Understanding ACT Score Requirements for College Admissions

As you navigate the college application process, understanding the role of ACT scores is crucial. Many colleges, including private and public institutions, are maintaining or reinstating their standardized test requirements, indicating that they continue to see value in the ACT as part of the admissions process, even after experimenting with test-optional policies during the pandemic. This article provides a comprehensive overview of ACT score requirements, helping you determine what constitutes a good score and how colleges use these scores in their admissions decisions.

The Current Landscape of ACT Score Requirements

Many colleges are test-optional or test-preferred, using SAT or ACT scores to make admissions decisions and award scholarships. However, some institutions require all applicants to submit test scores.

What Constitutes a "Good" ACT Score?

A "good" ACT score is subjective and depends on the colleges you are targeting. It's not merely a number but a tool that empowers a student to gain admission to a college that aligns with their academic potential, personal ambitions, and overall fit.

National Average vs. Target School Averages

In 2024, about 1.4 million high school seniors took the ACT, with a national average composite score of 19.4. However, admission standards vary widely by college.

For top-tier universities, a good ACT score might mean a 34 or higher. A score of 30 might be suitable if it aligns with the median at the schools on your college list.

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Strategy Over Perfection

Admissions isn’t solely about scoring the highest; it’s about understanding what matters for your goals and ensuring each part of your application supports them. Lower scores can still lead to admission, as colleges also consider GPA, essays, and recommendations. A good ACT score reinforces your academic profile and clears the bar at your target schools.

How Colleges Use ACT Scores: Ranges and Selectivity

Colleges often provide a mid-50% range for ACT scores, indicating that half of the admitted students scored within that range, with 25% scoring lower and 25% scoring higher. Aim to score above the midpoint of this range to be competitive. Scoring above it is a positive sign, but scoring under it may mean the school is a reach.

ACT Scores by School Type

ACT score expectations differ based on the selectivity of the school.

Ivy League Universities: A score of 35 or higher is generally considered good enough to support a competitive application.
Less Selective Schools: For colleges such as Florida Gulf Coast University, a good ACT score might range between 21 and 26.

Scores between 33 and 36 are typically seen at the most competitive schools. However, the score alone won’t guarantee admission, and a lower score won’t automatically disqualify you. The key is whether the score complements the rest of the application.

Subject-Specific Scores

For STEM applicants, math and science subscores often matter just as much as the composite score. Some departments may have internal thresholds that aren't publicly listed. Colleges seek motivated, capable students who demonstrate focus and the potential to succeed in a rigorous academic environment. A high score on its own doesn’t mean much if the rest of the application lacks direction or depth.

Should You Submit Your ACT Score?

While many colleges are test-optional, submitting a score could help you stand out. Strong ACT scores still move the needle, especially at highly selective schools, for competitive majors, or for students from schools where the context for their GPA is more difficult to evaluate. If you’re going to send scores, they need to help you. Students with scores ranging from 34 to 36 often outperform their test-optional peers in competitive pools. In today’s landscape, a great score is still a strategic advantage but needs to be used wisely.

Strategic Decision-Making

Be strategic when deciding whether to submit ACT scores. If your score is above the median, it’s usually a good idea to send it. If it’s below, it depends on how strong the rest of your application is. Submitting a borderline score that undercuts an otherwise strong academic profile is a common mistake. Test-optional policies give students more flexibility but also demand better judgment. Test-blind schools don’t look at scores at all, even for scholarships. In those cases, even the best ACT score won't help.

Tips to Improve Your ACT Score

Start prepping for the ACT by taking a practice test to understand what to expect and where you need to improve. Prep experts recommend taking it at least twice to improve your scores.

Understanding Your ACT Score Report

Your ACT score report includes your Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, science), ranging from 1 to 36. The report also provides information on Reporting Categories, indicating the total number of questions in that category, the number you answered correctly, and the percentage of questions correct. This information can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and focus your preparation efforts.

ACT Benchmarks

The Benchmarks are scores on the ACT subject-area tests that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses. These courses include English composition, college algebra, introductory social science courses, and biology.

Test-Flexible Policies

Some universities, like Yale, have test-flexible policies designed to empower applicants to put their best foot forward. There is no perfect test, and no one-size-fits-all approach to demonstrating a student’s college readiness. Admissions officers do not prefer one type of test over another and do not penalize applications that lack particular test scores.

Holistic Review

Admissions officers read applications holistically, using all the information available to paint a picture of a student’s strengths and potential to contribute to a college community. Academic strength is a primary consideration. A student’s transcript provides evidence of a student’s academic drive, resourcefulness, and performance over time. Testing can fill in additional parts of the picture. Officers evaluate scores within each student’s unique context and use them to augment other academic indicators in the application.

Reporting Scores

Applicants reporting results from the ACT should include scores from the English, Mathematics, and Reading sections, as well as a Composite score. Applicants may report “super-scored” results from the SAT or ACT, i.e., the highest score received on any administration of the same version of the SAT for critical reading will be combined with the highest score received on math. The Admissions Committee will consider self-reported results from all eligible tests when evaluating applications.

Colleges Requiring or Recommending ACT Scores

Several institutions require or recommend ACT scores as part of their admission process.

Colleges That Require ACT/SAT Scores

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

Colleges with Test-Optional Policies

Many colleges have adopted test-optional policies, allowing students to apply without submitting ACT or SAT scores. Some examples include:

Princeton University (Temporary Test Optional)
Bowdoin College
Colby College
Barnard College (Temporary Test Optional)
Middlebury College (Temporary Test Optional)
Washington University in St. Louis (Temporary Test Optional)
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 (Test Free - Temporary)
Franklin and Marshall College
Macalester College
Bucknell University (Temporary Test Optional)
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 Test Optional)
St. Olaf College
St. John's College-Annapolis
Sewanee: University of the South
Baylor University (Temporary Test Optional)
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 Test Optional)
Augustana College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Temporary Test Optional)
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 Test Optional)
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 Test Optional)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln*
Wheaton College (MA)

Note: Colleges marked with an asterisk () may have specific requirements or exceptions to their test-optional policies, or are part of a system that requires test scores.*

The UNC System: A Case Study

The University of North Carolina (UNC) System has specific requirements for admission to its 16 public universities. The Systemwide minimum eligibility requirements include GPA and standardized test scores, as well as required high school courses. Meeting these requirements determines eligibility for admissions consideration, though it does not guarantee admission to any specific university or program. Admission to individual institutions and specific academic programs may be more competitive and demand additional requirements beyond the minimums listed.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

The UNC System uses these 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.

Coursework Requirements

In addition to meeting the minimum eligibility requirements, students need to have completed some core high school-level coursework.

Special Considerations

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. Being exempt from these requirements does not guarantee admission.

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