The Flip Side: Lowest ACT Score Colleges Accept?

Hey everyone, I've been stressing over the ACT. My practice scores weren't exactly stellar...so what's the minimum ACT score that most colleges are willing to accept? Any help is appreciated!

While it's a pretty common concern for students, there isn't an universal "minimum ACT score" that colleges accept. Each college has its own criteria and academic standards when considering applicants. Generally, schools might not publish a 'minimum accepted score', but you can review the average or middle 50% ACT scores that are published in order to understand what academic profile their admitted students typically fall into.

For instance, community colleges and open enrollment institutions often have no minimum ACT score requirement. Less selective colleges, on the other hand, might have ACT scores in the middle 50% range from 17 to 23. More selective colleges and universities typically have higher average ACT scores, with the middle 50% range usually above 25. Ivy League and similar high-tier institutions usually have a middle 50% range near or above 30.

However, keep in mind that all this is pretty variable due to the holistic processes many universities use. That means admissions decisions are not solely determined by one factor like test scores. Elements like your high school GPA, rigor of your curriculum, essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurriculars will also be significant factors.

As of the 2024-2025 application cycle, colleges like Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Purdue University, Brown University, Yale University, The University of Texas at Austin, and California Institute of Technology do require all applicants to submit an ACT or SAT score.

Ultimately, the best advice here would be to aim for a score that aligns with the averages of the colleges that you're interested in, but also to focus on building a well-rounded and impressive application overall.