What is a Good SAT Score for Ivy League schools?

Most students admitted to Ivy League schools who submit standardized test scores have very high scores. However, applicants often want to know, what is a good SAT score for Ivy League schools?

Test scores reported by colleges

Test scores are most often reported as the middle 50% of scores from students who enrolled during that class year.

Pre-COVID, all eight Ivy League schools required the SAT or ACT be submitted for undergraduate, first-time, first-year applicants. During the pandemic, all these schools instituted test-optional policies.

The following table documents the 25 ^th-75 ^th percentile (middle 50%) of SAT scores submitted by first-year students. The Pre-COVID column represents students beginning college in the fall of 2019. The Post-COVID column represents students beginning college in the fall of 2022.

College/University	Pre-COVID (testing required)*		Post-COVID (test-optional)**
	Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing	Math	Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing	Math
Brown University	700-770	740-800	730-780	760-800
Cornell University	680-760	720-800	710-770	760-800
Columbia University	700-770	740-800	730-780	760-800
Dartmouth College	710-770	730-790	740-780	760-800
Harvard University	710-770	750-800	730-780	760-800
Princeton University	710-770	750-800	730-780	760-800
University of Pennsylvania	700-760	750-800	730-770	770-800
Yale University	720-770	740-800	740-780	760-800

*Data is pulled from IPEDS 2019-2020. **Data is pulled from IPEDS 2022-2023.

What’s the takeaway?

The 25 ^th percentile scores for both reading and math on the SAT increased slightly once these schools went test-optional.
At all schools, 25% or more of the students whose data was reported for 2022-2023 submitted a perfect score on their math section.
Both before and after, the majority of students enrolling at Ivy League colleges scored at least 1500 on their SAT.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply to an Ivy League school if you don’t have a score quite as high. Remember, this is the middle 50%, which means 25% of students were accepted with lower grades. But if your test score falls under the middle 50% range and the school requires standardized testing, focusing your efforts on bringing that score up can only help your admissions process.

Will Ivy League colleges begin requiring standardized testing again?

As of early 2024, the following schools now once again require some form of standardized testing:

Brown University
Dartmouth College
Yale University

Only Columbia University has announced that it will remain test-optional for the foreseeable future.

It’s likely that additional schools will make announcements regarding their testing policies in the coming months, whether that’s reinstating standardized testing or solidifying their test-optional stance. If you’re applying to college this fall, taking the SAT and/or ACT is a good way to make sure you have the necessary admissions requirements for any school on your list.

Will scoring a 1500+ on the SAT guarantee you admission to an Ivy League school?

No. Standardized tests are just one component these colleges consider when evaluating applications. But whether an Ivy League school requires standardized testing or not, a 1500 or higher on the SAT can help distinguish your application, calling attention to good grades and a rigorous curriculum.

While it’s important to know what is a good SAT score for Ivy League schools, remember that you are more than just a score and of the tens of thousands to apply each year for those few thousand spots, many will have similarly high scores (hence the single-digit acceptance rates). The high score helps to ensure that your grades and extracurricular involvement are also looked at.