the 2025-26 admission cycle.
Washington University in St. Louis
Haverford College: Haverford offers a test optional policy.
Bates College: Bates offers a test optional policy.
Davidson College: Davidson offers a test optional policy.
Hamilton College: Hamilton offers a test optional policy.
Wesleyan University: Wesleyan University offers a test optional policy. However, homeschooled students are not eligible for test optional admission.
Colorado College: Colorado College offers a test optional policy.
Vassar College: Vassar offers a test optional policy.
Rhode Island School of Design: Rhode Island School of Design offers a test optional policy.
Smith College: Smith College offers a test optional policy.
Skidmore College: Skidmore College offers a test optional policy.
Franklin and Marshall College: Franklin and Marshall College offers a test optional policy. However, homeschooled students are not eligible for test optional admission.
Macalester College: Macalester College offers a test optional policy.
Bucknell University: Bucknell University adopted a temporary test optional policy for first-year students. However, all students are required to submit scores upon enrollment.
Bryn Mawr College: Bryn Mawr offers a test optional policy.
Mount Holyoke College: Mount Holyoke College offers a test optional policy.
Whitman College: Whitman College offers a test optional policy.
Gettysburg College: Gettysburg College offers a test optional policy.
Clark University: Clark University offers a test optional policy.
Brandeis University: Brandeis University offers a test optional policy.
Emerson College: Emerson College offers a test optional policy.
Southwestern University: Southwestern University has a test optional policy.
Union College (NY): Union College offers a test optional policy.
Rollins College: Rollins offers a test optional policy ("test scores waived option").
Stevens Institute of Technology: Stevens Institute of Technology has extended their temporary test optional policy, with some exceptions, for Fall 2026.
St. Olaf College
St. John's College-Annapolis: St. John's College offers a test optional policy. However, homeschooled students and students who will not earn high school diplomas are not eligible for test optional admission.
Sewanee: University of the South: Sewanee-The University of the South offers a test optional policy.
Baylor University: Baylor has extended their temporary test optional policy to the Fall 2026 term.
St. Lawrence University: St. Lawrence offers a test optional policy.
Allegheny College: Allegheny College offers a test optional policy.
Baldwin Wallace University: Baldwin Wallace University offers a test optional policy.
Lake Forest College: Lake Forest College has a test-optional policy. Test optional applicants must complete an interview.
Washington College: Washington College has a test-optional policy.
DePauw University: DePauw University offers a test optional policy.
John Brown University: JBU offers a test optional admission policy.
Hendrix College: Hendrix College has a test optional policy.
Agnes Scott College: Agnes Scott College offers a test optional policy.
Augustana College: Augustana College has a test optional policy. Test optional applicants may be asked to complete an interview.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: RPI has extended their temporary test optional police to the fall 2026 semester.
Yeshiva University: Yeshiva offers a test optional policy.
Drake University: Drake University offers a test optional policy, which it refers to as a "test-flexible" plan, which allows students to either write an essay or sit for an interview in lieu of submitting test scores.
Hobart and William Smith Colleges: Hobart and William Smith Colleges offers a test optional policy.
Marist College: Marist College offers a test optional policy.
Chapman University: Chapman offers a test optional policy.
Abilene Christian University: ACU offers a test optional policy.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers a test optional policy, though SAT or ACT they are strongly encouraged.
Rochester Institute of Technology: Rochester Institute of Technology offers a test optional policy, which allows students applying to most programs to be considered for admission without SAT or ACT scores.
St.
Hofstra University: Hofstra Univeristy offers a test optional policy.
Presbyterian College (SC): Presbyterian College offers a test optional policy.
St. Mary's College of Maryland: Saint Mary's College of Maryland has a test-optional policy.
Ithaca College: Ithaca College offers a test optional policy.
University of Hawai'i at MƒÅnoa: University of Hawai'i offers a test optional policy.
Knox College: Knox College offers a test optional policy.
University of Puget Sound: Puget Sound offers a test optional policy.
Earlham College: Earlham offers a test optional policy.
Taylor University: Taylor University offers a test optional policy, though SAT or ACT scores are preferred.
Elmhurst College: Elmhurst offers a test optional policy.
Oklahoma State University: Oklahoma State University offers a test optional policy.
Loyola University Maryland: Loyola University Maryland offers a test optional policy.
California Lutheran University: California Lutheran University offers a test optional policy.
DePaul University: DePaul University offers a test optional policy.
Quinnipiac University: Quinnipiac University offers a test optional policy, which allows most students applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Communications and School of Engineering to be considered for admission without SAT or ACT scores.

Test-Blind Colleges

Test-blind schools don’t look at scores at all - even for scholarships. In those cases, even the best ACT score won't help.

Factors Influencing Test-Optional Decisions

Several factors influence whether a student should submit their ACT scores to a test-optional college.

