Colleges That Require the SAT or ACT (2026-2027)
The 23 schools on our list of 115 that require a test score from every first-year applicant this cycle, with their published middle-50% ranges and early deadlines. Verified by the AlphaApply.ai team.
What "required" means in practice
Every applicant must have an SAT or ACT score on file, with no exception for students who did not test. Most of these schools let you self-report scores on the application and send the official report only if you enroll, and most superscore the SAT; the school's page states its own rule. If you have not tested, the deadline that matters is the last test date whose scores arrive before the application deadline, which for a November 1 round usually means the October sitting.
What score to aim for
The middle-50% range is where half of last year's enrolled students scored. A score inside the range makes testing a neutral factor; above the 75th percentile it helps; below the 25th it is a weakness the rest of the application has to carry, though at the large public universities on this list a score near the bottom of the range still fits the typical admit. Compare your score against each school's range below rather than against a national average.
All 23 test-required colleges
| College | SAT middle 50% | ACT middle 50% | Early rounds | Accept rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | 1520–1580 | 34–36 | Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 5% |
| Harvard | 1510–1580 | 34–36 | Restrictive Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 4% |
| Stanford | 1510–1580 | 34–35 | Restrictive Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 4% |
| Yale | 1470–1570 | 33–35 | Restrictive Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 4% |
| Johns Hopkins | 1520–1570 | 34–36 | Early Decision: November 1, 2026 | 6% |
| UPenn | 1510–1570 | 34–36 | Early Decision: November 1, 2026 | 5% |
| Caltech | — | — | Restrictive Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 3% |
| Cornell | 1500–1570 | 33–35 | Early Decision: November 1, 2026 | 9% |
| Brown | 1510–1580 | 34–35 | Early Decision: November 1, 2026 | 5% |
| Dartmouth | 1500–1570 | 33–35 | Early Decision: November 1, 2026 | 5% |
| Carnegie Mellon | 1500–1570 | 34–35 | Early Decision: November 2, 2026 | 12% |
| Georgetown | 1390–1550 | 31–35 | Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 13% |
| UT Austin | 1250–1510 | 27–33 | Early Action: October 15, 2026 | 27% |
| University of Florida | 1320–1480 | 29–33 | Early Decision: October 15, 2026 Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 24% |
| Georgia Tech | 1370–1540 | 30–34 | Early Action: October 15, 2026 | 14% |
| Ohio State | 1310–1480 | 28–32 | Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 61% |
| Purdue | 1200–1480 | 27–34 | Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 50% |
| UGA | 1270–1480 | 29–34 | Early Action: October 15, 2026 | 38% |
| FSU | 1270–1410 | 29–32 | Early Decision: October 15, 2026 Early Action: October 15, 2026 | 24% |
| University of Miami | 1320–1480 | 30–33 | Early Decision: November 1, 2026 Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 19% |
| UCF | 1200–1350 | 25–29 | Early Action: October 15, 2026 | 40% |
| Auburn | 1260–1390 | 26–31 | Early Action: December 1, 2026 (final round; earlier rounds September 15, October 15, November 15) | 46% |
| Tennessee | 1200–1370 | 25–31 | Early Action: November 1, 2026 | 42% |
Not sure your score is competitive? Jim reads it against each school on your list and tells you where it helps, where it is neutral, and where to add a target. Free to start.
Check your scores with JimPolicies and score ranges are for the 2026-2027 cycle as verified by the AlphaApply.ai team and can change; always confirm on the school's admissions site.
Questions students ask
Do test-required colleges accept self-reported scores?
Most let you self-report SAT or ACT scores on the application and ask for the official report only after you enroll. A few require official scores up front, so check the school's testing page before the deadline.
What if I have no test score at all?
The application is incomplete at a test-required school. Register for the next available test date and confirm its scores will reach the school by the deadline; otherwise apply in a later round or to the test-optional schools on our list.
Is a score below the middle-50% range disqualifying?
No, but it is a weakness the rest of the application has to offset. At the most selective schools here it is a real disadvantage; at the large public universities a score near the bottom of the range still matches many admitted students.