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    Is a 950 SAT score good?

    A 950 SAT is below average. It's at the 39th percentile of recent SAT takers and at the 38th percentile of all U.S. 11th and 12th graders, by College Board's percentiles. Whether it's good for you depends on your colleges: it's inside or above the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen at 214 of the 925 colleges we track with published SAT ranges.

    Updated

    percentile of recent SAT takers
    39th
    percentile of all U.S. 11th and 12th graders
    38th
    colleges where it's in or above the middle 50%
    214 of 925
    ACT equivalent
    17

    Percentiles: College Board, SAT Nationally Representative and User Percentiles. User group percentiles count students who graduated in the past three school years; nationally representative ones are weighted to stand for all U.S. 11th and 12th graders. Checked October 31, 2026. ACT equivalent: ACT and College Board concordance (2018).

    Key takeaways

    • A 950 is inside the middle 50% at Georgia State, Grand Valley State, Sam Houston State and New Mexico, and 10 to 70 points short at North Texas, Ole Miss and Arkansas.
    • Being in range isn't the same as being worth sending: at Grand Valley State a 950 is in range, but below the 1010 we estimate for freshmen who enrolled without a score.
    • New Mexico's out-of-state tuition award starts at 960 with a 2.8 GPA, ten points above a 950.

    How a 950 compares across colleges

    Where 950 falls against the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen who sent scores, at public and at private colleges.

    Where a 950 falls in colleges' middle 50% SAT ranges
    Where a 950 fallsPublic (378)Private (547)
    Above the 75th percentile02
    Inside the middle 50%12488
    Below the 25th percentile254457
    Colleges we track with a published SAT range: each college's Common Data Set, or the federal College Scorecard where it has none.

    Large public universities where a 950 is in range

    The largest public universities where 950 is inside the middle 50%. Each range links to its source and each policy to the college's admissions page. "Sent an SAT" is the share of enrolled first-years the range describes.

    Large public universities where a 950 is in range
    CollegeMiddle 50% SAT2026-27 test policySent an SAT
    The University of Texas at El Paso850-1050Flexible2%
    Grand Valley State University920-1170Optional54%
    Montclair State University850-1160Optional10%
    Sam Houston State University930-1120Optional45%
    University of New Mexico-Main Campus920-1170Optional54%
    Towson University920-1230Optional20%
    University of Houston-Downtown880-1050Optional60%
    Oakland University920-1160Optional79%
    Western Kentucky University930-1130Optional9%
    Eastern Michigan University920-1160Varies by applicant48%
    Sources: each college's Common Data Set (or College Scorecard) and admissions page, linked in the table.

    Selective private colleges where a 950 is in range

    The private colleges with the highest middle 50% that still includes 950, most selective first.

    Selective private colleges where a 950 is in range
    CollegeMiddle 50% SAT2026-27 test policySent an SAT
    Stetson University945-1190Optional33%
    Xavier University of Louisiana950-1150Optional36%
    Saint Ambrose University900-1170Optional12%
    Aquinas College920-1130Optional44%
    Capital University900-1120Optional12%
    Aurora University875-1078Optional8%
    Sources: each college's Common Data Set (or College Scorecard) and admissions page, linked in the table.

    Where does a 950 fall short?

    A 950 is within 10 to 70 points of the 25th percentile at a long list of large public universities: the University of North Texas (960), Georgia Southern (980), Ole Miss (990), Kent State (990), Kennesaw State (1010) and the University of Arkansas (1020). At 1000, the first four are inside their ranges.

    How much the gap matters depends on how selective the college is. Ole Miss admitted 97% of applicants for Fall 2025. Kent State admitted 63%, so a score below its range counts for more there.

    Should you send a 950 to test-optional colleges?

    Usually not. A score inside a college's middle 50% can still be below the typical SAT of freshmen who enrolled without one, and that estimate is what decides whether sending helps. A 950 is inside Grand Valley State's range (920-1170), but we estimate the freshmen who enrolled there without a score would typically have scored about 1010, so applying without it is the stronger choice. The same holds at Sam Houston State (1010) and New Mexico (1000).

