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

Last Updated: November 2, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Among first-years who enrolled at Princeton in fall 2025 (the Class of 2029) and submitted scores, the SAT middle 50 was 1490 to 1560 and the ACT middle 50 was 34 to 35 (Princeton's Common Data Set 2025-26). Their average high school GPA was 3.96.
• Princeton is test-optional through the 2026-27 admissions cycle (students enrolling Fall 2027). The test requirement returns for the 2027-28 cycle (Fall 2028 and beyond).
• Princeton considers your highest SAT section scores across all sittings (within one test format) but only your highest single ACT composite. It does not combine ACT section scores from different dates, unlike Yale, Cornell and Brown.
• The Class of 2029 acceptance rate was approximately 4.4 percent on Princeton's largest applicant pool ever (~42,303 applications). 1,408 students enrolled.
• Princeton offers Single-Choice Early Action (non-binding but restrictive), and is need-blind for U.S. applicants. Most families earning up to $150,000 pay nothing, and most families earning up to $250,000 pay no tuition.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for Princeton?

Princeton does not publish a competitive minimum and uses a deeply holistic review. Its admission statistics page for the Class of 2030 shows no test scores, so the figures below come from Princeton's Common Data Set 2025-26: score percentiles for first-years who enrolled in fall 2025 (the Class of 2029) and submitted each test.

Half of the enrolled score submitters fell inside 1490 to 1560 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT. Practical target: aim for a 1530 SAT or a 35 ACT to land at the median. A 1490 or 34 sits at the 25th percentile. A 1560 or 35 puts you at the 75th percentile.

An important caveat about Princeton's Class of 2029 numbers: this was a test-optional cohort. Students who chose to submit scores were a self-selected stronger-on-test group. Princeton's Common Data Set shows that 60 percent of fall 2025 first-years submitted SAT scores and 20 percent ACT scores. The ranges reflect submitters only, not the full class.

Princeton Is Test-Optional Through Fall 2027 (Then Test-Required)

Princeton's testing policy is structured around two distinct phases:

• 2026-27 cycle (current, fall 2027 entry): Test-optional. Students who apply without an SAT or ACT score "will not be at a disadvantage in our process."
• 2027-28 cycle and beyond (Fall 2028 entering and onward): Test-required. Princeton announced the return of standardized testing requirements starting with the Fall 2028 entering class.

What this means for you depends on your class year:

• Applicants for fall 2027 entry can still apply test-optional. If your scores are at or above the enrolled middle 50 (1490+ SAT or 34+ ACT), submit. Below that, weigh the rest of the file before deciding.
• Applicants for Fall 2028 entry and beyond must submit either SAT or ACT scores. Plan your testing timeline accordingly.

Across both phases, "there are no minimum test score requirements for admission." Princeton's holistic review weights the entire file, with test scores corroborating but not dominating.

Princeton Uses Your Best SAT Sections but Your Best Single ACT

Princeton treats the two tests differently. From the official policy:

"We allow applicants to use the score choice feature of the SAT and accept only the highest composite score of the ACT, but we encourage the submission of all test scores. Note: We do not superscore between the paper test and the digital test; you can only utilize score choice if the tests are in the same format."

Practical implications:

• SAT: highest section scores across sittings. Princeton's FAQ says it considers the highest individual section results across all sittings of the SAT, and you may use Score Choice to pick which sittings to send.
• ACT highest composite only. Princeton uses the highest single composite ACT score, not a combination of best section scores from different dates.
• Score choice does not work across SAT formats. If you took the digital SAT and the paper SAT, score choice operates within each format separately. Princeton does not super-score between formats.
• The strategic implication is about the ACT. On the SAT, stacking section bests across dates works at Princeton. On the ACT, only one sitting's composite counts, so an ACT taker should aim for one peak performance; Yale, Cornell and Brown accept an ACT superscore.

If you have a strong SAT sitting at 1530 and a second sitting where Math went up but Reading and Writing went down, Princeton considers your best Math and your best Reading and Writing, as long as both sittings were in the same format. On the ACT, a better English score on one date and a better Math score on another do not combine at Princeton. This affects how you plan your testing windows.

Single-Choice Early Action: How the Restriction Works

Princeton offers Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA), which is non-binding but restrictive. The mechanics:

SCEA is non-binding: admitted students have until May 1 to decide. The restriction is on what other early programs you can apply to:

• You may not apply Early Action or Early Decision to other private universities. If you apply Princeton SCEA, Princeton is your sole private early application.
• You may apply early to public universities (Early Action, rolling, etc.) and to schools abroad.
• You may apply Regular Decision anywhere regardless of your SCEA application.
• You may apply to non-binding scholarship programs at private universities, but most binding ED and most private SCEA-restrictive EA are off the table.

