LSU SAT & ACT Score Requirements: What You Need to Get In (2026)

Last Updated: April 25, 2026

Key Takeaways

• LSU's admitted-student SAT middle 50 is 1180 to 1320 and ACT middle 50 is 24 to 30. The average SAT is 1260 and the average ACT is 28.
• LSU is test-optional for Fall 2026. You indicate on the Common App whether you want SAT or ACT scores included in admission and scholarship review. Test-optional applicants are not viewed negatively.
• LSU superscores both the SAT and ACT across test dates for both admission and university-administered scholarships.
• LSU is the most accessible flagship in the SEC, with an overall acceptance rate of approximately 73 percent. 47,065 applications, 34,513 admits in the most recent reporting cycle.
• TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) is Louisiana's tuition-covering state scholarship and still requires test scores regardless of LSU's test-optional policy. If you are a Louisiana resident pursuing TOPS, plan to test.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for LSU?

LSU does not publish a minimum and uses a comprehensive full-file review. What it does publish, through the LSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions, are the middle 50 percent score ranges for the most recent admitted class:

Half of LSU's admitted score-submitters scored inside those bands. Practical target: aim for a 1260 SAT or a 28 ACT to land in the middle of the admitted pool. A 1180 or 24 keeps you competitive. A 1320 or 30 puts your score at or above most admits. Compared to UF, FSU, or Auburn, LSU's admitted ranges are more accessible by 100+ SAT points or 3 to 5 ACT composite points.

LSU Is Test-Optional for Fall 2026

LSU's testing policy for the 2025-2026 application cycle (Fall 2026 entry) is test-optional. The mechanics are simple: when filling out the Common Application, you indicate whether you want your SAT or ACT scores considered. Two implications:

• If you submit, scores count for both admission and scholarships. Strong scores can help unlock university-administered merit aid in addition to admission.
• If you go test-optional, no penalty. LSU explicitly states test-optional applicants are not viewed negatively. The reader leans more heavily on GPA, course rigor, grade trend, and the optional letter and essay.

The interesting twist is that LSU's admitted middle 50 is reachable for many students. With a 1260 average SAT and 28 average ACT, the question of whether to submit is genuinely competitive for most applicants, not just the top 10 percent like at NYU or Duke.

When to Submit Scores and When to Skip

Using LSU's admitted middle 50:

• SAT 1180 or higher, or ACT 24 or higher. Submit. You are at or above the 25th percentile. Scores strengthen your file and qualify you for more merit aid.
• SAT 1100 to 1170, or ACT 22 or 23. Judgment call. If your weighted GPA is 3.8+ and you are in the top quarter of your high school class, submitting can still help. If your GPA has any softness, go test-optional.
• SAT 1090 or lower, or ACT 21 or lower. Go test-optional, unless you need the score for TOPS or other Louisiana-specific scholarship qualification.

One important nuance: TOPS is administered by Louisiana, not LSU. Even if you go test-optional with LSU itself, TOPS will require an SAT or ACT score on file with LOSFA (Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance). For Louisiana residents, the practical choice is rarely "test or no test" but rather "test for TOPS, then decide whether to send to LSU separately."

TOPS: The Single Biggest Reason Louisiana Residents Should Test

The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) is Louisiana's state-funded tuition scholarship. It is the most consequential financial aid program for Louisiana students attending LSU, and it has hard test-score cutoffs that LSU's test-optional policy does not change.

TOPS award tiers (per the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, subject to annual updates):

• TOPS Honors: highest tier. Minimum 27 ACT (or SAT equivalent) and 3.50 TOPS Core GPA. Completion of the 19-unit TOPS Core Curriculum required.
• TOPS Performance: middle tier. Minimum ACT score is the prior-year state average, never less than 20, plus a 3.00 TOPS Core GPA. In recent years the Performance ACT cutoff has settled around 22 to 23.
• TOPS Opportunity: base tier. Same prior-year-state-average ACT minimum (never less than 20), plus a 2.50 TOPS Core GPA. Covers a substantial share of LSU tuition for qualifying residents.
• TOPS Tech: lower threshold for Louisiana technical and community colleges, not LSU.

For a Louisiana resident applying to LSU, the test-score conversation is mostly about TOPS, not about admission. A Louisiana resident with a 3.5 weighted GPA and a 23 ACT clears TOPS Performance and is well above LSU's admitted 25th percentile. Test prep for that student pays multiple times over: it strengthens admission, unlocks LSU merit aid, and qualifies for the state-funded TOPS award.