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Score Range: If your score is above the median for the college, it’s usually a good idea to send it. If it’s below, it depends on how strong the rest of your application is.
Competitiveness of the Program: Submitting a score could help you stand out, especially at highly selective schools or for competitive majors.
Context of GPA: For students coming from schools where the context for their GPA is more difficult to evaluate, submitting a strong ACT score can be beneficial.

Understanding the Nuances of Test-Optional Policies

It's important to recognize that "test-optional doesn’t mean test-irrelevant." Strong ACT scores still move the needle. What’s changed is this: the bar to submit is higher. If you’re going to send scores, they need to help you.

The Strategic Advantage of a Great Score

In today’s landscape, a great score is still a strategic advantage, it just needs to be used wisely. Students with scores ranging from 34 to 36 outperform their test-optional peers in competitive pools.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes is submitting a borderline score that undercuts an otherwise strong academic profile. Test-optional gives students more flexibility, but it also demands better judgment.

What Constitutes a "Good" ACT Score?

A "good" ACT score isn't merely a number. It's one that empowers a student to gain admission to a college that aligns with their academic potential, personal ambitions and overall fit. Since admission standards vary by college, a good ACT score for one school may be too low for another. The mistake families make is chasing perfection instead of strategy. Admissions isn’t about scoring the highest, it’s about knowing what matters for your goals and making sure each part of the application supports them.

There’s no magic number. A good ACT score is one that reinforces your academic profile and clears the bar at your target schools.

Benchmarking with the 50th Percentile

Students can use the 50th percentile ACT score of a college’s most recent freshman class as a benchmark. ACT score ranges vary by school, with each college sharing a mid-50% range, where half of admitted students scored within the range, 25% scored lower, and 25% scored higher. For practical purposes, students aiming to be competitive should strive to score above the midpoint of this mid-50% range or even higher.

ACT Scores by School Type

ACT score expectations vary for Ivy League, highly selective, selective and less-selective schools.

Ivy League: If a student is aiming for admission to an Ivy League university, a score of 35 or higher would be considered good enough to support a competitive application.
Less Selective Colleges: For a student aspiring to attend a college such as Florida Gulf Coast University, a good ACT score might range between 21 and 26.

Scores between 33 and 36 can typically be seen at the most competitive schools, but that number alone won’t get you in, and a lower score won’t automatically keep you out. The key is whether the score complements the rest of the application. For STEM applicants, math and science subscores often matter just as much as the composite. Some departments may have internal thresholds that aren't publicly listed.

Beyond the Score: What Colleges Seek

Above all, colleges seek motivated, capable students who demonstrate focus and the potential to succeed in a rigorous academic environment. A 34 on its own doesn’t mean much if the rest of the application lacks direction or depth.

Strategies for ACT Preparation and Improvement

Start prepping for the ACT by taking a practice test. That shows you what to expect and where you need to improve so you can focus your study plan. Prep experts recommend taking it at least twice to improve your scores. If you think you might test more than once, take it in the early spring of your junior year to see where you are and familiarize yourself with the testing environment. Unless you scored a perfect 36, you can always improve.

The Benefits of Superscoring

ACT’s superscoring policy allows colleges to consider your best scores across multiple test dates. Every student who takes the ACT more than once, automatically earns a Superscore.

Additional Factors in College Admissions

The college application process isn’t something you can get done in a matter of weeks, so give yourself plenty of time to work on your college applications. There are thousands of degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States. Narrow your college list until you have 8-15 colleges you want to spend time researching. Once you have a narrowed list of colleges, visit college campuses and experience firsthand what it’s like to be a student. A successful college visit can give you the confidence you need to make a final decision on your future alma mater. Letters of recommendation are an essential part of the college application process. Admissions officers use this information to learn more about you from a new perspective. The letter should give them confidence in your ability to contribute to their school, showcase what makes you unique, and prove you have the drive to accomplish things inside and outside the classroom.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements for UNC System

The University of North Carolina System is open to anyone who is prepared to succeed at one of 16 public universities across the state of North Carolina. The Minimum Eligibility Requirements (GPA and standardized test scores) and Minimum Course Requirements (required high school courses) are required for admission Systemwide. While meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to any specific university or program, they determine eligibility for admissions consideration. Admission to individual institutions and specific academic programs may be more competitive and demand additional requirements beyond the minimums listed below. The Systemwide minimum eligibility requirements are guidelines to help future students and university administrators determine if applicants are ready to meet the challenges of a four-year degree program, or if they might benefit from additional preparatory work at a community college before transferring into the UNC System. In addition to meeting the minimum eligibility requirements, students need to have completed some core high school-level coursework.

Considerations for Transfer Students

Students seeking a second degree are advised to speak with a transfer counselor at individual universities prior to completing the application process. In some cases, programs will not accept students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree. In other cases, some of the work completed toward the first degree might count toward the second degree, or can satisfy prerequisites.

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