The Koppelman Group

APRIL 12, 2025

Legacy students who get into top schools like Vanderbilt are held to the same high standards that means top-tier grades, strong test scores, and standout extracurriculars. Its no surprise; many come from well-resourced backgrounds where private schools, academic support, and connections with impressive extracurriculars abound.

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Policies Standardized Testing Extracurricular Letters of Recommendation 52

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 26, 2025

For your SAT or ACT, its basically the same kind of situation. Like with grades, there is not a minimum SAT or ACT score for consideration, but functionally there is. Extracurriculars If you have the grades and the scores, the most important tool for setting an application apart from the pack is what happens outside of the classroom.

Policies 52

Policies Ivy League Out-of-State Standardized Testing 52

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 1, 2025

Scores Like most universities, the Cornell testing policy has been shifting over the past few years and through the Covid pandemic. Based on the data , strong applicants need to submit an ACT score at or above 35 or an SAT score at or above 1520.

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Policies Ivy League University University 52

Peterson's Blog

OCTOBER 23, 2024

ACT and SAT scores decline across the U.S. Standardized tests, like the SAT and ACT, are used to determine academic readiness and skills for entering university. This month, Peterson’s will be offering an ACT and SAT special , six months of test prep for $135—99 dollars off, so that students can walk into their test confidently.

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ACT SAT Test Prep Standardized Testing 108

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 18, 2025

However, legacy policies at Princeton persist and we believe strongly in helping students to get every boost they have access to as they strive to get into their dream school. On the ACT, the middle 50% was 34-35 for the accepted and enrolled Class of 2028.

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Policies University University Honor Society 52

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 5, 2025

Below, weve broken it down to four key areas for action: grades, scores, extracurriculars, and type of application. So, all applicants, including legacies, are required to submit standardized test scores, like the SAT or ACT. Or they can submit an ACT of 34 or higher. Its their application, after all!

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Policies Standardized Testing Ivy League SAT 52

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 15, 2025

That means excellent grades, scores, extracurriculars, and essays. For serious candidates to USC, we recommend at least a 1500 on the SAT or a 34 on the ACT, but higher is better. Extracurriculars Being team captain or dabbling in a few clubs wont cut it you need to demonstrate real substance if you want USCs attention.

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Policies University University Extracurricular 52

AdmissionSight

JANUARY 10, 2025

No extracurricular activity is “bad,” but some definitely catch the eye of college admissions teams more than others. Getting involved in extracurricular activities can seriously boost your chances of getting into college. 4 Tiers of Extracurricular Activities Do Tier 1 Extracurriculars Guarantee You a Spot?

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Extracurricular Applications Out-of-State Policies 40

Top Tier Admissions

JANUARY 21, 2025

The University of Miami has announced a significant policy update for prospective students. Starting with the Fall 2026 application cycle, undergraduate applicants will once again be required to submit standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) as part of their application. ENROLL NOW What Does This Mean for College Admissions?

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Standardized Testing Testing University University 85

Spark Admissions

APRIL 11, 2023

In March 2023, Columbia University announced that it would permanently drop the SAT/ACT requirement for undergraduate admissions. The decision by Columbia to abandon the SAT/ACT requirement represents a significant milestone in the ongoing debate around standardized testing in higher education and in the overall future of college admissions.

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ACT SAT Testing Standardized Testing 130

Spark Admissions

APRIL 11, 2023

In March 2023, Columbia University announced that it would permanently drop the SAT/ACT requirement for undergraduate admissions. The decision by Columbia to abandon the SAT/ACT requirement represents a significant milestone in the ongoing debate around standardized testing in higher education and in the overall future of college admissions.

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ACT SAT Testing Standardized Testing 130

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 7, 2025

Scores Harvard requires applicants to submit an ACT or SAT score to meet their testing requirements, but they dont have minimum scores to apply. Extracurriculars One of the most common weak spots that we see for hopeful Harvard applicants is in what they do outside of class hours.

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Policies SAT GPA Acceptance 52

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 14, 2025

Many of these changes started before the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into the legacy admissions policy at Penn, related to the striking down of affirmative action by the Supreme Court, in January of 2024. If they choose the ACT , strong applicants submit a score between 34 and 36.