LSU Admission Profile: By the Numbers

LSU's most recent full-cycle reporting, summarized from LSU Admissions and College Board BigFuture:

LSU GPA Requirements

LSU does not publish a formal minimum GPA for first-year admission, but the admitted distribution tells the story:

• 59 percent of admitted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.75 or above.
• 18 percent fall in the 3.50 to 3.74 range.
• 14 percent are in the 3.25 to 3.49 range.
• 9 percent are in the 3.00 to 3.24 range.
• 1 percent are admitted with an unweighted GPA between 2.50 and 2.99.

The bottom line: 41 percent of LSU admits have GPAs below 3.75 unweighted. This is a much wider range than at Auburn (83 percent at 3.75+) or UCF (86.4 percent at 3.75+). LSU's broader admissions profile makes it the most accessible flagship in the SEC.

LSU recalculates GPA on a 4.0 unweighted scale using only academic core courses, then weights for honors, AP, IB, dual enrollment, and gifted coursework. Strong rigor matters even when raw GPA is mid-range.

LSU Application Deadlines and Process

LSU uses a single-deadline structure with a separate scholarship priority date:

Apply by December 15 if you want LSU merit scholarship consideration. The February 1 deadline is the hard gate for admission itself, but most LSU-funded scholarships are awarded based on the December 15 priority pool. Louisiana residents pursuing TOPS still need to file the FAFSA with Louisiana included.

Application components:

• Common Application. LSU is Common App-only.
• $50 application fee. Fee waivers available for eligible students.
• Academic record. Self-reported via STARS or official transcript from a counselor.
• One letter of recommendation. Must be from an academic source (teacher or counselor).
• Optional test scores. Submit if your scores match or exceed LSU's admitted middle 50.
• Optional essay. Common App essay can be submitted; helpful but not required.

LSU vs Other SEC and Regional Flagships

How LSU compares to peer state flagships in the South for 2026:

LSU sits in the broadly accessible band of SEC flagships, comparable to Alabama and Arkansas in test profile. It is meaningfully more accessible than Auburn or Tennessee but not as open as Mississippi State. For Louisiana residents specifically, LSU is the obvious in-state choice given TOPS and the relatively friendly admit profile.

What LSU Weighs Beyond Test Scores

LSU's comprehensive full-file review considers, in rough order of weight:

1. High school grades and weighted GPA. The single strongest predictor of LSU admission. The admitted middle 50 GPA is 3.5 to 4.1.
2. Course rigor. AP, IB, honors, dual enrollment, and gifted designations all carry weight.
3. Grade trend. Improvement matters. A rising junior-year GPA reads better than a flat one.
4. Course relevance to intended major. Engineering applicants need strong math; pre-med applicants need strong science.
5. Standardized test scores, if submitted. Confirm or strengthen the academic profile.
6. Letter of recommendation. One required, from an academic source.
7. Optional essays and activities. Helpful for borderline files.
8. Behavioral traits the file demonstrates: curiosity, resilience, leadership.

LSU explicitly states that "the best indication of student success on a collegiate level is their high school performance." Test scores supplement; they do not lead the file.

A Realistic Prep Plan for LSU-Level Scores

If LSU is your target and your current practice SAT is 1100 or ACT is 22, here is a reasonable pathway:

1. Sophomore spring. Take one timed official SAT (Bluebook) and one ACT. Pick the higher percentile test. For Louisiana residents, prioritize the ACT — it is the dominant test in Louisiana high schools and has direct TOPS scoring.
2. Junior fall. Structured prep. Two to three hours per week plus a full timed test every two or three weeks. Focus on your weakest section first.
3. Junior spring. First official sitting. LSU superscores, so build the composite across multiple sittings.
4. Summer before senior year. Intensive prep. Aim for one full timed practice per week.
5. Fall senior year. Second sitting, ideally with results back before the December 15 scholarship priority deadline. A third sitting in November or December is reasonable if you are still building toward TOPS Honors (27 ACT) or LSU's 75th percentile (30 ACT).

