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A strong standardized test score is an important part of a competitive application to Yale. But how do you know if your score is good enough? One way to do this is by finding out the average SAT/ACT score for Yale. Knowing what SAT or ACT score is needed for Yale will give you an idea of what score you need to strive for. It will also give you a pretty good idea of your odds of getting accepted into this prestigious school.
Average Acceptance Rate at Yale
Yale is an Ivy League university and one of the most competitive colleges to gain admission into. Every year, Yale receives around 31,000 applications for its freshman class that can only accept up to 1,300 students. This puts Yale’s acceptance rate at just over 6 percent.
The exceptionally low acceptance rate is an indication of how competitive this college is. This means that just knowing what ACT score is needed for Yale is not going to be enough if you want to be among the 6 percent that gets accepted. To increase your changes of getting into Yale, aim for an ACT score that’s higher than the average.
What Grades & Scores Yale Considers When Assessing Applications
When assessing applications, Yale gives almost equal importance to high school grades and standardized test scores. This is in order to evaluate applicants’ academic accomplishments as well as their ability to think outside the box.
To apply to Yale, you’ll need to submit your high school transcripts and either an SAT or an ACT test score with writing. If you take more than one test, or take a test more than once, you’re required to submit your scores for each test date.
SAT subject tests, while recommended, aren’t required. If you’re particularly strong in one or a few academic areas, consider taking SAT subject tests to show off your skills.
How To Compare Your Score with the Average ACT Score for Yale
To see how you stack up compared to students admitted to any college, it’s useful to look at test score interquartile range for students previously admitted. The interquartile range is the 25th-75th percentile.
Basically, this range indicates how the middle 50 percent of successful applicants tend to score on standardized tests. In general, students hoping to gain admission to a college should aim to score within or above the interquartile range.
What ACT Score Is Needed for Yale?
The middle 50 percent of students admitted to Yale score between 31 and 35 on the ACT. This is the composite score, or the average of all four sections. For comparison, the highest possible score on the ACT is a 36.
What SAT Score Is Needed for Yale?
The SAT was revamped on 2015, and it’s hard to say how and if scoring will change. However, it may still be useful to use historical data for the sake of comparison.
The interquartile range for the math section of the SAT for successful applicants to Yale is between 700 and 800. For the verbal section, the range is 710 to 800. The highest score possible on each section is 800.
The combined SAT score is just the sum of the verbal and math section scores. The 25th percentile for combined SAT scores of students accepted to Yale is 1410, and the 75th percentile is 1600. This means that at least 25 percent of students admitted to Yale receive perfect scores on the SAT.
How To Boost Your Changes of Getting Accepted into Yale
Students accepted to Yale continuously score among the top 5 percent of all test-takers nationwide. If you know you want to go to Yale, you can increase your chances of admission by aiming to get more than the average SAT or ACT score for Yale. You should be aiming to get your highest possible score on the ACT and/or SAT. Start exploring ACT/SAT test prep sooner rather than later.
It helps to know that if you’ve submitted your ACT scores, you don’t have to take an additional SAT subject test. There is one caveat though. You could consider taking a SAT subject test in a subject that you have in-depth knowledge of. This could boost your chances of getting accepted.
That being said, a test score is just one part of your application. Schools like Yale also look at your academic record, letters of recommendation from teachers, extracurricular activities, and application essay. A less-than-perfect test score doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give your dream school a shot. After all, 25 percent of students admitted to Yale score below the interquartile range. The good news is you can retake the test if you got less than the average SAT/ACT score for Yale on your first attempt.
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Is there a preferred or required number of subject tests that need to be taken with the SAT?
Hello Pennye! When taking the SAT you will take all of the subject tests. Only the written essay portion is optional! For more information on the new SAT format, check out our article–Your Guide to the New SAT: Timing, Content, Scoring, and Tips!
If I submit only ACT score, do I need to take SAT subject tests for Yale and UCs?
Hello, Maria! You would not be required to take an additional SAT subject test if you submitted ACT scores. However, if you are confident in your abilities in a certain subject, and have an academic interest in it, taking an SAT subject test might be beneficial! Again, it is not required, but it could potentially give you a boost in terms of acceptance odds.