    It's worth sending at colleges where that estimate is at or below 950, such as the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Houston-Downtown and Prairie View A&M.

    Which scholarships does a 950 earn?

    A few automatic awards start here. Regent University's Freshman Booster Merit Award pays $2,000 a year from 950, and Auburn University at Montgomery's Opportunity Scholarship pays $3,000 a year from 940 with a 2.30 GPA.

    The largest one close to 950 is for out-of-state students. New Mexico's Lobo Undergraduate Exchange starts at 960 with a 2.8 GPA and is worth $18,854 a year. This page counts only awards with an SAT minimum. Many colleges also give merit aid on GPA alone; our merit aid calculator estimates awards from your GPA and score together.

    Where 950 fits, college by college

    Each college we track, with its middle 50% of enrolled freshmen, where 950 falls in it, whether to send it, and the merit aid whose SAT minimum it meets. Pick a score within 20 points of 950 or a state to redraw the lists.

    At 950: 206 target, 196 reach and 2 likely colleges; worth sending to 33 of 762 test-optional colleges.

    Target colleges for 950 (206)

    950 is inside the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen, or at a test-optional college it's worth sending. Most selective first.

    Target colleges for 950
    University of Minnesota-RochesterRochester, MN · Admits 71%SAT, middle 50%950 to 1380Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?No estimateTest optional
    CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY · Admits 58%SAT, middle 50%950 to 1340Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?No estimateTest optional
    St. Mary's UniversitySan Antonio, TX · Admits 98%SAT, middle 50%900 to 1310Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1020
    Maranatha Baptist UniversityWatertown, WI · Admits 72%SAT, middle 50%940 to 1260Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1070
    University of Connecticut-StamfordStamford, CT · Admits 83%SAT, middle 50%930 to 1260Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1050
    Waynesburg UniversityWaynesburg, PA · Admits 90%SAT, middle 50%930 to 1250Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1040
    University of New OrleansNew Orleans, LA · Admits 74%SAT, middle 50%935 to 1241Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional; required below a 2.5 GPA. Send from 1010
    Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnais, IL · Admits 56%SAT, middle 50%950 to 1220Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?RequiredTest required
    Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityWest Palm Beach, FL · Admits 82%SAT, middle 50%950 to 1220Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1030
    Saint Johns UniversityCollegeville, MN · Admits 91%SAT, middle 50%941 to 1228Lower half of the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1100

    Reach colleges for 950 (196)

    950 is below the middle 50% but above the bottom 10% or so, or the college admits under 15% of applicants, a reach for everyone. Closest first.

    Reach colleges for 950
    Freed-Hardeman UniversityHenderson, TN · Admits 60%SAT, middle 50%952 to 1087Below the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1040
    Carson-Newman UniversityJefferson City, TN · Admits 90%SAT, middle 50%955 to 1215Below the middle 50%Send this score?Close callYour GPA decides. Send from 1020
    Baker CollegeOwosso, MI · Admits 83%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1160Below the middle 50%Send this score?Close callYour GPA decides. Send from 980
    Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont, NC · Admits 75%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1200Below the middle 50%Send this score?No estimateTest optional
    Brigham Young University-HawaiiLaie, HI · Admits 47%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1190Below the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1070
    Carlow UniversityPittsburgh, PA · Admits 87%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1168Below the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1030
    Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and SciencesFayette, MO · Admits 57%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1045Below the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1000
    Dallas Baptist UniversityDallas, TX · Admits 89%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1213Below the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest recommended. Send from 1050
    Flagler CollegeSaint Augustine, FL · Admits 81%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1190Below the middle 50%Send this score?Apply without itTest optional. Send from 1030
    Friends UniversityWichita, KS · Admits 55%SAT, middle 50%960 to 1090Below the middle 50%Send this score?No estimateTest optional; required below a 3.3 GPA

    Not listed: 506 more colleges where 950 is under roughly the 10th percentile of freshmen.

