How Yale considers standardized tests
Academic strength is our first consideration when evaluating candidates, and standardized tests are one important component in this evaluation. Although a standardized test provides only one window into a student’s academic potential, and no one factor perfectly predicts success at Yale, test scores have been shown to be a strong predictor of a student’s future Yale academic performance.
Standardized tests provide consistent and reliable data among the many elements of an application that we consider. Our applicants are not their scores, however, and scores on a single exam are not the sole or primary factor in admissions decisions.
Admissions officers review every application carefully, but prospective applicants should know that the overwhelming majority of Yale College students score above the 95th percentile on the SAT or ACT, which in 2025 was over 1420 on the SAT or 31 on the ACT.
All Yale College students, regardless of intended major, complete coursework that requires advanced writing, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning skills. For applicants who indicate that they plan to pursue advanced STEM coursework, a strong ACT or SAT math section score is especially important to the committee’s evaluation.
Yale’s applicant pool includes many more students with strong test scores than the committee can admit. Applicants’ scores, on their own, do not represent the full measure of their academic potential or whether they will thrive in Yale’s rigorous liberal arts curriculum. All admitted students demonstrate academic strength and readiness for Yale coursework through multiple application components.