Colleges Where Test Scores Are Very Important

167 colleges in the CollegeCalcAI database rate standardized test scores as very important in the "Selection of Students" section (C7) of their own Common Data Set. 89 are public and 78 are private; the median school on the list admits 66%, and the most selective are California Institute of Technology (3%), Columbia University (4%), and Stanford University (4%). A strong SAT or ACT carries real weight here. If your score sits below the school's middle 50%, a retest moves your odds more at these schools than at test-optional ones. The list is drawn only from schools with a published factor record; schools that do not report one are not assumed either way.

Schools

167

Median acceptance

66%

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

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Your chances at these colleges

Estimated chance of admission for three typical students, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA; 2, 4 and 7 AP courses respectively; Regular Decision; no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook.

Which of the Colleges Where Test Scores Are Very Important can I get into with a 3.7 GPA and a 1300 SAT?

By CollegeCalcAI's model, a student with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1300 SAT has a Likely or Safety estimate (45% or higher) at 72 of the 100 colleges here, including Mississippi College, Southern University and Fisk University. 5 more are Target (25 to 44%), such as Florida A&M University and Florida State University. The other 23 are Reach. Estimates assume Regular Decision and no hook; courses, activities and essays move them.

Estimated admission chance for three student profiles at each college: 3.3 GPA, 1150 SAT; 3.7 GPA, 1300 SAT; 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT
College	3.3 GPA1150 SAT	3.7 GPA1300 SAT	4.0 GPA1500 SAT
California Institute of Technologyadmits 3%	4%Reach	4%Reach	7%Reach
Columbia Universityadmits 4%	4%Reach	6%Reach	8%Reach
Stanford Universityadmits 4%	4%Reach	6%Reach	8%Reach
University of Chicagoadmits 4%	4%Reach	6%Reach	8%Reach
Brown Universityadmits 5%	5%Reach	7%Reach	10%Reach
Dartmouth Collegeadmits 5%	5%Reach	7%Reach	10%Reach
Princeton Universityadmits 5%	5%Reach	7%Reach	10%Reach
Massachusetts Institute of Technologyadmits 5%	5%Reach	7%Reach	10%Reach
Vanderbilt Universityadmits 6%	6%Reach	8%Reach	12%Reach
Johns Hopkins Universityadmits 6%	6%Reach	8%Reach	12%Reach
Rice Universityadmits 8%	7%Reach	9%Reach	16%Reach
Cornell Universityadmits 9%	8%Reach	10%Reach	18%Reach
U.S. Naval Academyadmits 9%	8%Reach	13%Reach	21%Reach
New York Universityadmits 9%	8%Reach	11%Reach	18%Reach
University of Southern Californiaadmits 10%	8%Reach	12%Reach	20%Reach
University of Notre Dameadmits 11%	9%Reach	12%Reach	21%Reach
U.S. Military Academyadmits 12%	10%Reach	17%Reach	28%Target
Carnegie Mellon Universityadmits 12%	9%Reach	13%Reach	23%Reach
College of the Ozarksadmits 12%	15%Reach	22%Reach	28%Target
Georgetown Universityadmits 13%	10%Reach	15%Reach	26%Target
Georgia Techadmits 14%	10%Reach	15%Reach	28%Target
U.S. Air Force Academyadmits 14%	10%Reach	19%Reach	32%Target
University of Michiganadmits 16%	11%Reach	17%Reach	33%Target
Florida A&M Universityadmits 21%	25%Target	40%Target	51%Likely
Florida State Universityadmits 24%	16%Reach	35%Target	59%Likely

