Is a 33 a Good ACT Score? (2026)

A 33 ACT puts you in the 98th percentile and lands you at the median of schools like Michigan, Georgia Tech, USC, and UVA. Here is exactly which colleges it makes you competitive at, where it can convert to real scholarship dollars, and whether the few most selective schools justify a retake.

A 33 is an Excellent ACT score. It places you in the 98th percentile nationally, meaning you scored higher than roughly 98% of all test-takers, and it makes you a competitive, median-or-above applicant at the large majority of selective universities in the United States. For all but a tiny handful of the most selective test-submitting schools, a 33 already clears the bar. This guide is for students deciding whether a 33 is good enough for their target college list, whether it can earn scholarship money, and whether one more sitting is worth it.

What Percentile Is a 33 ACT Score?

According to the official ACT National Ranks table (used for tests taken September 2025 through August 2026, with norms based on 2023-2025 graduates), a 33 sits at the 98th percentile. In plain terms, a 33 beats about 98% of everyone who takes the ACT. For context, the national average composite is just 19.4 for the 2025 graduating class, so a 33 is nearly 14 points above the typical test-taker.

Using the official 2018 ACT/SAT concordance, a 33 ACT corresponds to about a 1460 SAT. If you want to dig deeper, see our full breakdowns of ACT percentiles and ACT to SAT conversion.

Colleges Where a 33 ACT Is Competitive

A 33 is genuinely competitive at a wide band of selective public and private universities. At several flagships and top publics it sits right at the median (the 50th percentile) of enrolled or submitting students, which means you are squarely in range rather than reaching. Below are seven schools with ACT ranges pulled from each institution's own official 2024-25 Common Data Set. Remember that test-optional schools report ranges for submitters only, so those bands skew high.

The pattern is clear: at Michigan, Georgia Tech, UVA, USC, and UNC, a 33 is at or above the median, so your test score is an asset rather than a liability. At Vanderbilt and Rice, where submitters cluster at 34-35, a 33 sits just under the 25th percentile and becomes a reach.

Reach Schools Still in Play With a 33

A 33 keeps the door open at the very most selective schools, but you should treat them as reaches where the score is realistic, not a lock:

• Vanderbilt University (ACT 34-35, submitters): A 33 is just below the 34 25th percentile. Submitting is borderline; consider applying test-optional unless you lift to 34+.
• Rice University (ACT 34-35, submitters): A 33 falls below Rice's 34 25th percentile. Treat it as a reach and weigh applying test-optional.
• Ivy League such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton (roughly ACT 34-36 mid-50% at most): A 33 sits at or below the 25th percentile. You are academically in range, but with single-digit admit rates these remain reaches for everyone.

For a wider view of what counts as strong, see what a good ACT score is and the adjacent tiers: a 32 and a 34.

Does a 33 ACT Qualify for Scholarships?

A 33 is strong enough to clear merit-aid thresholds at many large public universities that publish automatic or competitive scholarship grids, but it rarely guarantees money at the most selective schools. The honest picture splits in two:

• At publics with published thresholds, a 33 can convert to real automatic dollars. For example, the University of Alabama awards a large automatic out-of-state scholarship for the 32-36 ACT band (combined with GPA), and schools like Arizona State and Ole Miss post automatic merit grids where a 33 lands in or near the top tier. Always verify the current cycle's figures, since these grids change.
• At elite and near-elite privates, a 33 is a baseline, not a differentiator. Large named or full-ride awards like Vanderbilt's Cornelius Vanderbilt or USC's Trustee and Presidential scholarships are highly competitive holistic awards. A 33 keeps you in contention but does not secure the award on its own. And most Ivies and need-blind elites give need-based aid only with no merit aid at all, so a 33 affects your admission odds, not your aid package.

Bottom line: at publics with published thresholds a 33 can mean automatic money; at elite privates, treat merit aid as a long shot that requires far more than the test score.

Should You Retake the ACT With a 33?

For the large majority of students, a 33 is not worth retaking. It is an excellent score that already clears the bar at nearly every selective school, and your time is usually better spent on essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars.

Consider one more attempt only if both of these are true:

• You are specifically targeting the most selective test-submitting schools (Rice, Vanderbilt, the Ivies, Notre Dame), where the 25th percentile is 34. A 34+ would move you from just-below to within their middle 50%.
• One weak section is dragging down an otherwise higher composite, so there is a clear, fixable gap to close.

If you do retake, aim realistically for a 34-35. Anything lower is not worth the risk of an off day. Not sure whether the ACT is even your best test? Compare with how to choose between the SAT and ACT and whether the SAT or ACT is easier.

How to Raise a 33 ACT Score

Going from a 33 to a 34-35 is about precision, not volume. At this level you are missing only a handful of questions per section, so the work is surgical:

• Audit your section breakdown. A 33 composite usually hides one weaker section. Identify your lowest subscore and concentrate prep there, since lifting one section is the fastest route from 33 to 34-35.
• Hunt your recurring error patterns. Do timed, full-length practice tests under strict timing, then review every single miss to find the 2-3 patterns capping your score, whether that is careless arithmetic, a specific grammar rule, or time pressure on Science.
• Sharpen pacing and endurance. Top scorers lose points to time, not content. Practice finishing each section with a few minutes to spare so you can recheck flagged questions, and build a consistent question-first or data-first strategy on Reading and Science to avoid rereading.

For more, see how to prep for the ACT and what a perfect ACT score takes. Practice real ACT questions on Larry Learns to turn those weak-section audits into a focused plan.

A 33 ACT Score: Where It Fits

A 33 is an excellent, top-2% score that makes you a median-or-above applicant at the vast majority of selective universities, from Michigan and Georgia Tech to UVA, USC, and UNC. It can earn automatic scholarship dollars at publics with published grids, and it keeps elite reaches like Rice, Vanderbilt, and the Ivies academically realistic, even if those remain reaches for everyone. For most students, a 33 is a finished, application-ready score. Only chase a retake if you are aiming squarely at the most selective test-submitters and can realistically reach a 34-35.

Frequently Asked Questions About a 33 ACT Score

Is a 33 ACT score good?

Yes. A 33 is an excellent score in the 98th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 98% of test-takers. It is well above the national average of 19.4 and makes you competitive at nearly every selective college.

What percentile is a 33 ACT score?

A 33 is in the 98th percentile per the official ACT National Ranks table for tests taken September 2025 through August 2026. That puts you ahead of roughly 98% of everyone who takes the ACT.

What SAT score is equivalent to a 33 ACT?

Using the official 2018 ACT/SAT concordance, a 33 ACT is equivalent to about a 1460 SAT. You can see the full mapping in our ACT to SAT conversion guide.

Can a 33 ACT get me into an Ivy League school?

Academically, yes, a 33 is in range, but it sits at or below the 25th percentile at most Ivies, where the middle 50% runs roughly 34-36. With single-digit admit rates, treat the Ivies as reaches regardless of score, and consider whether applying test-optional is the stronger move.

Should I retake the ACT if I have a 33?

Usually no. A 33 already clears the bar at almost every selective school. Only retake if you are targeting the most selective test-submitters (Rice, Vanderbilt, the Ivies, Notre Dame) where the 25th percentile is 34, or if one weak section is holding you back. If you retake, aim for a 34-35.