Should I Send Colleges My Test Score?

Last week, I was helping a student fill out her Common App for USC. I noticed she hadn’t entered her ACT score. A 33.

I said, “OMG. You HAVE to submit it.”

She blinked at me like I’d just told her to confess to a crime. She thought it wasn’t “good enough.” This girl had a 36 in Reading. I made her plug it in on the spot.

So many students psych themselves out because they don’t know what “good enough” actually means. They see 1550s on Reddit, panic, and start imagining every admissions officer secretly judging their 33. The reality is different.

The Real Score Ranges

Your score matters in context. The real trick is knowing what “good enough” means for that college.

Here’s your quick-and-dirty benchmark:

• 34+ ACT / 1530+ SAT = strong for Ivies & top-10s.
• A 31+ ACT (or 1400+ SAT) is an excellent score for almost every selective university outside the Ivy/Stanford bubble.
  • Public Ivies: Michigan, UNC-Chapel Hill, UVA, UT-Austin, Wisconsin-Madison, and Illinois all love a 31+.
  • Private powerhouses: NYU, Boston College, Tulane, USC, Northeastern, Villanova, Wake Forest, SMU, and Pepperdine = all comfortably in range.

Basically, if your score starts with a 3, you’re competitive at most schools that aren’t single-digit-admit. That means your time is better spent sharpening essays, not obsessing over squeezing out one more point.

The entire UC system no longer accepts SAT or ACT scores. They’re test-blind. You could have a 1600, and Berkeley won’t even look at it. So don’t waste time debating that one.

But don’t take anyone’s word for it. Look up the middle 50% range. That’s the score band for the middle half of admitted students. You can find it on the school’s admissions site or in their Common Data Set.

If your score is above that range, send it.

If you’re in the range, it still helps, especially if your GPA or essay game is strong.

If you’re below, that’s when we pause and talk strategy: maybe skip it, maybe pair it with context.

When “Test-Optional” Is the Right Call

“Test-optional” doesn’t mean “tests don’t matter.” It means you get to decide whether your score strengthens your story or distracts from it. But that choice carries strategy, not freedom from judgment.

Since 2020, roughly 80–90% of four-year colleges have adopted test-optional policies. However, the data also reveals a twist: at selective universities, students who submit strong scores still gain admission at higher rates.

In fact, new research from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds who didn’t send scores were often less likely to be admitted than peers who did. Translation? Optional doesn’t mean invisible.

There are times when test-optional is the right call. But even then, I usually write an additional note explaining why we made that choice. Transparency builds trust. If you’re on the fence or need help writing that note, I’m here to help.

Let's Talk Test-Optional

What About AP Scores?

APs are the quiet flex that most students underestimate. If you scored a 4 or 5, send it. Period. It shows mastery, work ethic, and college-level readiness. A 5 in Lang or World? That’s gold. A 4 in harder subjects like APUSH, Physics C, or Calc BC? Still impressive. Colleges know APs are tough.

And here’s the proof that they matter: Yale literally accepts APs in place of the SAT or ACT. If a school like Yale is willing to use them as an academic benchmark, that tells you everything you need to know. They carry weight. They show rigor. They prove you can handle the grind.

If your AP score doesn’t match your transcript (say, you got a B in the class but a 5 on the exam), that helps you. It shows real learning. If it’s the reverse (A in the class, 3 on the exam), maybe skip it. APs aren’t required, but when you’ve got them, they back up your credibility like nothing else.

One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

Every situation is different. There’s no universal “yes” or “no.”

I’ve helped students apply to college over a hundred times, and I know which testing strategies actually move the needle for your profile. Whether you’re a sophomore just starting out or a senior fine-tuning your skills, we can build a plan that plays to your strengths.

Colleges aren’t judging you on your test score, but your story. That’s what we’ll tell.