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Which Colleges Require the SAT Essay? Complete List

SAT , SAT Essay

Planning to take the SAT? Before you sign up, you need to decide whether you're going to take the test with or without the optional Essay . How should you pick? Well, some colleges require that you apply with the SAT with Essay; others don't care whether you submit an SAT score with or without the Essay.

In this article, I'll provide you with a complete list of colleges that require or recommend taking the SAT with the Essay .

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

What Is the Optional SAT Essay?

The redesigned SAT debuted in March 2016 with a now-optional Essay section. For the Essay, you have 50 minutes to read a passage (similar to those you see on the Reading section ) and write an essay dissecting how the author made the argument . Did the author use evidence to support the main claim? Appeals to emotion? Specific word choice?

If you take the SAT without Essay, the test length is three hours . However, if you take the SAT with Essay, the optional Essay adds 50 minutes . It also costs more to take the SAT with Essay : $64.50 vs $49.50 without the Essay.

Don't automatically assume you must take the Essay. Whether it's important for you depends on which schools (and scholarships) you're applying to and what the rest of your application looks like. I'll go into more depth later about how to decide which version of the SAT to take.

List of Schools That Require the SAT With Essay

Below, I've compiled a list of colleges that require or recommend taking the SAT with Essay. All data comes from the College Board and some individual schools we consulted separately.

Note: This list is subject to change, so make sure to double-check with each school you're applying to.

Surprisingly (and in contrast to how it's been in the past), top schools mostly do not require the SAT essay . Currently, no Ivy League School requires students to take the SAT with Essay; the same is true for Stanford, Caltech, Duke, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Northwestern, NYU, and UChicago. Many of these schools no longer even recommend students to take the SAT with Essay, which is a huge turnaround from just a couple of years ago.

Similarly, most liberal arts colleges do not require or recommend the SAT with Essay ; however, there are some exceptions, such as Soka University, which does require it.

In general, most state schools also do not require the SAT with Essay, though there's still a significant portion that do. There tends to be some weird variance even within states. For example, all University of California schools require the SAT with Essay, but most of the California State University schools do not.

Regardless of the types of schools you're applying to, don't assume that they all ask for the SAT with Essay . Check with every school to make sure you understand their testing requirements.

How to Decide Whether to Take the SAT Essay: 4 Questions

When making your decision about whether to take the SAT with Essay or the SAT without Essay, you'll need to consider the following four questions.

#1: Do Any Schools I Want to Apply to Require the SAT Essay?

If you're applying to any school that requires the Essay, then you must take the SAT with Essay . If you take the SAT without Essay, your application will be incomplete and you won't get admitted. By contrast, if you apply to any schools that don't require the SAT Essay, you can still take the SAT with Essay since these schools will accept both types of SAT scores (with or without Essay).

To reiterate, colleges that require the SAT Essay won't consider your score if you took the SAT without the Essay . The last thing you want to do is take the SAT without the Essay and get a good score—but then find out that one of your target schools requires you to take the SAT with Essay.

Remember that some colleges change their application policies from year to year, so make sure to double-check the testing policies of the schools you're applying to .

#2: Do Any Schools I Want to Apply to Recommend the SAT Essay?

If you're not applying to any schools that require the SAT Essay section but are applying to some that recommend it, then I'd still suggest taking it . This gives you another dimension schools can use to evaluate your application; however, there are some cases in which you shouldn't take the SAT with Essay.

If, for some reason, you do not qualify for SAT fee waivers and paying the extra cost to take the SAT with Essay would be a financial burden to you , then please don't feel as if you have to take it. In this case, it's fine to take the SAT without Essay instead.

In addition, if you really struggle to write essays under time constraints (due to anxiety), you might want to opt out of the Essay . That said, I only recommend this for students who normally have strong English and writing skills but struggle to write coherent essays when there's the added pressure of a time constraint.

For example, do you get As on essays you can work on at home but Cs on in-class essays because you get easily nervous? If that's the case, taking the SAT with Essay might not be a good idea.

#3: Am I Applying to Any Scholarships That Require an SAT With Essay Score?

Many scholarships (such as National Merit ) require you to submit SAT scores , and some specifically want SAT with Essay scores.

Therefore, be sure to check the requirements of each scholarship you're planning on applying for . While scholarships that don't require or recommend the SAT Essay should still accept your SAT with Essay score, scholarships that require the Essay section will not consider your SAT score if you took the no-essay version .