Key score targets for Louisiana residents: 20 ACT as a floor for any TOPS award, 22 to 23 ACT for recent TOPS Performance cutoffs (the published rule is "prior-year state average"), 27 ACT for TOPS Honors, and 28 ACT or 1260 SAT for the LSU admitted average. Clearing TOPS Performance and the LSU admitted average together unlocks meaningful financial aid.

For adaptive practice, try the Larry Learns SAT platform or the Larry Learns ACT platform. If you are still deciding which test fits you, see our SAT vs ACT guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About LSU SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for LSU?

Approximately 1260, based on the admitted middle 50 of 1180 to 1320. The 25th percentile is 1180; the 75th percentile is 1320.

What is the average ACT score for LSU?

Approximately 28 composite, with a middle 50 of 24 to 30. The 25th percentile is 24; the 75th percentile is 30.

What are LSU's SAT requirements?

LSU is test-optional for Fall 2026. No SAT score is required. If you submit, the admitted middle 50 is 1180 to 1320. LSU superscores the SAT for both admission and university-administered scholarship review.

What are LSU's ACT requirements?

LSU is test-optional for Fall 2026. The admitted ACT middle 50 composite is 24 to 30. LSU superscores the ACT. Louisiana residents pursuing TOPS must still take the ACT (or SAT) regardless of LSU's test-optional status.

Does LSU require the SAT or ACT?

No. LSU is test-optional. Applicants without scores are not viewed negatively in admission review.

Does LSU superscore the SAT?

Yes. LSU combines your highest Reading & Writing and your highest Math scores across all SAT sittings into a new superscore for both admission and scholarship review.

Does LSU superscore the ACT?

Yes. LSU uses the highest English, Math, Reading, and Science subscores across dates to build a superscored composite.

Should I submit scores to LSU?

Submit if your SAT is 1180 or higher, or your ACT is 24 or higher. You are at or above the admitted 25th percentile. Below those thresholds, judgment depends on your GPA: 3.8+ weighted GPA can carry borderline test scores; below that, go test-optional.

What GPA do I need for LSU?

LSU does not publish a formal minimum. The admitted-class average weighted GPA is 3.8, and the middle 50 ranges from 3.5 to 4.1. 59 percent of admitted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.75 or above. Below 3.0 unweighted, admission becomes much harder.

What is LSU's acceptance rate?

Approximately 73 percent, based on 34,513 admits from 47,065 applicants. LSU is meaningfully more accessible than Auburn (~46 percent), Clemson (~38 percent), or UF (~23 percent).

When is the LSU application deadline?

December 15 is the scholarship priority deadline (apply by this date for the strongest LSU merit aid consideration). February 1 is the regular application deadline. There is no Early Action or Early Decision pathway.

Does LSU offer Early Action or Early Decision?

No. LSU uses a single February 1 deadline for admission. The December 15 scholarship priority deadline functions as an informal early window, but it is not a separate Early Action round.

What is TOPS and do I need test scores for it?

TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) is Louisiana's state-funded scholarship for residents attending Louisiana public universities, including LSU. TOPS award tiers are gated by ACT (or SAT-equivalent) scores. TOPS Honors requires 27 ACT plus 3.50 TOPS Core GPA. Performance and Opportunity require the prior-year state ACT average (never below 20), with a 3.00 GPA for Performance and 2.50 for Opportunity. All tiers require completion of the 19-unit TOPS Core Curriculum. TOPS still requires test scores even though LSU itself is test-optional. If you are a Louisiana resident, plan to take the ACT or SAT.

Can I get into LSU with a 1100 SAT?

Yes, depending on the rest of your file. A 1100 sits below LSU's admitted 25th percentile of 1180 but is not far off. If your weighted GPA is 3.7+ and your transcript shows rigor, admission is realistic. Going test-optional with a 1100 is also a defensible move at LSU's 73 percent admit rate.

Does LSU require letters of recommendation or an essay?

One letter of recommendation from an academic source is required. The essay is optional but encouraged. Louisiana residents and students applying to specific honors programs may have additional requirements.

How does LSU compare to Auburn?

LSU is significantly more accessible than Auburn. LSU's admitted SAT middle 50 (1180 to 1320) starts roughly 80 points below Auburn's (1260 to 1380), and LSU's 73 percent admit rate is well above Auburn's 46 percent. Auburn is also returning to required testing for Fall 2027, while LSU remains test-optional. For students with strong SEC ambitions but more moderate stats, LSU is the friendlier target.