The SCEA admit rate is meaningfully higher than RD, though Princeton does not publish specific round splits. The advantage reflects both stronger applicants self-selecting into SCEA and a real round-selection benefit.

Princeton's Need-Blind Admission and Aid Commitment

Princeton operates one of the most generous financial aid programs in U.S. higher education:

• Need-blind for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and eligible noncitizens. Ability to pay does not factor into the admission decision.
• 100 percent of demonstrated need met with grants. Since 2001, Princeton has eliminated loans from financial aid packages. Aid is provided entirely through grants, which do not need to be repaid.
• Most families with incomes up to $150,000 pay nothing: aid covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, books and personal expenses. Most families with incomes up to $250,000 pay no tuition.
• Families with income above $250,000 may also receive substantial aid, especially with multiple children in college.
• Class of 2030 statistics (1,414 enrolled, as of September 4, 2026): 71 percent qualify for financial aid; 25 percent are eligible for need-based federal Pell Grants; 19 percent are the first in their families to go to college.

The combination of need-blind admission, no-loan packaging, and the up-to-$150,000 pay-nothing threshold makes Princeton one of the most accessible elite universities for low and middle-income families. The Class of 2030 figures reflect this: a meaningfully Pell-eligible cohort with strong first-gen representation.

Princeton GPA and Course Rigor

Princeton does not publish a strict GPA cutoff. The admit pool is academically dense, and the average high school GPA of first-years who enrolled in fall 2025 was 3.96 (Common Data Set 2025-26). Princeton's holistic review weights three academic factors:

• Rigor of curriculum. Princeton wants to see that you took the most challenging coursework available at your school. AP, IB, dual enrollment, or honors at the maximum level your school offers is essentially universal among admits.
• Grade trajectory and consistency. Strong A-range grades across all four years. A late-junior-year dip is a yellow flag.
• Subject-area depth. For STEM applicants, Calculus or beyond plus Physics is the practical baseline. For humanities applicants, advanced English, history, and language coursework matter. For BSE engineering applicants, an additional emphasis on math and science depth.

Princeton offers two undergraduate degree tracks: the AB (Bachelor of Arts) for most majors and the BSE (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) for engineering tracks. You select one at application but can change between them within the first two years.

What Princeton Weighs Beyond Test Scores

Princeton's readers evaluate the entire file with unusual care. In rough order of weight:

1. Academic record. Course rigor, GPA, and trajectory.
2. Standardized test scores (when submitted, optional through 2026-27). Used to corroborate the academic file.
3. Essays. Princeton's supplemental essays ask about your engagement with one of the academic tracks (AB or BSE), your extracurricular interests, and a graded paper for some tracks. Specific, distinctive responses outperform polished generalities.
4. Recommendations. Princeton requires a counselor letter and two teacher letters. For BSE applicants, at least one math or science teacher recommendation is the practical norm.
5. Activities, leadership, and impact. Princeton looks for genuine engagement, depth, and clear narrative coherence.
6. Demonstrated interest. Not separately weighted, but applying SCEA, attending information sessions, and writing strong school-specific essays register implicitly.

Princeton offers alumni interviews when available. An offered interview is an asset; not being offered is not a penalty.

A Realistic Prep Plan for Princeton-Level Scores

If Princeton is your target and your current practice SAT is 1380 or ACT is 30, here is a workable pathway to the admit middle 50:

1. Sophomore spring to junior summer. Take one timed official Bluebook SAT and one ACT. Pick whichever scores higher in percentile, not raw points.
2. Junior fall. Begin structured prep, three to four hours per week, with full timed tests every two weeks. On the SAT, Princeton takes your best section scores across sittings; on the ACT, only your best single composite counts, so ACT takers should plan for one peak sitting.
3. Junior spring. First official sitting. Aim for at least 1490 SAT or 34 ACT (the 25th percentile of fall 2025 enrolled students) by this point. If you fall short on a single SAT section, a second sitting can lift just that section; on the ACT it needs to lift the whole composite.
4. Summer before senior year. Heavy prep window. Push toward the median (1530 SAT or 35 ACT).
5. September of senior year. Second sitting. Princeton asks SCEA applicants to test by the October date and Regular Decision applicants by the December date. On the ACT, plan for one sitting that beats your previous best end to end.

Score targets to anchor on (fall 2025 enrolled first-years): 1490 SAT or 34 ACT for the 25th percentile, 1530 SAT or 35 ACT for the median, and 1560 SAT or 35 ACT for the 75th percentile. ACT takers should plan to peak on a single test, since Princeton does not combine ACT sections across dates.

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, and use the SAT score calculator to convert raw practice scores. For section-specific prep, our SAT math topics and ACT math topics guides break down what each test covers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Princeton SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for Princeton?