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Policies Ivy League Early Decision University 52

AdmissionSight

DECEMBER 3, 2024

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, it’s important to understand what a revoked admission means and familiarize yourself with your college’s policies. A college can revoke your acceptance, and each school has its own policies outlining when and why this might happen. The good news is these policies aren’t a secret.

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Acceptance Policies Transcripts Early Decision 96

Top Tier Admissions

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Applicants to the Class of 2029 will need to submit an SAT or ACT score although there are some exceptions for those unable to take these exams. Transfer students may still take advantage of a test-optional policy. 3 words) What is your most meaningful extracurricular commitment, and what would you like us to know about it?

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Ivy League University University Transfer 96

Spark Admissions

JUNE 30, 2023

On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in twin cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions, ruling that the decades-long policy of race-conscious admissions in American higher education was unconstitutional. What Does the Fair Admissions Decision Say?

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Policies Out-of-State Higher Education Minor 264

Grown & Flown

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Academic Profile : What are the average GPA and ACT/SAT scores for admitted students? Clubs & Activities : What extracurriculars are available? Housing Policies : Is freshman housing required? In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rates : How competitive is admission for out-of-state students?

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Financial Aid Out-of-State Campus Tours Study Abroad 148

AdmissionSight

FEBRUARY 6, 2025

For Fall 2025 applicants, Cornell remains test-optional, giving students the choice to submit SAT or ACT scores. However, this policy will change for Fall 2026 admissions, when standardized test scores will once again be required. Understanding Cornells shifting test policies is crucial for applicants.

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Testing Standardized Testing GPA SAT 52

AdmissionSight

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

As a high school student, you’re probably no stranger to big tests like AP exams, the PSAT, or the SAT and ACT. Here’s some good news: more colleges than ever are making the SAT and ACT optional. If you have test anxiety, decided to skip the SAT or ACT, or didn’t quite hit the scores you hoped for, you’re not out of luck.

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Testing Standardized Testing SAT Policies 52

The Koppelman Group

APRIL 20, 2025

This may change soon, but for now students can apply without submitting an ACT or SAT score. For the Class of 2028 and Class of 2027, strong test scores were a 1500 or above on the SAT or a 34 or above on the ACT. However, that doesnt mean that legacy applicants should stop studying or skip sending scores in.

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Policies Transcripts SAT Acceptance 52

AdmissionSight

DECEMBER 4, 2024

A big reason for this surge is the rise of test-optional policies and increased global access to higher education. This means more competition for every spot and higher expectations for grades, test scores, essays, and extracurriculars. Think 1550+ on the SAT or 35 on the ACT. to just 5.4%. That’s a massive drop.

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Acceptance Admissions Waitlist Ivy League 97

College Essay Guy

DECEMBER 20, 2024

Do you have to be a star athlete, or a straight-A student, or maybe the president of every extracurricular club? These scholarships typically require excellent grades, high test scores, and sometimes additional criteria like leadership, community service, or extracurricular involvement. Eligibility: Must be a U.S.

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Scholarships Letters of Recommendation Tuition GPA 98

College Essay Guy

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

You already know that summer and extracurricular activities are a great way to explore your interests, challenge yourself, and maybe even strengthen your college application along the way. Download a Printable Version of the Values List CEGS Epic List of Summer and extracurricular Ideas Organized by Values Thats right.

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Extracurricular ACT Out-of-State Policies 52

Admissions Village

JUNE 19, 2024

Historically Black College or University (HBCU): In Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Congress officially defined HBCUs as institutions of higher learning that were accredited and established before 1964, and whose principal mission is the education of Black Americans. To understand more about this please read our blog.

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The Koppelman Group

APRIL 25, 2025

scale) are required to submit either an ACT or SAT score. Extracurriculars Having a leadership title or joining a handful of clubs might look good on paper, but its not enough to impress UNC. or above (on a 4.0 scale) are not required to submit a test score. Students with a weighted GPA below 2.8 (on GPA or less were admitted.

