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Duke University
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UCLA
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Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Typical SAT Scores for Different Colleges?

Hello! I'm a high school junior, and I just got my first SAT scores back. To help narrow down my college list, I'm curious about the typical SAT score ranges for various colleges. Are there any resources that show what scores are usually considered competitive for different schools? Thanks for your help!

10 months ago

Hello! Congrats on completing your first SAT. To find typical score ranges for various colleges, you can start by looking at each college's Common Data Set (CDS). The CDS is a document that colleges publish yearly with detailed information about their admissions and enrollment stats, including the SAT scores of admitted students.

Generally, you'll want to check the 25th and 75th percentile scores, as they represent the middle 50% of accepted students. Keep in mind, though, that falling within this range doesn't guarantee admission, nor does falling outside of it mean rejection—colleges often take a holistic approach to admissions.

Another useful resource is the CollegeVine chancing engine, which is a free tool that can help you estimate your chances of getting into specific colleges based on your profile, including your SAT scores, GPA, and other factors. This tool can also offer insights into how competitive your SAT scores are for the schools you are considering.

Lastly, do some research on the college websites themselves, as many schools provide information on the average SAT scores of their admitted students. This information can give you an idea of what scores the college deems competitive, and where your scores might stand in comparison.

Keep in mind that as you research SAT score ranges, many colleges are either test-optional or test-blind to some extent, meaning that your SAT scores might carry less weight in the admissions process. It's important to consider other aspects of your application, such as your extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation, to ensure a well-rounded, competitive application.

Best of luck with your college search and application process!

10 months ago

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.