Princeton publishes a median, not an average: 1530 among first-years who enrolled in fall 2025 and submitted the SAT, with a 25th percentile of 1490 and a 75th of 1560 (Common Data Set 2025-26). Note: these ranges include only submitters, since Princeton was test-optional for the Class of 2029.

What is the average ACT score for Princeton?

The median composite of fall 2025 enrolled ACT submitters was 35, with a middle 50 of 34 to 35. Princeton uses the highest single composite ACT score, not a super-score across multiple dates.

What are Princeton's SAT requirements?

Princeton is test-optional through the 2026-27 admissions cycle (Fall 2027 enrollment). Starting with the 2027-28 cycle (Fall 2028 enrollment), Princeton will require SAT or ACT scores. There is no published minimum SAT, but the middle 50 SAT range of fall 2025 enrolled first-years was 1490 to 1560. Princeton considers your highest SAT section scores across sittings and accepts Score Choice, within the same test format (paper or digital).

What are Princeton's ACT requirements?

Princeton is test-optional through 2026-27 cycle and test-required starting 2027-28. The middle 50 ACT composite of fall 2025 enrolled first-years was 34 to 35. Princeton uses the highest single composite ACT score across all your test dates, not a combined super-score.

Is Princeton test-optional?

Yes, through the 2026-27 admissions cycle (students enrolling Fall 2027). Starting with the 2027-28 cycle, Princeton will require SAT or ACT scores. Students who apply test-optional through 2026-27 are not disadvantaged in the review.

Does Princeton super-score the SAT or ACT?

For the SAT, in effect yes; for the ACT, no. Princeton considers the highest individual section results across all sittings of the SAT and accepts Score Choice, but not across paper and digital formats. For the ACT, it uses only the highest composite from a single sitting.

How does Princeton's ACT policy affect my prep?

On the SAT, section bests from different dates count, so a retake can target your weaker section. On the ACT, only your best single composite counts, so plan for one strong full-test sitting rather than stacking section bests across dates.

What GPA do I need for Princeton?

Princeton does not publish a minimum GPA. The average high school GPA of first-years who enrolled in fall 2025 was 3.96 (Common Data Set 2025-26). Course rigor (AP, IB, honors) at the maximum level your school offers is essentially universal among admits.

What is Princeton's acceptance rate?

The Class of 2029 acceptance rate was approximately 4.4 percent on Princeton's largest applicant pool ever (~42,303 applications). 1,408 students enrolled. Princeton's admit rate sits in the most selective tier of U.S. higher education.

What is Single-Choice Early Action at Princeton?

Princeton SCEA is non-binding (you have until May 1 to decide if admitted) but restrictive: you cannot apply Early Decision or Early Action to other private universities. You can apply early to public universities and schools abroad. SCEA admits at a meaningfully higher rate than Regular Decision, though Princeton does not publish specific round splits.

When are the Princeton application deadlines?

Single-Choice Early Action is November 1 with decisions in mid-December. Regular Decision is January 1 with decisions on Ivy Day in late March. Reply deadline for both is May 1.

How does Princeton's financial aid work?

Princeton is need-blind for U.S. applicants, meets 100 percent of demonstrated need with grants (no loans, since 2001), and covers the full cost of attendance for most families with incomes up to $150,000; most families up to $250,000 pay no tuition. Families with higher incomes may still receive substantial aid, especially with multiple children in college. 71 percent of the Class of 2030 qualify for financial aid; 25 percent are Pell-eligible.

Does Princeton have Early Decision?

No. Princeton offers only Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA, non-binding) and Regular Decision. There is no binding Early Decision option. Princeton ended its restrictive ED program decades ago and reinstated SCEA more recently.

Does Princeton consider legacy status or demonstrated interest?

Princeton continues to consider legacy status as one factor in its holistic review. In March 2024, Princeton publicly reaffirmed that it would maintain legacy preferences, describing them as a "tie-breaker between equally well-qualified applicants" that helps fewer than 30 students per year on average. Roughly 70 percent of legacy applicants are still rejected. Demonstrated interest is not separately weighted, but applying SCEA and writing strong school-specific essays register implicitly.

How does Princeton compare to other Ivy League schools?

Princeton's 4.4 percent admit rate sits in the most selective tier of the Ivy League, close to Harvard (~4.2 percent) and Yale (~4.6 percent), slightly tighter than Penn (~4.9 percent), and meaningfully tighter than Brown (~5.6 percent) or Cornell (~8.4 percent). Princeton's enrolled SAT range (1490 to 1560) closely matches peer Ivies. The defining differences from peers are the single-sitting ACT rule, the restrictive SCEA round, and a no-loan aid program in place since 2001 that now covers the full cost for most families up to $150,000.