What SAT scores does Middlebury prefer?

Hi everyone! I'm currently a high school junior and I'm really interested in applying to Middlebury. I just took the SAT and I'm wondering what kind of scores Middlebury prefers in their applicants. Should I aim for a certain score range in case I need to retake the test?

Hello! It's great that you're considering Middlebury College. While there's no strict "minimum" or "preferred" SAT score for Middlebury, it's helpful to look at the score ranges of their admitted students to gauge your competitiveness.

In recent years, the middle 50% of accepted students at Middlebury had an SAT score between 1440-1550. This statistic means that 25% of admitted students scored below 1440, 25% scored above 1550, and the remaining 50% scored within this range. To be a competitive applicant at Middlebury, aim for a score within or above this range.

That said, keep in mind that Middlebury practices a holistic review process, which means they evaluate your entire application and don't solely rely on your test scores to make a decision. While a strong SAT score could improve your chances, other factors like your GPA, coursework, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation are also essential components of your application. At selective schools like Middlebury, no single credential will guarantee acceptance on its own.

If you're trying to quantify whether or not you should retake the SAT, I'd suggest utilizing CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable aspects of your application (grades, course rigor, extracurriculars, and yes, test scores) to provide you with personalized odds of acceptance at Middlebury and hundreds of other colleges across the country: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator/. This tool will also give you suggestions for how to improve your odds, whether by achieving a higher score on the SAT or some other step, like earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars.

Finally, it is worth noting that Middlebury is officially test-optional, so submitting an SAT (or ACT) score is actually not required. However, you're smart to still be game planning, as given the competitiveness of their application process, you generally want to showcase your strengths in as many ways as possible. For detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/

Overall, retaking the SAT could be advantageous if you think there's a decent chance you do better the second time. Just remember to also dedicate time and effort to the other parts of your application. Good luck!