#4: Will the SAT Essay Enhance My Application in Other Ways?

Generally speaking, taking the SAT Essay if it's not required won't add a lot to your application. In truth, colleges that don't recommend or require the Essay really don't pay much attention to it.

Nevertheless, the Essay might be helpful for international students who want to prove they have strong English skills and who think they'll do especially well on it. If you fall into this category and feel confident you'll get a high score on it ( after doing practice essays , for example), definitely consider taking the SAT with Essay.

On the other hand, if you don't think you'll do well on the Essay, I recommend against taking it.

What's Next?

Need help preparing for the SAT? Read our ultimate study guide to get expert tips on prep and access to the best free online resources. If you're taking the test soon, learn how to cram for the SAT .

Want to learn more about the SAT Essay? Check out our step-by-step guide to writing a great essay .

Not sure where you want to go to college? Learn how to do college research right and figure out your SAT target score .

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As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

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Which Colleges Require SAT Essay in 2022-2023?

If you’re wondering which colleges require sat essay in 2022-2023, this guide has all you need to know — including how to decide whether to take the essay..

Updated by TCM Staff on 3rd September 2022

3rd September 2022

College Board has recently made major changes to the SAT essay that can affect your application

If there’s one thing that many college applicants tend to feel intimidated by, it’s the need to do well in standardized tests like the SAT. Although fewer colleges and universities continue to require the submission of standardized test scores, many still do require them. And if doing well in the SAT wasn’t stressful enough, some colleges also require the SAT essay — so there’s an additional bit of pressure to do well in that, too. If you’re one of the thousands of applicants wondering which colleges require SAT essay scores to be submitted, this comprehensive guide is for you.

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a centralized examination that evaluates examinees on four grounds: critical reading, writing, mathematics, and the optional SAT essay. 

However, College Board announced in January 2021 that it would stop offering the SAT essay effective immediately. This means that no more colleges require you to take the SAT with an essay.

Read on to find out everything you need to know, including what the SAT essay is, how it is scored, what schools require the SAT essay, and more information about the news from College Board.

What is the SAT Essay?

The SAT Essay is a supplementary segment of the centralized Scholastic Aptitude Test. 

If you’ve heard about the SAT and the essay before, then you might be asking the question “is the essay required on the SAT?” The answer is simple. 

There was a time when an essay was a required portion of the test and everyone simply had to take it as part of sitting for their SATs. Because it was pretty much a required section of the SAT during that time, all colleges that required the SAT also required the SAT essay.

The essay evaluates the candidate’s comprehensive, writing, and time management skills. An argumentative passage is laid out for the applicant to study, analyze, and summarize. College Board usually assembled sample  SAT essay prompts for assistance. During the essay, examinees are allotted 50 minutes to read the prompt, analyze it, and write their responses in essay form.

It’s worth mentioning, however, that College Board made the essay optional in 2016. For this reason, many colleges and universities began dropping it from their application requirements. Even then, many colleges and universities continued to require the essay or at least recommend students to take it and submit their scores alongside their application.

Editor’s note: College Board has made a big announcement in 2021 that renders this information invalid. See their announcement below.

How is the SAT Essay Scored?

To understand how the SAT essay is scored, we must first take a closer look at the essay itself.

Every SAT Essay is comprised of a passage around 650-750 words long. You are given 50 minutes to read, analyze, and then respond to this prompt. The primary purpose of these essays is the assessment of your analysis skills. Strong essays focus on how you use evidence and reasoning alongside any other rhetorical techniques in building your convincing argument.

Essays are the same in every test. The only thing that will change is the passage or prompt you’ll be tasked to respond to.

Once you’ve completed your essay, two scorers will evaluate it. These scorers must assign a score between 1 to 4 in the three categories of reading, analysis, and writing. Once the scorers give you their ratings, scores are added up to give you a total between 2 and 8 for each of the three categories. But what do the scores mean?

• Reading - Graders will score you based on how well they think your essay showed your understanding of the passage and whether you used textual evidence to demonstrate this understanding.
• Analysis - Your score in this section is determined by how well you have analyzed the text. It also considers how you performed in explaining this analysis with reasoning, evidence, and other rhetorical techniques for persuasion.
• Writing - Your writing score is effectively based on how well you’ve used language. It takes into consideration factors such as how skillful you were in crafting responses, how clear your essay’s structure is, how clear your essay’s point or thesis is, and so on.

