What Is a Good SAT or ACT Score?
March 26th- 4 months ago
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Test Prep
March 26th
4 months ago
“Good” is relative — and in college admissions, it is entirely school-specific. A score of 1300 on the SAT is outstanding for one student’s college list and insufficient for another’s. The only meaningful definition of a good SAT or ACT score is one that meets or exceeds the expectations of the colleges your student is actually applying to.
This guide gives you the exact score benchmarks by school type, national percentile tables, and a practical framework for deciding what score your teen should be targeting.
SAT Score Percentiles: What Your Score Actually Means
The SAT is scored on a 400–1600 scale. Here is how SAT scores translate to national percentile rankings:
| SAT Score | Percentile (Approx.) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 1580–1600 | 99%+ | Top 1% nationally — highly selective university range |
| 1500–1570 | 96–99% | Top 1–4% — competitive at Ivies and elite universities |
| 1400–1490 | 92–96% | Top 5–8% — strong for selective private universities |
| 1300–1390 | 82–91% | Top 10–18% — competitive at many selective schools |
| 1200–1290 | 71–81% | Above average — competitive at most four-year schools |
| 1100–1190 | 55–70% | Average range — meets admission floors at many schools |
| 1000–1090 | 37–54% | Below national average — competitive at less selective schools |
| Below 1000 | Below 37% | Competitive primarily at open-enrollment institutions |
📌 Percentile data based on College Board published SAT percentile tables. Percentiles shift slightly year to year.
ACT Score Percentiles: What Your Score Actually Means
The ACT is scored on a 1–36 composite scale. Here is how ACT scores map to national percentiles:
| ACT Composite | Percentile (Approx.) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 35–36 | 99%+ | Top 1% nationally — highly selective university range |
| 33–34 | 98–99% | Top 2% — competitive at Ivies and elite universities |
| 30–32 | 94–97% | Top 3–6% — strong for selective private universities |
| 27–29 | 85–93% | Top 7–15% — competitive at many selective schools |
| 24–26 | 73–84% | Above average — competitive at most four-year schools |
| 20–23 | 49–72% | Average to above average range |
| 17–19 | 30–48% | Below national average |
| Below 17 | Below 30% | Competitive primarily at open-enrollment institutions |
📌 Percentile data based on ACT published national norms. Verify current tables at act.org.
What Is a Good SAT/ACT Score by College Type?
| Category | SAT Score Range | ACT Score Range | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highly Selective (Top 20) | 1480–1600 | 33–36 | Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Caltech |
| Very Selective (Top 20–50) | 1380–1530 | 31–35 | UCLA, Georgetown, Emory, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt |
| Selective (Top 50–100) | 1250–1450 | 28–33 | UC Santa Barbara, Fordham, Boston University |
| Moderately Selective | 1100–1300 | 24–29 | Many state universities, mid-tier private colleges |
| Less Selective / Open Enrollment | 900–1200 | 18–25 | Community colleges, open-admission universities |
📌 These are competitive ranges — being within range does not guarantee admission. Always research the specific school’s middle 50% score range in their Common Data Set.
Score Ranges at Specific Universities (2025–2026 Data)
| University | SAT Middle 50% | ACT Middle 50% |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 1500–1580 | 34–36 |
| MIT | 1510–1580 | 35–36 |
| Stanford | 1500–1570 | 34–36 |
| Yale | 1500–1570 | 34–36 |
| Princeton | 1500–1570 | 34–36 |
| Duke | 1480–1560 | 34–36 |
| Columbia | 1480–1560 | 34–36 |
| UPenn | 1470–1560 | 34–35 |
| Dartmouth | 1470–1560 | 33–35 |
| UCLA | 1310–1530 | 29–35 |
| UC Berkeley | 1310–1530 | 29–35 |
| UC San Diego | 1270–1490 | 28–34 |
| University of Michigan | 1360–1530 | 32–35 |
| Georgetown | 1380–1540 | 31–35 |
| Boston University | 1320–1510 | 30–34 |
| NYU | 1330–1520 | 30–34 |
| USC | 1350–1530 | 31–35 |
📌 Always verify score ranges at each school’s Common Data Set (CDS) before applying — ranges shift annually.
What Is a Good SAT Section Score?
Reading & Writing
The SAT Reading & Writing section is scored 200–800.
| R&W Score | Performance Level |
|---|---|
| 720–800 | Excellent — at or above median for highly selective schools |
| 650–710 | Strong — competitive at selective universities |
| 580–640 | Above average — meets requirements at most four-year schools |
| 500–570 | Average — may need improvement for selective schools |
| Below 500 | Below average — targeted prep recommended |
Math
The SAT Math section is scored 200–800.
| Score Range | Performance Level |
|---|---|
| 720–800 | Excellent — at or above median for highly selective STEM schools |
| 650–710 | Strong — competitive at most selective universities |
| 580–640 | Above average — solid foundation |
| 500–570 | Average — room for improvement with targeted prep |
| Below 500 | Below average — focused Math prep recommended |
What Is a Good ACT Section Score?
| Section | Average Score | Strong Score | Excellent Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 20–21 | 27+ | 33+ |
| Math | 19–20 | 26+ | 32+ |
| Reading | 21–22 | 28+ | 33+ |
| Science | 20–21 | 27+ | 32+ |
| Composite | 20–21 | 27+ | 32+ |
Score Targets for Merit Scholarships
Many universities offer merit scholarships with specific SAT/ACT score thresholds. Common scholarship targets:
| Scholarship Level | Typical SAT Requirement | Typical ACT Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Full-ride / Presidential Scholarships | 1400–1500+ | 32–34+ |
| Large merit awards ($20K+/year) | 1300–1450 | 30–33 |
| Standard merit scholarships | 1200–1350 | 27–30 |
| Honors programme eligibility | 1200–1350+ | 27–30+ |
📌 Scholarship thresholds vary significantly by school. Always check the specific scholarship criteria at each institution.
How to Set Your Score Target
Follow this process to determine the right target score for your student:
- Build a college list of 8–12 schools (2–3 reach, 5–6 match, 2–3 safety)
- Look up the middle 50% SAT/ACT range for each school in their Common Data Set
- Identify the 75th percentile score of your two or three most important match schools — this becomes your primary target
- Take a diagnostic test to establish your current starting point
- Calculate the gap between your diagnostic score and your target
- Use the gap to determine how much prep time and intensity you need
📌 Being at or above the 75th percentile of a school’s score range — not just within the middle 50% — is where test scores actively strengthen an application.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Know Your Target. Build Your Score. Groza Can Help.
Setting the right score target is the first step in every successful SAT and ACT preparation journey. At Groza Learning Center, we begin every student with a diagnostic assessment, identify the exact score gap they need to close, and build a personalised preparation plan to get there.
We have been helping Los Angeles students reach their target scores since 2002 — with over 95% of our students accepted into their top three schools.
We serve students across Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Westwood, Beverly Hills, and throughout the Los Angeles area.
Schedule a free consultation: grozalearningcenter.com
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