ACT Scores for Admission to Top Colleges

If you're wondering if you have the ACT scores you'll need to get into an one of the top colleges in the United States, here's a side-by-side comparison of scores for the middle 50% of enrolled students. If your scores fall within or above these ranges, you're on target for admission to one of these liberal arts colleges.

Realize, of course, that ACT scores are just one part of the application. It's possible to have perfect 36s for each ACT subject and still get rejected if other parts of your application are weak. Similarly, some students with scores significantly below the ranges listed here gain admission because they demonstrate other strengths.

To see a full profile of each college, click on the names in the chart below. Also be sure to check out these other ACT links (or SAT links):

ACT Comparison Charts: the Ivy League | top universities | top liberal arts colleges | more top liberal arts | top public universities | top public liberal arts colleges | University of California campuses | Cal State campuses | SUNY campuses | More ACT charts

2007-08 data from National Center for Educational Statistics

Top College ACT Score Comparison (mid 50%)
(learn what these numbers mean)

	ACT Scores
	Composite		English		Math
	25%	75%	25%	75%	25%	75%
Amherst	29	34	29	35	28	33
Carleton	29	33	-	-	-	-
Grinnell	29	32	29	34	27	33
Haverford	-	-	-	-	-	-
Middlebury	29	32	29	32	29	32
Pomona	29	34	29	34	29	34
Reed	28	32	28	34	26	32
Swarthmore	27	33	29	34	28	34
Wellesley	28	32	-	-	-	-
Williams	29	33	-	-	-	-