How competitive is an SAT score of 1460?

Hey peeps, I scored a 1460 on the SAT, and I'm pretty happy with it! Can anyone clue me in on what kind of colleges or universities would be a good fit for me based on this score, or should I aim for something higher?

A 1460 SAT score is quite competitive, as it roughly corresponds to the 97th percentile of test takers. This means you scored better than 97% of the students who took the test. While this is an impressive score, the ideal college fit would depend on the specific schools you're considering and what other aspects of your application look like, such as your GPA, extracurricular activities, and essays.

For example, if you're aiming for highly selective or Ivy League schools, a 1460 SAT score is still competitive but may be on the lower end of their middle 50% range. With admission rates at these schools hovering around 5-15%, having a higher score could potentially increase your chances. Keep in mind that an applicant's whole profile, rather than just their test scores, is considered in the admissions process. However, if you believe that you could achieve a higher score, it might be worth retaking the SAT to give yourself a stronger chance at more selective schools.

On the other hand, many mid-tier colleges and universities have the middle 50% of their admitted students' SAT scores between the 1200s and 1400s, so your score would likely put you in a strong position for these schools, provided that the other aspects of your application are solid as well.

Ultimately, it's essential to research the schools you're interested in, inquire about their median SAT scores for admitted students, and understand how these institutions evaluate applications. By doing so, you can better assess which colleges would be the best fits based on your current SAT score and decide if retaking the test could improve your chances.

Remember, the SAT isn't the only factor in college admissions, so also focus on your GPA, extracurricular involvement, essays, and other application components to create the strongest possible application.