20 Great Colleges for Students with Low SAT Scores

Located just 25 minutes from Center City, Philadelphia, Arcadia University features small classes and one of the best study abroad programs in the country. Visitors can't miss the stunning historic landmark, Gray Towers Castle.

• Location: Glenside, Pennsylvania
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 500 / 610
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 490 / 590
• Test-Optional? No

Bowdoin is the most selective college on this list, so applicants will need an impressive academic and extra-curricular record. The school was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its excellent in the liberal arts and sciences, and the school recently changed its financial aid practices so that all new students will graduate debt free.

• Location: Brunswick, Maine
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 650 / 740
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 650 / 730
• Test-Optional? Yes

COA features a beautiful location on the Maine coast, a carbon-neutral campus with impressive environmental initiatives, a 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum with a Human Ecology focus.

• Location: Bar Harbor, Maine
• SAT Reading (average score): 647
• SAT Math (average score): 589
• Test-Optional? Yes

The 2009 U.S. News & World Report ranked George Mason #1 among "up and coming" colleges, and it's easy to see why with the school's rapid expansion since its founding in 1972. The university's preprofessional programs such as business, engineering, education and nursing are all popular among undergraduates.

• Location: Fairfax, Virginia
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 500 / 600
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 520 / 610
• Test-Optional? Yes

Hampshire College has never been fond of conformity, so it's no surprise the school has test-optional admissions. If you like to think outside the box, if you enjoy debate, if you'd like to design your own major, if you'd like to be evaluated qualitatively, not quantitatively -- then Hampshire might be a good choice.

• Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 610 / 700
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 540 / 660
• Test-Optional? Yes

Founded in 1837, Mount Holyoke College is the oldest of the "seven sister" colleges, and it consistently ranks as one of the top women's colleges in the country. Mount Holyoke features a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and a beautiful campus where students can enjoy the college's botanic gardens, two lakes, waterfalls, and horseback-riding trails.

• Location: South Hadley, Massachusetts
• Test-Optional? Yes

Don't be fooled by Pitzer's small size -- students can easily take courses at any of the Claremont Colleges. The college places a strong emphasis on study abroad and community service, and students can expect lots of student/faculty interaction. Pitzer is particularly strong in the social sciences.

• Location: Claremont, California
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 580 / 680
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 560 / 650
• Test-Optional? Yes

Ripon has much to be proud of: Phi Beta Kappa membership; high retention and graduation rates; generous financial aid; excellent value; and a Collaborative Learning Center that provides valuable support for students who need a little extra help

• Location: Ripon, Wisconsin
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 440 / 610
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 480 / 650
• Test-Optional? No

Located in Bronxville, New York, Sarah Lawrence has an amazing 6 to 1 student / faculty ratio and students will find that teaching truly is valued more than faculty research. The application process does not consider standardized test scores at all; in fact, Sarah Lawrence was a leader in the test-optional movement. The college's quaint campus has the feel of a European village.

Sewanee can boast of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, small classes, and an 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio. The university has a particularly strong English program that is home to The Sewanee Review and Sewanee Writers Conference.

• Location: Sewanee, Tennessee
• SAT Reading (Middle 50%): 570 / 680
• SAT Math (Middle 50%): 580 / 670
• Test-Optional? Yes