Do Ivy League Schools Require the SAT Essay?

It may seem surprising, but if you look at which colleges require the SAT essay, you may notice that most top schools do not make it a requirement. 

In recent years, no Ivy League schools have required applicants to submit their SAT scores with the essay. The same applies to other prestigious top-notch schools such as Caltech, Stanford, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, NYU, MIT, and more. 

Many liberal arts colleges also did not require or recommend you take the SAT with the essay.

However, it’s not just the essay that a good number of schools have been dropping as a requirement.

Many Schools Have Been Dropping the SAT Requirement

Many colleges and universities have begun dropping the standardized test requirement entirely, including some highly prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, and Princeton University. These three institutions, among many others, have made SAT and ACT scores entirely optional in their application process. Submitting your scores will get them considered during these schools’ holistic admissions process, but your SAT scores will not put you at an advantage over others who have chosen not to submit theirs.

The trend of dropping standardized test scores as a requirement was noted even as early as 2018. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has accelerated this process and prompted plenty of other institutions to make their testing policies more lenient overall. This trend is welcomed by critics who have for a long time expressed how standardized testing might put underprivileged and underserved students at a disadvantage.

To compensate for dropping the standardized testing requirement, colleges and universities have instead started placing more weight on the other factors comprising a student’s application. For example, to test a student’s writing ability, colleges will look more closely at the applicant’s personal statement or their grades in subjects like English.

Editor’s note: It’s worth mentioning that some institutions, such as Harvard, have simply suspended the requirement for the coming years. However, there is no telling whether Harvard will actually reinstate this requirement after this suspension period.

College Board’s Massive Announcement in January 2021: No More SAT Essay

In a surprise announcement on January 2021, College Board stated that they are no longer offering SAT Subject Tests and the optional SAT essay. As such, both were discontinued effective immediately and were completely phased out from the SATs. Moving forward from that point, the SAT essay is no longer available — unless in circumstances outlined below.

Students from certain states may still be required to sit for the essays if it is a part of their SAT School Day administrations . 

Through SAT School Day administrations, College Board allows schools, districts, and states to offer their juniors and seniors an equalizing opportunity: sit for their SATs during a regular school day in their home school. 

Few states continue to require the essay during SAT School Day administrations. 

States that continue to require it in the academic year 2021 to 2022 include:

• New Hampshire

College Board advises that if you are scheduled to take your SATs on a school day, you should inquire with your school if the essay will be required.

Why Did College Board Discontinue the SAT Essay?

According to College Board in its FAQ , they chose to discontinue the SAT essay simply because they are adapting to students’ and colleges’ changing needs. College Board believes that discontinuing the essay allows for the streamlining of the entire process, especially for students who have more relevant methods or opportunities to show their reading, analysis, and writing skills.

College Board states that despite this discontinuation, they will continue measuring students’ writing and editing skills in other ways. An example would be the tasks on the SAT’s reading, writing, and language sections. If you wish to demonstrate your skills in reading, analysis, and writing, it may benefit you to prepare better for the pertinent SAT sections.

Should I Take the SAT Essay? How to Decide

At this point, you are no longer given the decision of whether to take the SAT essay or not. Unfortunately, since the essay has been entirely discontinued, you will not be able to sit for it anywhere. The exception, of course, is if the essay is included as part of your SAT School Day administration. And again, if the essay is included, you are simply required to take it, with no option to avoid it.

For this reason, if you are scheduled to take your SAT on a school day, you may want to check with your school guidance office and find out whether the essay will be required. Doing so well ahead of time can help you prepare well for the SAT essays so you can up your chances of getting a good score.

Which Colleges Require SAT Essay in 2022?

After all that news, you may still be wondering “which universities require SAT essay?”

In light of College Board’s huge announcement in January 2021 that eliminated SAT subject tests and essays entirely, it is no longer possible to take the SAT essay unless in certain circumstances. It is for this reason that no more colleges or universities require students to take the SAT essays .

However, if you do take the essay, you can continue to submit your scores alongside your application. Admissions officers may choose to consider your essay scores along with the rest of your application, though the choice to do so is almost always up to their discretion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do any colleges require sat with essay.

There was a time that there were indeed colleges and universities that required applicants to submit their SAT scores with an essay. However, since January 2021, College Board no longer offers the SAT essay. If you’re wondering about colleges requiring SAT essay, as of today there are no longer any.

