Texas A&M SAT & ACT Score Requirements: What You Need to Get In (2026)

Last Updated: October 1, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Among Texas A&M's fall 2025 enrolled freshmen who submitted scores, the middle-50 SAT range is 1160 to 1390 and the middle-50 ACT range is 24 to 32, with medians of 1280 SAT and 28 ACT.
• Texas A&M is test-optional for first-year applicants. SAT and ACT scores are accepted but not required. A&M says scores are only used to benefit you and that you will not be penalized for low scores or no scores.
• Texas residents ranking in the top 10 percent of their graduating class from a Texas public or private high school are automatically admitted, regardless of test scores, under the State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy.
• For Texas residents who completed non-traditional schooling (homeschooling), A&M uses an SAT of 1290 or ACT of 27 to assign a top-10-percent rank for automatic admission, starting with fall 2027 applicants. Home-schooled applicants are still not required to submit scores.
• Texas A&M admitted 51.7 percent of first-year applicants for fall 2025 (32,531 of 62,967), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set. Applicants outside the top 10 percent go through holistic review.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for Texas A&M?

Texas A&M does not publish a minimum score and technically accepts applications without any test score at all. What it does publish, through its Common Data Set, are the 25th and 75th percentile scores of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores (fall 2025):

Half of enrolled Texas A&M freshmen who submitted scores landed inside those bands. Practical target for most students: aim for an SAT of 1280 or an ACT of 28 to hit the median. A 1160 SAT or 24 ACT sits at the 25th percentile. A 1390 or 32 puts you at the 75th percentile.

That said, the single most important number for Texas A&M admission is not your SAT or ACT, it is your class rank. More on that below.

Texas A&M SAT Score Breakdown by Section

Within the SAT, Texas A&M's Math and Reading/Writing sections sit in similar bands. Section middle-50 ranges for enrolled freshmen (fall 2025) look like:

Two practical implications. First, the sections are roughly balanced, so if one section lags the other by 80 to 100 points, that is a bigger prep priority than raising an already-strong section. Second, the 75th percentile on Math (710) is slightly higher than EBRW (690), which tends to reflect Texas A&M's engineering, agriculture, and sciences concentrations.

For targeted prep, see our SAT Math topics guide or Larry Learns SAT platform for adaptive practice.

The Top 10 Percent Automatic Admission Rule

Under the State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy, Texas residents who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class at a Texas public or accredited private high school are automatically admitted to Texas A&M. This rule is the most important fact in Texas A&M admissions, and it works differently from how most out-of-state applicants expect.

Key mechanics:

• Automatic means automatic. If you meet the top-10-percent rule and complete all application materials on time, you are admitted to the university. One caveat: A&M reviews every College of Engineering applicant, including top-10-percent admits, for placement into General Engineering.
• The standard path runs through a Texas high school. A&M's criteria call for attending a public or private high school in Texas. Texas residents completing high school in another state may still qualify for top-10-percent automatic admission, and must submit a residency questionnaire so A&M can determine eligibility.
• Class rank must be officially reported. You report your rank on Texas A&M's Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS) and also provide an official high school transcript that includes a numeric rank.
• Non-traditional schooling has an alternative. For Texas residents who completed non-traditional schooling (homeschooling), A&M assigns a rank from entrance-exam scores. For applicants beginning fall 2027, the scores used to determine a top-10-percent rank are 1290 on the SAT and 27 on the ACT.

Practical implication: if you are a Texas resident at a Texas high school and realistically within reach of the top 10 percent, your single highest-leverage admissions move is to secure that class rank. Test prep is secondary. Essay polish is secondary. Everything is secondary.

Source: Texas A&M Admissions.

Reviewed Admission: What If You Are Not in the Top 10 Percent?

If you do not qualify for automatic admission (either because you are below top 10 percent, are an out-of-state applicant, or attend a non-ranking high school), your file goes through reviewed admission. That is where the SAT/ACT middle-50 ranges above actually matter, alongside:

1. Strength of curriculum and GPA. Course rigor, AP/IB/dual-credit participation, grade trend.
2. Class rank (if available). Top 25 percent is much stronger than top 50 percent.
3. SAT or ACT scores (if submitted). The middle-50 bands above apply.
4. Required essay. Texas A&M requires one personal essay: "Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?"
5. Extracurriculars, leadership, and work. Considered in context of your school and community.

