Many students are curious about what standardized test scores they will need to make in order to gain admission to a particular school. Unfortunately, the admission process to most colleges and universities is not as simple as meeting a minimum SAT or ACT score. The question, "What SAT or ACT scores do I need to get in at..." usually cannot be answered with a simple numerical score. Students will need to be aware of many factors that go into the admissions process, depending on the school(s) of their choice.
Different Approaches to Admission
Some universities use an empirical approach to college admission, focusing exclusively on data such as a student's grade point average (GPA), class rank, and SAT or ACT scores. Often, schools using this approach to admission are large public annotated bibliography example to admit large numbers of qualified applicants. Smaller, more selective schools frequently employ a holistic approach in which many factors are weighed, including GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, student essays, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and interviews. The admission approach used by each school will determine the scores a student will need to make on tests like the SAT or ACT.
Schools Using Empirical Data Only
If students are interested in schools that use empirical admissions processes, it is possible to find the specific scores they need to earn admission, because these schools frequently publish the particular test scores that students need for admission. Consider Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, which is a useful example. According to state law, all Texas high school graduates in the top 10% of their high school classes will be granted admission to Texas state universities, no matter what their standardized test scores are. Students applying to Texas Tech who are in the top quarter of their class (excluding the top 10%) need to earn at least 25 on the ACT or 1140 combined on SAT reading and math in order to earn automatic admission. Students in the second and third quarters need to earn increasingly higher test scores. Students in the bottom quarter of their high school class, or those who fail to meet the minimum ACT or SAT standard, undergo a holistic review.
SAT Scores and Holistic Admission
When applying to schools using a holistic admissions process, students should be aware that SAT or ACT scores are one of many factors under consideration, so it is difficult to identify precisely what score they need to earn in order to gain admission. Under holistic review, exceptional abilities in one area may be able to compensate for slightly lower grades or test scores. Because all factors for admission are considered as a whole, colleges using holistic processes rarely set minimums for SAT, ACT, GPA, or class rank. Students can get an idea of the average scores for admitted students, but will not find any absolute numbers available.
Using Score Ranges
When evaluating SAT or ACT scores at colleges using holistic admission methods, students may want to consult published score averages. Most colleges release testing data from previous years, so potential applicants can gauge how well they meet the academic criteria for previously admitted students. It is common for schools to release a score range for the middle 50% of students admitted. Frequently, this will be shown as 25% - 75%, because it shows the scores from the 25th percent to the 75th percent of admitted students. For example, Elon University in North Carolina reported that the middle 50% of students admitted in 2013 earned between a 1710 and a 1960 as a combined reading, math, and writing score on the SAT. This means that a quarter of the admitted students scored above and a quarter scored below those scores.
Test-Optional Schools
More and more holistic review colleges are opting to make standardized admissions tests optional for admission. In the case of schools using test-optional admissions criteria, students do not need to worry about earning a minimum score on the SAT or ACT. Students who feel their scores adequately reflect their abilities can submit scores for consideration, but students who are not happy with their scores have the option of not sending any results. Students who do not submit SAT or ACT scores will be evaluated on the rest of the material they submitted for admission, with no penalty for not sending in test scores.
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