Applicants who include ACT or SAT scores may choose to report scores from one exam date or multiple exam dates, but they must include a complete set of subscores - e.g. Mathematics and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing for the SAT; English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science for the ACT. Students who have completed AP Exams, IB Exams, or AICE Exams prior to submitting their applications may self-report scores when applying. Students who have completed any of these exams and who feel that their results demonstrate strength in specific academic areas may want to self-report those scores, but reporting them is optional.
Yes and no. Yale awards acceleration credit to students for scores of 4 or 5 on some AP exams. Acceleration credit may offer some students the option to graduate in fewer than eight terms, but only after completing specific courses in specific departments. Although most Yale students have completed multiple AP exams prior to matriculating, most do not use acceleration credit to graduate early. Acceleration credits may not be used to fulfill Yale’s distributional requirements. For further details see Yale College acceleration policies and the current table of acceleration credit.
Applicants who self-report scores may opt to include their writing or essay section score, if applicable.
If you choose to include one or more ACT or SAT scores with your application, you may self-report scores on the application and/or via the “Update Application” form on the Yale Admissions Status Portal after an application has been submitted. To submit an official score report via the testing agency, use Yale’s College Board (CEEB) Code: 3987 or ACT code: 0618.
Yale has extended its test-optional policy to the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. You will need to make the decision yourself as to whether you would like to send us your scores. The admissions office will not be able to assist you with that decision. For applicants without scores, the Admissions Committee places greater weight on other parts of the application, such as high school transcripts, recommendation letters, and essays. Competitive candidates with or without scores are those whose applications clearly demonstrate a high degree of academic preparedness, a consistent record of scholastic success, and genuine intellectual curiosity.
You will need to make the decision yourself as to whether you would like to send your scores. The admissions office will not be able to assist you with that decision. If you have a score that you feel does not represent your academic strength or college preparedness, you should not feel any need to submit it. The “additional information” section of the application provides space to include details about personal circumstances and challenges that may be helpful to the committee when reviewing test scores and other elements of the application.
The Admissions Committee focuses its evaluation on the highest individual SAT subscores (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing + Math) and the highest ACT subscores (English, Reading, Math, Science) even if those subscores were achieved on different dates. The Committee does not create a new score total from those sub-scores, but will consider an applicant’s full testing history when available.
Rather than calculate an average score, Yale reports the middle 50% of test scores (the 25th to the 75th percentiles). For incoming first-years those ranges were as follows: SAT-Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 720-770; SAT-Math: 730-790; ACT Composite: 33-35. This means that 25% of incoming first-year students scored below these ranges and 25% scored above them. In the last admissions cycle there were more than five thousand applicants with scores at or above the 75th percentile scores listed here who were not offered admission. Please note: this data reflect score ranges before Yale temporarily adopted a test-optional policy. While Yale’s test-optional policy is in effect, the admissions office will not report data on the test scores or test-sharing choices of applicants, admitted students, or enrolling students.
If you wish to share a new test score, use the appropriate form on the Yale Admissions Status portal to self-report new scores, or list Yale as an official score recipient either on or in advance of the test date. Yale’s CEEB code for the SAT is 3987; the ACT code is 0618.
No. You may self-report AP, IB, or AICE exam scores in the spaces provided on the application. An official report from the testing agency is not required.
No. Standardized tests are just one component of a student’s application and are viewed within the context of the student’s entire file.