Is the SAT essay still required?

If you’re wondering what colleges require the SAT essay, the answer is none. In January 2021, College Board discontinued SAT subject tests and the otional SAT essay, which means no more schools require it.

Does UCLA require SAT with essay?

UCLA was previously one of the schools that require SAT essay from their applicants. However, this is no longer the case since the essays have been completely discontinued.

Is SAT essay required for Harvard?

For the past couple of years, Harvard has suspended its requirement for standardized tests like the SAT or ACT in their applications to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions. Harvard has pushed this suspension to the 2026 application cycle. Harvard no longer requires the SAT essay either, but if you have managed to take it you can still submit your scores for consideration .

Does SAT essay affect your score?

Since the SAT essay became optional, it no longer affects your overall SAT score. Essay scores are shown separately on your report. Note that the optional essay has been discontinued since January of 2021, and you can only take the essay under rare special circumstances discussed in the article above.

If you’re in the middle of preparing your applications for your dream schools, it only makes sense to wonder which colleges require SAT essay. Only a year or so ago, there would’ve been a big list of colleges that require the SAT essay, despite it being an optional section of the standardized test. 

However, since College Board discontinued SAT subject tests and the optional essay in January of 2021, there are no longer any colleges requiring you to submit your essay scores with your application.  

If you have managed to take the essay, you may still be able to submit your scores for consideration. Good luck!

Taking the SATs soon? Find out when you’ll get your SAT results .

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While the increased prevalence of test-optional policies started with the pandemic, many institutions, including some of the most selective colleges, have extended or even made these policies permanent. However, a range of prominent public universities and tech schools, particularly in the South, have been requiring tests again for a couple of years now, and for the 2024-2025 cycle, half the Ivy League will once again be requiring all applicants to submit a test score.

These varying strategies reflect the ongoing discussion across higher education about the usefulness of standardized tests in assessing student potential . Regardless of your personal opinions on standardized tests, you want to make sure you know the testing policies of the schools you’re applying to. If you’re wondering if a school on your list is requiring standardized tests this year, keep reading to find out.

Note: Please make sure to check the official website of the school you’re applying to. Some schools may recommend taking standardized tests, but it’s not required. However, especially if the school is highly selective, a recommendation should generally be viewed as a requirement.

Given the competitiveness of the modern college admissions landscape, many colleges, even test-optional ones, still place a high value on your SAT or ACT score. CollegeVine’s free chancing engine allows you to understand how your test scores, along with other elements of your profile like GPA and extracurriculars, affect your chances of acceptance.

With this tool, you can play around with different parameters, like higher SAT or ACT scores, to see how much they’d boost your chances of getting in. If you’re thinking about retaking the SAT or ACT, getting a concrete sense of how much a higher score would help you can be invaluable.

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Ivy League College Admission Requirements & How to Get In

Most students know they need to achieve superb grades and score well on standardized tests to get into Ivy League Schools. But what else do Ivy Leagues look for in prospective, qualified students? What can high school students do now to make their applications more competitive and help them stand out among other high achievers?

Outside of grades and test scores, many ways exist to create a winning application to Ivy League colleges and universities. We've developed some tips to help you get the best shot at getting into one of these prestigious schools!

Ivy League College Admissions

Before crafting a plan to get into an Ivy League college, you'll want to be sure that you know what exactly that means and why you are striving for it.

Ivy League Colleges

First, what makes a college Ivy League? " Ivy League " refers to eight private colleges and universities in the northeastern United States known for their academic excellence, selective admissions, and social prestige. These schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.

The Ivy League originated as an athletic conference, but over time, it has come to represent institutions that offer a broad range of educational opportunities at the highest level. While all these schools have vital athletic programs, they are more renowned for their rigorous academic curricula, world-class faculty, abundant resources, and extensive alum networks.

Admissions Requirements for Ivy League Schools

While each school has its requirements, averages, and general expectations, all the Ivy Leagues have very high academic standards. Most applicants will have a GPA of 4.0 or higher and get a 700 or higher on each section of the SAT ; there is a generally accepted minimum of 31 for ACT scores.

These are considered the most essential parts of an Ivy League application; however, other factors can help you stand out.

Choose High School Courses Strategically

Even Ivy League schools recognize that different schools offer different classes , and none will require you to take any specific high school classes. But they will look for two major things on your transcript: consistency and challenges.