Out-of-state applicants are admitted at a lower rate than Texas residents: about 41 percent versus 54 percent for fall 2025, per the Common Data Set. About 94 percent of that entering class came from Texas and about 5 percent from other U.S. states. If you are an out-of-state applicant, a strong score (above 1300 SAT or 29 ACT) combined with a rigorous transcript and standout essay is the baseline, not the ceiling.

Texas A&M Testing Policy in 2026

Texas A&M remains test-optional for first-year applicants, and its admissions FAQ says the policy is in place for the foreseeable future. Its Common Data Set lists scores as not required but considered if submitted for fall 2027 applicants. Specifically:

• SAT and ACT scores are accepted but not required.
• If you submit scores, they are considered in reviewed admission. If you do not submit, the rest of your file is weighted more heavily.
• Home-schooled applicants are not required to submit scores either. A&M says it will assign a class rank from the academic factors in the file; 1290 SAT or 27 ACT is the score it uses to assign a top-10-percent rank.
• Texas A&M does not superscore. It considers your highest total score from a single test date, and scores must be sent by the testing agency.

Should you submit scores? A rough decision rule: if your SAT is at or above 1200 (or ACT 26), submit. If it is meaningfully below the 25th percentile (SAT under 1100, ACT under 23), consider going score-optional, especially if the rest of your file is strong on rigor and GPA.

How Competitive Is Reviewed Admission?

Texas A&M admitted 51.7 percent of first-year applicants for fall 2025 (32,531 admits out of 62,967 applicants), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set. That is the most recent cycle A&M has published.

A useful way to read those numbers:

• If you are a top-10-percent Texas resident, your effective admit rate is essentially 100 percent. You are not in the competitive pool.
• If you are a reviewed Texas resident (top 25 percent, strong GPA and curriculum), you are in the competitive pool. The 54 percent in-state admit rate for fall 2025 includes automatic admits, so the rate for reviewed applicants is lower.
• If you are an out-of-state reviewed applicant, the out-of-state admit rate for fall 2025 was about 41 percent (4,489 of 10,882).

What Texas A&M Weighs Beyond Test Scores

For reviewed applicants, Texas A&M uses a holistic review that considers, roughly in order of weight:

1. Academic record. GPA and transcript, with particular weight on course rigor. Dual-credit and AP coursework signals readiness.
2. Class rank. Even outside the top 10 percent, rank matters. Top 25 percent reads substantially stronger than top 50 percent.
3. Standardized test scores. If submitted.
4. Essay. One required essay on a unique challenge or opportunity that shaped you. Generic responses read as a weakness.
5. Extracurriculars, leadership, employment, and service. Depth matters more than number of activities.
6. Major-specific considerations. Competitive majors (engineering, business, nursing) have their own secondary review criteria and often higher effective score expectations.

Texas A&M is a member of the Common App and uses its own ApplyTexas application. The personal essay and Resume sections carry more weight than at some other large public universities.

SAT vs ACT for Texas A&M: Does It Matter Which You Take?

No. Texas A&M accepts both tests equally and does not convert, weight, or prefer one over the other. Take whichever you score higher on relative to percentile.

• The SAT tends to favor students who are comfortable with multi-step reasoning and slightly more generous per-question time.
• The ACT tends to favor students who move fast and prefer straightforward questions under tight time pressure.
• For non-traditional-schooling applicants targeting the automatic admission pathway, either test works: the benchmark is 1290 SAT or 27 ACT.

For a deeper comparison, see our SAT vs ACT guide.