Show all 100 colleges

Estimated admission chance for three student profiles at each college: 3.3 GPA, 1150 SAT; 3.7 GPA, 1300 SAT; 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT (continued)
University of Floridaadmits 24%	15%Reach	31%Target	57%Likely
University of Texas at Austinadmits 27%	17%Reach	33%Target	62%Likely
Villanova Universityadmits 27%	17%Reach	33%Target	61%Likely
Mississippi Collegeadmits 29%	35%Target	58%Likely	71%Safety
Southern Universityadmits 35%	54%Likely	72%Safety	82%Safety
Fisk Universityadmits 37%	56%Likely	74%Safety	85%Safety
University of Georgiaadmits 38%	24%Reach	55%Likely	85%Safety
University of Central Floridaadmits 40%	31%Target	67%Likely	89%Safety
Carolina Universityadmits 40%	56%Likely	79%Safety	89%Safety
Howard Universityadmits 41%	39%Target	76%Safety	90%Safety
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluffadmits 41%	64%Likely	81%Safety	90%Safety
Ave Maria Universityadmits 41%	47%Likely	81%Safety	90%Safety
University of Tennesseeadmits 42%	35%Target	72%Safety	90%Safety
University of South Floridaadmits 43%	38%Target	77%Safety	92%Safety
Texas A&M Internationaladmits 44%	64%Likely	86%Safety	93%Safety
Alcorn State Universityadmits 45%	72%Safety	87%Safety	94%Safety
College of Saint Mary (NE)admits 45%	65%Likely	86%Safety	93%Safety
Washington Adventist Universityadmits 46%	66%Likely	87%Safety	94%Safety
Delaware State Universityadmits 47%	76%Safety	89%Safety	95%Safety
Pacific Union Collegeadmits 47%	69%Likely	89%Safety	95%Safety
Defiance Collegeadmits 48%	71%Safety	90%Safety	95%Safety
Sterling Collegeadmits 48%	70%Safety	89%Safety	95%Safety
Stony Brook Universityadmits 49%	36%Target	78%Safety	96%Safety
Purdue Universityadmits 50%	37%Target	77%Safety	96%Safety
Jarvis Christian Universityadmits 50%	80%Safety	92%Safety	97%Safety
Philander Smith Universityadmits 50%	79%Safety	92%Safety	96%Safety
York University (NE)admits 52%	78%Safety	93%Safety	97%Safety
University of North Floridaadmits 53%	64%Likely	93%Safety	98%Safety
Florida International Universityadmits 55%	68%Likely	95%Safety	98%Safety
Albany State Universityadmits 55%	87%Safety	96%Safety	98%Safety
Savannah State Universityadmits 55%	87%Safety	96%Safety	98%Safety
Bethany College (KS)admits 56%	83%Safety	96%Safety	98%Safety
Rutgers Universityadmits 58%	51%Likely	90%Safety	98%Safety
Florida Techadmits 58%	84%Safety	97%Safety	98%Safety
Gallaudet Universityadmits 58%	76%Safety	97%Safety	98%Safety
West Floridaadmits 58%	87%Safety	97%Safety	98%Safety
Bob Jones Universityadmits 58%	82%Safety	97%Safety	98%Safety
Franciscan University of Steubenvilleadmits 58%	71%Safety	96%Safety	98%Safety
University of Arkansas at Little Rockadmits 59%	89%Safety	97%Safety	98%Safety
Freed-Hardeman Universityadmits 60%	86%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
William Carey Universityadmits 60%	89%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Kentucky Christian Universityadmits 61%	89%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Hampton Universityadmits 62%	90%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Reinhardt Universityadmits 62%	94%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Florida Gulf Coast Universityadmits 63%	84%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Missouri-St. Louisadmits 63%	92%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Rensselaer Polytechnic Instituteadmits 63%	61%Likely	92%Safety	98%Safety
Central Baptist Collegeadmits 63%	92%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Elizabeth City State Universityadmits 64%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
New Jersey Institute of Technologyadmits 65%	68%Likely	96%Safety	98%Safety
Claflin Universityadmits 65%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Northwestern Oklahoma Stateadmits 65%	94%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Johnson Universityadmits 65%	94%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Nelson Universityadmits 65%	93%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Southwestern Christian Universityadmits 65%	93%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
WVU Techadmits 65%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Abilene Christian Universityadmits 66%	89%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Florida Atlantic Universityadmits 66%	81%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Fort Valley State Universityadmits 66%	96%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Science and Arts of Oklahomaadmits 66%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Presbyterian Collegeadmits 68%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Southern Nazarene Universityadmits 68%	94%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Southwest Baptist Universityadmits 68%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Kennesaw State Universityadmits 69%	92%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Mercer Universityadmits 69%	84%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
West Alabamaadmits 69%	96%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Texas Wesleyan Universityadmits 69%	96%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Florida Collegeadmits 70%	97%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Harding Universityadmits 71%	96%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Henderson State Universityadmits 71%	97%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Rutgers-Newarkadmits 71%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Morningside Universityadmits 71%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
University of Memphisadmits 72%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Valdosta State Universityadmits 72%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Missouri S&Tadmits 73%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities or compare your own list with the free admissions API.

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CollegeCalcAI. "Colleges Where Test Scores Are Very Important." 2026. https://collegecalcai.com/data/colleges-where-test-scores-are-very-important

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66%median acceptance rate, colleges where test scores are very important (167 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI

<a href="https://collegecalcai.com/data/colleges-where-test-scores-are-very-important?utm_source=embed&utm_medium=statcard" style="display:inline-block;padding:16px 20px;border:1px solid #E5E9F0;border-radius:14px;text-decoration:none;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;background:#fff">66%median acceptance rate, colleges where test scores are very important (167 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI</a>

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Acceptance rates and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets) and are rounded. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.