As James W. Lewis suggests in his book College Admission--How to Get Into Your Dream School: Real Students, Real Stories , crafting a four-year plan as a high school student will help you map out your high school experience to become the strongest possible candidate for the school of your choice. This can help you prioritize consistently challenging courses while discovering what you find most fun and exciting about learning.

Be Consistent

Consider taking courses in English, mathematics, social science, laboratory science, and a foreign language all four years of high school. This will show Ivy League admissions officers that you have baseline knowledge in all these courses and are committed to your education.

You may also choose a set of electives or activities that can appear on your transcript for all four years, like taking drama or music classes. This can highlight your interest and commitment to an action you will carry to their campus.

Then Challenge Yourself

Along with taking consistent courses, you should also show on your transcript that you have challenged yourself by taking progressively more difficult courses throughout high school.

For example, consider taking AP English next if you take Honors English for a couple of years. Taking challenging AP and IB courses in areas that interest you most will help demonstrate your desire to continue learning at a higher and higher level. Admissions offices usually look for students who took their schools' highest-level courses.

Prepare for Your Admissions Essay Early

Ivy League Schools look for well-written admissions essays that reveal a student’s interests, demonstrate a clear desire to study at a specific college or university, and are fascinating to read. These essays can help you stand out from a pool of similar-looking applications.

Though you do not need to start writing your essay years in advance, you can cultivate all the qualities and experiences you will write about by taking specific steps throughout your high school career.

Once you start drafting, you'll also want to build in time to iterate and have trusted people proofread your essay. You want to write only some things the night before it's due - be sure there's time to perfect your words!

Beyond the writing you complete in high school, you can also practice your writing skills by taking extra writing courses, keeping a journal, or writing for fun. Read books by authors with writing styles you love, and experiment with your unique writing voice. By the time you write your admissions essay, you will have cultivated your writing abilities and be able to impress these schools!

Choose Extracurricular Activities According to Your Passions

Ivy League Schools look for students who demonstrate passion in a specific area and have remained committed to that subject throughout high school. While having a well-rounded list of activities can also be helpful, it is generally more compelling to admissions counselors if you maintain a long-term activity that shows you have direction and drive.

If you love drama, for example, continue taking drama classes, participate in community theatre, and teach children’s improvisation courses. Show consistency with high school sports. Demonstrate your love of singing by joining your school’s traveling choir.

Whatever your passion is, pursue it to the fullest, and your dream school’s admissions officers will surely take note. They may even hope you'll join the same activities on their campus.

Carefully Research Your Dream Schools

All schools, especially Ivy League schools, look for applicants who show a clear and specific interest in what those schools offer, from research opportunities and classes to Ivy League certificate programs to volunteer and study abroad programs.

Don't apply to an Ivy League just because you know they're well-respected. Make sure you research your dream schools, both online and in person. Take college and university tours to learn more about your dream school and why you want to go there.

By knowing precisely which programs, courses, and professors excite you and what elements of the campus you love most, your admissions essay will have extra magic and show your dream school why you are an ideal candidate. You can also avoid spending time in schools that don't fit you well. 

Take Time to Relax and Have Fun

Finally, part of being a well-rounded candidate for an Ivy League school is knowing when to relax and enjoy yourself.

Rather than working on your studies nonstop or packing your schedule with too many activities, meet new friends and enjoy your time in high school. Balance is key.

Remember, all your life experiences will add to your unique application to an Ivy League school, and you will be a much happier student if you remember to maintain some balance.

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• Minerva University. San Francisco, CA. 0.99%
• Harvard. Cambridge, MA. 3.00%
• CalTech. Pasadena, CA. 3.00%
• Columbia. New York, NY. 3.99%
• Stanford. Stanford, CA. 3.99%
• MIT. Cambridge, MA. 4.00%
• Brown. Providence, RI. 4.99%
• University of Chicago. Chicago, IL. 4.99%

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What is the lowest sat score for harvard.

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The eight Ivy League schools are among the most selective colleges in the country. This doesn't mean that you need a 4.0 GPA and 1600 on the SAT to get in (although it doesn't hurt). All the Ivy League schools have holistic admissions , so they are looking for students who will contribute more than good grades and test scores to the campus community.