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Policies University University GPA 52

AdmissionSight

JANUARY 1, 2025

To have a real shot, your application needs to stand out in every waygrades, essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars. That means your essays need to be sharp, your recommendations glowing, and your extracurriculars meaningful. UChicago Early Decision policy Both ED I and ED II are binding. Yale University 3.7%

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Acceptance Admissions Ivy League Waitlist 75

AdmissionSight

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Thats according to a recent analysis of ACT scores. Heres whats even more concerning: more than 40% of new graduates didnt meet the ACTs college-readiness benchmarks in any subject, and only 21% hit the mark in all four. When spring or summer rolls around, its also a great time to start taking practice tests for the PSAT, ACT, or SAT.

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High School PSAT Financial Aid Standardized Testing 52

Berkeley² Academy

MARCH 8, 2025

As a result of this increasing demand, UT Austin announced it would be lowering its auto admission threshold to the top 5% and other admissions data supports this increase in competitivenessthe middle 50% of SAT and ACT scores for admitted UT Austin students drastically increased, jumping from 1230-1500 to 1310-1520.

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Admissions Standardized Testing Policies SAT 52

Solomon Admissions

JUNE 29, 2023

In addition to the usual application materials, like transcripts, letters of recommendation, and essays, students are often asked to submit standardized test scores from either the SAT or ACT exam when applying to college. SAT/ACT scores are used by colleges to try and standardize students across the country. What about Test Optional?

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AdmissionSight

JANUARY 23, 2025

Dukes Test-Optional Policy Duke SAT Scores Duke ACT Scores Duke University Admission Requirements Frequently Asked Questions Takeaways Dukes Test-Optional Policy For the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, Duke University is test-optional. And if youve taken both the SAT and ACT, they will consider your best score from either exam.

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Testing Early Decision SAT Letters of Recommendation 52

AdmissionSight

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Rice University Admission Requirements Rice University GPA Requirements Rice University SAT Requirements Rice University ACT Scores How to Increase Your Chances of Getting into Rice University Rice University Application Deadlines Frequently Asked Questions Takeaways How Hard Is It to Get into Rice University? Extracurricular activities.

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Admissions Early Decision University University 52

Marks Education

MAY 14, 2025

When school starts, youre going to be thrown back into the world of extracurriculars and homework, but during the summer, you have a little time on your hands that you can use to set yourself up for success and achieve your goals. Some students start their summer with specific target areas for improvement in mind. Contact us today!

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Applications Standardized Testing Test Prep SAT 52

Admissions Village

DECEMBER 1, 2022

Stuart Schmill, the Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services at MIT, did a Q&A on MIT’s decision to reinstate their SAT/ACT requirement. A: I appreciate this question, which we have kept foremost in our minds as we reviewed our research and policies. Here is an interesting excerpt, which is long but worth reading.

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Testing SAT Letters of Recommendation Retention 169

ACM College Consulting

MAY 3, 2024

In 2024, we have already seen several selective universities, including MIT, Cornell, Yale and Brown announce that they will once again require test scores of some sort (each policy is frustratingly different or vague) for the next application year. Students should research the admissions policies and data of the schools on their list.

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AdmissionSight

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

They take a holistic approach, which means your essays, extracurriculars, and personality matter just as much as your GPA. Keep your grades up while being involved in meaningful extracurriculars. For admitted students, Vanderbilt’s middle 50% SAT score range for admitted students is 1505-1570, while the ACT score range is 34-35.

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Ivy League Admissions GPA Early Decision 52

AdmissionSight

MARCH 22, 2025

According to their admissions policy , Duke will consider the highest scores on each section, regardless of the test date, and will create a new composite score by averaging those scores. This policy can be a game-changer, but only if you can use it to your advantage. The good news is, yes, they do! What Is an SAT Superscore?

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SAT Policies GPA Extracurricular 52

The Koppelman Group

MAY 5, 2025

This is a new policy. For the past few years, UPenn was test-optional; however, that policy has ended. However, the 50th percentile scores for the SAT were 1540, and for the ACT were 35. Extracurriculars You need spectacular extracurriculars to get into Penn, but more than that, they need to be strategic and tell a story.

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Early Decision Ivy League Extracurricular Policies 52