Colleges for a 1350 SAT Score
The SAT is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600, with a 1600 being the highest possible score.
Is a 1350 SAT score considered “good?”
With a 1350 SAT score, you're around the 89th percentile in College Board's current SAT user group, putting you close to the top 10% of recent SAT users.
That's a very strong national result. But once you're at 1350, a college's overall selectivity matters more than the national percentile. The exact same score can look excellent at one school, typical at another, and below range at a highly selective college.
What types of colleges may be realistic with a 1350?
A 1350 gives you a wide range of public and private colleges to explore, including many selective schools.
At this score level, compare both the college's testing profile and its overall admission rate. A college admitting a substantial share of applicants may be a realistic match, while a school admitting only a small fraction can remain a reach even when 1350 overlaps its reported range.
If you're applying to a competitive major, check program-level selectivity too.
Is a 1350 a “safety,” “match,” or “reach” school score?
For moderately selective colleges whose testing profiles center in the 1300s, 1350 may support a “match” or even a “safety” profile when your grades and coursework are equally strong.
For highly selective colleges, use more caution. Falling within the middle 50% means your testing resembles that of many enrolled score-submitters. It does not make admission predictable.
This is also where list balance really matters. A strong score can make it tempting to load up on reaches.
Should you submit a 1350 SAT score at a test-optional college?
If a college is test-optional, a 1350 is often worth submitting when it falls inside or above the current submitted-score range.
If the college is extremely selective and 1350 is below its usual range, compare the score with the rest of your academic record before deciding. Always check whether the institution actually remains test-optional for your year.
Would raising a 1350 to 1400 change your options?
Moving from 1350 to 1400 can matter if you're targeting selective colleges whose ranges begin around that level.
That makes the potential benefit of a retake increasingly concentrated in particular colleges and scholarship programs. If official practice results are consistently above 1350, one section has realistic room to improve, and deadlines allow, another attempt may be reasonable.
If those opportunities are not part of your goals, the opportunity cost of more testing starts to rise.
If you decide another attempt makes sense, use free digital SAT prep resources and keep an eye on whether your practice scores are actually moving.
Could a 1350 help with merit scholarships?
A 1350 can be especially useful for merit aid at colleges where it puts you near the top of the submitted-score profile.
Research institutions with meaningful merit programs instead of assuming the most selective college will produce the best financial outcome. Verify each program's score rules, GPA requirements, and deadlines.
You can also explore Appily's scholarship search. For any college-specific merit award, double-check the criteria on the school's official scholarship or financial-aid site.
How should you use the college list on this page?
The college cards on this page use Appily-reported average SAT data near 1350 to surface schools you may want to compare. Use the list to identify high-value matches as well as reaches. At this score, affordability and scholarship potential deserve to become major filters.
Appily's scholarship search can help you broaden the financial side of the search beyond SAT-based awards.
Most useful next step: Decide whether you want to use a 1350 mainly to reach toward greater selectivity, strengthen merit-aid potential, or build a combination of both.
How to compare your SAT score with colleges
No SAT score guarantees admission, so the goal isn't to find one magic number. A more useful comparison is a college's current middle 50% SAT range, which generally runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile among enrolled students who submitted scores.
If your score is above the 75th percentile, testing may be a strength in your application. If it falls inside the middle 50%, you're in line with many enrolled students who submitted scores. If your score falls below the 25th percentile, it may be less competitive at that college.
Just remember that a score range can't tell you by itself whether a college is a safety, match, or reach. Your GPA, course rigor, intended major, overall selectivity, application requirements, and the rest of your profile matter too. At highly selective colleges, even strong grades and scores don't make admission predictable.
Testing policies vary, too. A college may require scores, let you choose whether to submit them, accept other testing under a flexible policy, or ignore SAT and ACT scores. Policies can differ by year, applicant type, campus, or program, so always check the college's official admissions website for your application cycle.
Learn how to build a balanced safety, match, and reach list and review Appily's 2026 test-optional guidance.