    Likely colleges for 950 (2)

    950 is above the 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen at a college admitting 15% or more. Closest first.

    Likely colleges for 950
    Gallaudet UniversityWashington, DC · Admits 58%SAT, middle 50%762 to 898Above the middle 50%Send this score?RequiredTest required
    Virginia Union UniversityRichmond, VA · Admits 98%SAT, middle 50%850 to 885Above the middle 50%Send this score?RequiredTest required

    Automatic scholarships with an SAT minimum at or below 950

    3 colleges we track publish an automatic merit award with an SAT minimum at or below 950, including colleges not listed above. Each award's other requirements, usually a GPA, are listed with it, and the college's page has every rule. Largest first.

    What 50 more points changes

    At 1000, 114 colleges move up a band, 69 test-optional colleges become worth sending to, and 21 colleges have a larger scholarship whose SAT minimum it meets. See every college at 1000.

    Moves up a band (114)

    Becomes worth sending (69)

    Meets a larger award's SAT minimum (21)

    We sort by score alone, with the same rules as our college pages, because this page doesn't ask for your GPA. SAT ranges are the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen who sent scores, mostly the Fall 2025 entering class, from each college's Common Data Set or the federal College Scorecard. Test policies are for fall 2027. "Send from" is our estimate of the typical SAT of freshmen who enrolled without one. Scholarships come from each college's published policy, linked.

    What costs points at a 950?

    Between 900 and 1000, most lost points are content gaps, and with this many misses a good share fall on the easier questions at the start of each Math module. Math questions run from easiest to hardest within a module, so secure the early ones before spending time on the last few. In Reading and Writing, questions that test the same skill are grouped together, also easiest to hardest, so a hard question in the middle of a module sits in front of easier ones from the next group: mark it and come back.

    For content, start with Algebra in Math and Standard English Conventions in Reading and Writing. Khan Academy's lessons work well for reviewing foundational skills at this stage. We've written more about what to practice below 1000.

    Other SAT scores

    900 is 50 lower; 1000 is 50 higher. Every score from 900 to 1600 is on the SAT scores page. To check one college against your score and GPA, use the submit or retake tool.

    Common questions about a 950 SAT

    Is a 950 a good SAT score?
    A 950 SAT is below average. It's at the 39th percentile of recent SAT takers and at the 38th percentile of all U.S. 11th and 12th graders, by College Board's percentiles. Whether it's good for you depends on your colleges: it's inside or above the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen at 214 of the 925 colleges we track with published SAT ranges.
    What percentile is a 950 on the SAT?
    A 950 is at the 39th percentile among students who took the SAT and graduated in the past three school years (College Board's user group percentiles): about 61% of them scored higher. Against all U.S. 11th and 12th graders, including those who don't take the SAT (College Board's nationally representative percentiles), it's at the 38th percentile.
    What colleges can I get into with a 950 SAT?
    By score alone, a 950 makes 206 colleges we track a target, including University of Minnesota-Rochester, CUNY Brooklyn College and St. Mary's University, and 2 colleges likely: it's above the middle 50% of their freshmen. Grades, courses and the rest of your file count too, and colleges admitting under 15% of applicants are a reach for everyone.
    Should I send a 950 to test-optional colleges?
    At 33 of the 762 test-optional colleges where we estimate the typical score of freshmen who enrolled without one, a 950 is at or above it, so sending it helps. Elsewhere, applying without it is usually the better call, unless the score earns a scholarship. Each college's row in the table gives the call.
    What ACT score is a 950 SAT?
    A 950 SAT matches a 17 on the ACT, by the concordance tables ACT and College Board published together in 2018.
    Should I retake the SAT with a 950?
    It depends on your list. Fifty more points, 1000, would move up a band at 114 colleges, become worth sending at 69 colleges and meet a richer scholarship's SAT minimum at 21 colleges. If none of those colleges is on your list, you may get more from spending that time on the rest of your application.

    Have another question? Email us at team@getsharp.app.