A Realistic Prep Plan for Texas A&M-Level Scores

If your current score is 1100 SAT or 22 ACT and Texas A&M is a reviewed-admission target, most admitted applicants follow a version of this timeline:

1. Sophomore spring to junior summer. Take one timed official practice of each test (Bluebook for SAT, ACT's official practice for ACT). Commit to whichever scores higher in percentile.
2. Junior fall. Begin structured prep. Two or three hours per week plus one full timed test every two or three weeks. Focus on the weaker section first.
3. Junior spring. First official test date. Use your score report to redirect prep.
4. Summer before senior year. Intensive prep window. Target one full practice per week with precision review.
5. Fall senior year. Second attempt. Texas A&M does not superscore and uses your highest total from a single test date, so aim to peak on both sections the same day.

Priority for home-schooled Texas residents: an SAT of 1290 or ACT of 27 is the benchmark A&M uses to assign a top-10-percent rank, which is the route to automatic admission. For adaptive practice that tracks your scaled score section by section, try the Larry Learns SAT platform or the Larry Learns ACT platform.

Texas A&M Versus Other Public Flagships

Texas A&M's admissions profile is similar to other high-quality public flagships. The middle-50 SAT of 1160 to 1390 places it just below the University of Texas at Austin (middle 50 around 1230 to 1480) and close to Florida state flagships like USF (1250 to 1400) and UCF. See our USF SAT and ACT guide for a Florida counterpart. For broader context, see SAT scores for colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas A&M SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for Texas A&M?

The median is 1280, with a middle-50 range of 1160 to 1390, among fall 2025 enrolled freshmen who submitted SAT scores. A 1160 is the 25th percentile; 1390 is the 75th.

What is the average ACT score for Texas A&M?

The median is 28, with a middle-50 composite range of 24 to 32, among fall 2025 enrolled freshmen who submitted ACT scores. The 25th percentile is 24; the 75th percentile is 32.

What are Texas A&M's SAT requirements?

Texas A&M is test-optional, so the SAT is not required. Among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores, the middle-50 range is 1160 to 1390. For home-schooled Texas residents, A&M uses a 1290 SAT or 27 ACT to assign a top-10-percent rank for automatic admission.

What are Texas A&M's ACT requirements?

Texas A&M is test-optional, so the ACT is not required. Among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores, the middle-50 composite is 24 to 32. For home-schooled Texas residents, A&M uses a 27 ACT to assign a top-10-percent rank for automatic admission.

Does Texas A&M require the SAT or ACT?

No. Texas A&M is test-optional for the 2026-2027 application cycle. Scores are accepted but not required. Home-schooled applicants are not required to submit scores either; for those who do, an SAT of 1290 or ACT of 27 is the benchmark A&M uses to assign a top-10-percent rank.

How does Texas A&M automatic admission work?

Texas residents graduating in the top 10 percent of their class from a Texas public or private high school are automatically admitted, regardless of test scores, under the State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy. Submit your application on time, report your rank on STARS, and provide a transcript with a numeric rank. College of Engineering applicants, including top-10-percent admits, are reviewed for placement into General Engineering.

Can out-of-state students get automatic admission to Texas A&M?

Only if they are Texas residents. A&M says Texas residents completing high school in another state may qualify for top-10-percent automatic admission after submitting a residency questionnaire. Other out-of-state applicants go through reviewed admission, where SAT/ACT scores, GPA, course rigor, and the required essay all carry weight.

Does Texas A&M superscore the SAT?

No. Texas A&M says it does not superscore. It considers your highest total score from a single test date, so a retake helps only if your total on that one date is higher.

What is Texas A&M's acceptance rate?

51.7 percent for fall 2025 (32,531 of 62,967 applicants), per Texas A&M's Common Data Set. The top-10-percent pathway admits essentially 100 percent of qualifying applicants; out-of-state applicants were admitted at about 41 percent.

Can I get into Texas A&M with a 1200 SAT?

Yes, frequently. A 1200 sits above the 25th percentile of enrolled freshmen who submitted scores. If you are a Texas resident with strong GPA and a rigorous transcript, a 1200 is well within reach for reviewed admission. If you are in the top 10 percent of your class, test scores are not the deciding factor at all.

When are Texas A&M applications due?

The fall 2027 application deadline for College Station is December 1, with additional required and optional documents due by December 15. Texas A&M's freshman page lists no early action deadline. Scores must come from the testing agency and reach A&M by December 15, and A&M says to allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery, so do not count on a December test date.