Ivy League Admissions

• All eight of the Ivy League schools are highly selective ranging from Harvard with a 5% admit rate to Cornell with 11%
• The great majority of students who get into an Ivy League school have an ACT composite score in the 30s or combined SAT score of 1400 or higher
• No matter how strong your grades and test scores are, you should consider the Ivies to be "reach" schools

A winning Ivy League application needs to present a strong academic record , meaningful extracurricular activities , glowing letters of recommendation , and a compelling application essay . Your college interview and demonstrated interest may also help, and legacy status can give you an advantage.

When it comes to the empirical part of your application, you will need good grades and standardized test scores to get accepted to an Ivy League school. All of the Ivies accept both the ACT and SAT, so choose the exam that works best for you. But how high do your grades and test scores need to be? Follow the links below to learn more about each Ivy League school, and to see admissions data for accepted, rejected, and waitlisted applicants:

Brown University

Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown is the second smallest of the Ivies, and the school has more of an undergraduate focus than universities such as Harvard and Yale. Their acceptance rate is only 7 percent. The great majority of students who get into Brown University have a nearly perfect 4.0 GPA, an ACT composite score above 31, and a combined SAT score (ERW+M) of above 1400.

Columbia University

Located in Upper Manhattan, Columbia University can be an excellent choice for students looking for an urban college experience. Columbia is also one of the largest of the Ivies, and it has a close relationship with neighboring Barnard College . It has a very low acceptance rate of around 5 percent. Students accepted at Columbia typically have GPAs in the A range, SAT scores (ERW+M) above 1450, and ACT composite scores above 32.

Cornell University

Cornell's hillside location in Ithaca, New York, gives it stunning views of Cayuga Lake. The university has one of the top engineering and top hotel management programs in the country. It also has the largest undergraduate populations of all the Ivy League schools. It has an acceptance rate of about 11 percent. Most students accepted at Cornell have a GPA in the A range,  SAT scores (ERW+M) above 1400 and ACT composite scores above 31.

Dartmouth College

If you want a quintessential college town with its central green, nice restaurants, cafés, and bookstores, Dartmouth's home of Hanover, New Hampshire, should be appealing. Dartmouth is the smallest of the Ivies, but don't be fooled by its name: it is a comprehensive university, not a "college." Dartmouth has a low acceptance rate of 8 percent. To be accepted, students tend to have A averages, an ACT composite score above 31, and a combined SAT score (ERW+M) of above 1430. 

Harvard University

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts , with dozens of other colleges and universities nearby, Harvard University is the most selective of the Ivy League Schools as well as the most selective university in the country. Its acceptance rate is just 5 percent. For the best chance of acceptance, you should have an A average, SAT scores (ERW+M) over 1450, and ACT composite scores above 32.

Princeton University

Princeton's campus in New Jersey makes both New York City and Philadelphia an easy day trip. Like Dartmouth, Princeton is on the smaller side and has more of an undergraduate focus than many of the Ivies. Princeton accepts only 6 percent of applicants. To be accepted, you should ideally have a GPA of 4.0, SAT scores (ERW+M) above 1450, and ACT composite scores above 32.

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is one of the larger Ivy League schools, and it has a roughly equal population of undergraduate and graduate students. Its campus in West Philadelphia is just a short walk to Center City. Penn's Wharton School is one of the top business schools in the country. They accept about 8 percent of applicants. To be accepted, you should have an A average, a combined SAT score (ERW+M) of over 1440, and an ACT composite of 32 or higher.

Yale University

Yale is close to Harvard and Stanford with its painfully low acceptance rate. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale also has an even larger endowment than Harvard when measured in relation to enrollment numbers. Yale's acceptance rate is just 6 percent. For the best chance of acceptance, you need a 4.0 GPA, SAT score (ERW+M) above 1450, and an ACT composite score above 32.

A Final Word

All of the Ivies are highly selective, and you should always consider them to be reach schools as you come up with your short list of schools to which you will apply. Thousands of extremely well-qualified applicants are rejected by the Ivies every year.

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• Good ACT Scores for College Admission
• Spring Arbor University Admissions
• Are Average SAT Scores Good Enough?
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• Central State University Admissions
• Johnson & Wales University - North Miami Admissions
• Columbia College Hollywood Admissions
• Virginia Union University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics
• Penn State Altoona Admissions
• Lourdes University Admissions
• Admissions Statistics for Saint Joseph's College in Indiana
• Mayville State University Admissions
• Saint Augustine's University Admissions
• Cleveland Institute of Music Admissions
• Walsh University Admissions