Navigating ACT Minimum Score Requirements for College Admissions

The ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. Understanding the role of ACT scores in college admissions is crucial for prospective students. This article provides a comprehensive overview of ACT minimum score requirements for colleges, factors influencing admission decisions, and strategies for improving your chances of acceptance.

Understanding ACT Scores

The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with the composite score being the average of the four section scores: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. The national average composite score was 19.4 as of 2024. Each college sets its own standards for ACT scores, and what is considered a good score varies depending on the institution's selectivity and academic rigor.

Minimum ACT Score Requirements

While some colleges have strict minimum ACT score requirements, others take a more holistic approach, considering various factors beyond test scores. Some colleges have an open admissions policy. For example, LeMoyne-Owen College, an HBCU in Memphis, Tennessee, accepts nearly all students who submit an application.

The University of North Carolina System

The University of North Carolina (UNC) System has outlined minimum eligibility requirements, including GPA and standardized test scores, for its 16 public universities. Meeting these requirements doesn't guarantee admission but determines eligibility for admissions consideration. Admission to individual institutions and specific academic programs may be more competitive and demand additional requirements beyond the minimums.

Colleges Accepting Lower ACT Scores

Several colleges are known to accept students with lower ACT scores. These include:

Read also: GPA and Test Scores for UVA

Claflin University: A private university founded in 1869, Claflin is more flexible than other schools regarding ACT scores and has no minimum requirement.
Medgar Evers College: A public college in New York City with an open admissions policy.
Livingstone College: A private and historically black Christian college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
Shaw University: A private Baptist historically black university in North Carolina known for its historical achievements.
Rust College: A moderately selective college located in Mississippi.
Jarvis University: A historically black liberal arts, four-year institution affiliated with the Christian church.
Pine Manor College: A private college that was historically a women's college until 2014.
Langston University: The only historically black institution in Oklahoma.
Paul Quinn College: The first HBCU to open in Texas in 1872.

Factors Influencing Admissions Decisions

Colleges consider a range of ACT scores when making admissions decisions, giving students some flexibility. Commonly, students with scores in the range of 20-23 are still considered competitive at many mid-tier colleges. For more selective schools, a score in the 24-28 range will increase your chances of admission. However, for highly selective institutions, aiming for an ACT score above 30 can significantly enhance your application.

Holistic Review

Admissions committees also look at your high school transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, and other factors to assess your overall potential as a student. The UNC System is committed to serving students at every stage in their higher education journey. Older students seeking admission to UNC System institutions for the first time, transfer students, veterans, and active members of the military have all encountered immersive learning experiences that enhance their academic histories.

Test-Optional Policies

Many colleges have implemented test-optional admissions policies, meaning that while you can send test scores in with your application, they're not actually required. Test-optional policies give students more flexibility, but it also demands better judgment. If your score is above the median, it’s usually a good idea to send it. If it’s below, it really depends on how strong the rest of your application is. Some colleges are test-blind and don’t look at scores at all - even for scholarships.

Academic Performance

A student’s transcript tells the selection committee much about a candidate’s preparation: it provides evidence of a student’s academic drive, resourcefulness, and performance over time. Testing can fill in additional parts of the picture. For these reasons, admissions officers consider standardized test scores and transcripts together.

Determining a "Good" ACT Score

A “good” ACT score is generally considered to be above the national average, which was 19.4 as of 2024. A good ACT score empowers a student to gain admission to a college that aligns with their academic potential, personal ambitions and overall fit. For top-tier universities, a good ACT score could mean a 34 or higher, while a 30 might be the right score if it fits with the median at the schools on your college list.

Read also: Applying to Georgetown

Benchmarking Your Score

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.

Score Expectations by School Type

ACT score expectations vary for Ivy League, highly selective, selective, and less-selective schools. For a student aspiring to attend a college such as Florida Gulf Coast University, a good ACT score might range between 21 and 26.

Strategies for Improving Your ACT Score

If your initial ACT score is not where you want it to be, there are several strategies you can use to improve:

Start preparing early: Take a practice test to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Create a study plan: Focus on areas where you need the most improvement.
Use prep materials: Utilize targeted ACT programs, prep books, and/or tutoring.
Consider the SAT: If you are particularly weak in the Science section of the ACT, then the SAT might be better for you.
Seek accommodations: If you have a medical condition, learning disability, or psychiatric disorder, you might qualify for special testing accommodations for the ACT.
Retake the test: Prep experts recommend taking it at least twice to improve your scores.

Test-Required Colleges

Many colleges-including privates, publics, and state higher ed systems-reinstated their test score requirements this year, showing colleges continue to value the SAT as part of their admissions processes after experimenting with test-optional policies during the pandemic.

Here are 19 private and 35 public colleges that currently or soon will require, SAT or ACT scores for admission:

Read also: Minimum GPA for UCI

California Institute of Technology
Harvard College
Yale University
Brown University
Dartmouth College
Cornell University
Carnegie Mellon University
Georgetown University
The Cooper Union
University of Central Florida
Auburn University
Purdue University-West Lafayette
Florida International
Gallaudet University
Thomas Aquinas College

Test-Optional Colleges

Many colleges have adopted test-optional policies, allowing students to choose whether to submit their SAT or ACT scores.

Here is a list of some test-optional colleges:

Princeton University (Temporary)
Bowdoin College
Colby College
Barnard College (Temporary)
Middlebury College (Temporary)
Washington University in St. Louis (Temporary)
Haverford College
Bates College
Davidson College
Hamilton College
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill*
Wesleyan University
Colorado College
Vassar College
Rhode Island School of Design
Smith College
Skidmore College
Pitzer College (Temporary)
Franklin and Marshall College
Macalester College
Bucknell University (Temporary)
Bryn Mawr College
Mount Holyoke College
Whitman College
Gettysburg College
Clark University
Brandeis University
North Carolina State University-Raleigh*
Emerson College
Southwestern University
Union College (NY)
Truman State University*
George Washington University*
Rollins College
Stevens Institute of Technology (Temporary)
St. Olaf College
St. John's College-Annapolis
Sewanee: University of the South
Baylor University (Temporary)
St. Lawrence University
Allegheny College
Baldwin Wallace University
Lake Forest College
Washington College
DePauw University
John Brown University
Hendrix College
Agnes Scott College
The College of New Jersey* (Temporary)
Augustana College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Temporary)
Yeshiva University*
Drake University
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
University of North Carolina-Wilmington*
Marist College
Chapman University
Abilene Christian University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Elon University*
Rochester Institute of Technology
St. University of North Georgia* (Temporary)
Hofstra University
Presbyterian College (SC)
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Ithaca College
University of Hawai'i at MƒÅnoa
Knox College
University of North Texas*
University of Puget Sound
Earlham College
Taylor University
Elmhurst College
University of Houston*
Oklahoma State University
Loyola University Maryland
California Lutheran University
DePaul University
Quinnipiac University
University of Missouri* (Temporary)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln*
Wheaton College (MA)

Note: Colleges marked with an asterisk () may still require test scores for certain programs or have specific conditions for test-optional admission.*

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