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

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Penn's admitted-student SAT middle 50 is 1510 to 1560 and ACT middle 50 is 34 to 35, both super-scored. The average enrolled GPA is approximately 3.9, with 59 percent of enrolled students earning a 4.0 or above.
• Penn reinstated the SAT or ACT requirement for the 2025-26 admissions cycle (Class of 2030 entering Fall 2026). The previous test-optional policy ran through the Class of 2029 cycle.
• Penn super-scores both the SAT and the ACT and accepts self-reported scores at the application stage. There is no preference between SAT and ACT.
• The Class of 2029 acceptance rate was approximately 4.9 percent (3,570 admits from 72,544 applications, with 2,421 enrolled). 51 percent of the Class of 2029 was admitted Early Decision.
• Penn admits by school, not by university. Applicants choose one of four undergraduate schools at application: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Wharton School, or the School of Nursing.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for UPenn?

Penn does not publish a competitive minimum and uses a deeply holistic review. What it does publish, through its Incoming Class Profile, are score ranges for the most recently enrolled class:

Half of Penn's enrolled Class of 2029 sat inside 1510 to 1560 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT. Practical target: aim for a 1535 SAT or a 34 ACT to land at the median. A 1510 or 34 keeps you competitive at the 25th percentile. A 1560 or 35 puts you near the top of the enrolled band.

Within these ranges, Penn's submitter pool tends to be heavily weighted toward the math sub-score for Wharton and Engineering applicants. SAT Math middle 50 for admitted submitters is roughly 770 to 800 (median ~790); SAT Reading and Writing middle 50 is roughly 740 to 770 (median ~760). For Wharton and the dual-degree programs, an SAT Math at or above 780 is the practical norm.

Penn Reinstated the SAT and ACT Requirement for 2025-26

In February 2025, Penn announced that it would reinstate the standardized testing requirement starting with the 2025-26 undergraduate admissions cycle. Penn became the sixth Ivy League school to end its pandemic-era test-optional policy. From the policy:

• You must submit either an SAT or ACT score. Test-optional is no longer available for Penn first-year applicants. The requirement applies across all four undergraduate schools.
• Self-reporting is accepted. Self-report scores in your application; Penn does not require official score reports until enrollment.
• A testing waiver exists for hardship cases. Applicants who cannot access testing due to lack of test center availability, financial hardship, natural disaster, or civil unrest may submit a testing waiver. The waiver is reserved for documented, specific hardship and is not a general fallback.
• No preference between SAT and ACT. If you submit both, Penn will pay attention to whichever is higher.

Penn Super-Scores Both the SAT and the ACT

Penn uses an applicant-friendly super-scoring policy on both tests:

• SAT super-score: Highest Reading and Writing across dates plus highest Math across dates form a new total.
• ACT super-score: Highest section scores across dates form a new composite.
• Self-reported super-scores accepted, with verification. If you self-report scores from multiple dates to construct a super-score, Penn requires official reports for each contributing test prior to enrollment.
• You can submit both tests. Penn uses whichever super-score is most competitive.

The combination of super-scoring plus the requirement to submit makes a focused two- or three-test strategy the right default. Junior spring, senior fall, and an optional September retake will produce the strongest super-score for most applicants.

Penn Admits by School, Not by University

This is a defining feature of a Penn application. Unlike most peer Ivies, Penn admits to one of four undergraduate schools, and the application asks you to choose at the time of submission. Each school has its own profile, course expectations, and admit rate.

Once at Penn, students can take classes in any of the four schools regardless of where they applied. Internal transfer between schools is possible but is a separate process and is not guaranteed, so the initial school choice matters significantly.

Penn's Coordinated Dual-Degree Programs

Beyond the four standalone schools, Penn offers some of the most selective coordinated dual-degree programs in U.S. higher education. These programs span two schools and admit a tiny cohort each year:

• Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T): Wharton + SEAS. Combines a business degree from Wharton with an engineering degree from SEAS. Admit rates typically in the low single digits.
• Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business: Wharton + College. Combines business with international relations and language; requires advanced foreign-language proficiency.
• Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management (LSM): Wharton + College. Combines a life sciences major with Wharton business; admits approximately 25 students per year.
• Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER): College + SEAS. Dual BA and BSE focused on energy science and engineering research.
• Nursing and Health Care Management (NHCM): Nursing + Wharton. Pairs the BSN with the Wharton BS in Economics with a Health Care Management concentration.

For applicants targeting any of these programs, the effective admit bar is meaningfully tighter than the standalone-school bar at Penn. Most successful dual-degree admits sit at 1550+ SAT or 35+ ACT with near-perfect academic records and demonstrated depth in both program areas.

Early Decision Is the Single Biggest Lever

Penn's Early Decision is binding and produces a striking admit-rate advantage. The Class of 2029 numbers:

Three things to know about Penn ED:

• ED is binding. Admitted ED applicants must withdraw all other college applications and enroll at Penn unless released for documented financial reasons.
• The ED-to-RD class allocation is roughly 51:49. Penn fills slightly more than half of the class through Early Decision. This is a higher ED share than at most peer Ivies and produces a meaningful round-selection advantage.
• The ED pool is self-selected stronger. Some of the rate advantage reflects ED applicants being more academically prepared on average. The structural advantage is real but smaller than the raw round split suggests.

For applicants who have Penn as a clear first choice and can make the binding commitment, ED is the strongest single lever in the application. Penn's generous financial aid (see below) makes the ED commitment financially safe for most U.S. applicants.

Penn GPA, Course Rigor, and the Academic Profile

Penn does not publish an official admit-pool GPA, but the enrolled Class of 2029 profile is dense:

• Average enrolled GPA: ~3.9 unweighted.
• 59 percent of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above (most reported on a weighted scale).
• 31 percent had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99.

Course rigor expectations vary by school but generally require:

• English: 4 years.
• Math: 4 years through pre-calculus minimum (Calculus is the practical norm for SEAS, Wharton, and pre-med College tracks).
• Science: 4 years recommended (Biology, Chemistry, Physics for SEAS and pre-med tracks).
• Social science: 3 to 4 years.
• Foreign language: 3 to 4 years of one language (4 years for Huntsman applicants, who must demonstrate advanced language proficiency).

For Penn admits, AP, IB, dual enrollment, or honors at the maximum level your school offers is essentially universal. A 4.0 unweighted GPA in regular classes is significantly weaker than a 3.85 unweighted with a heavy AP or IB load.

Need-Blind Admission and Penn's Aid Commitment

Penn is one of a small group of top private universities offering need-blind admission for U.S. citizens and permanent residents:

• Need-blind for U.S. applicants. Ability to pay does not factor into the admission decision.
• 100 percent of demonstrated need met. Penn covers the full demonstrated financial need of every admitted U.S. student.
• No-loan financial aid. Penn replaced loans with grant aid for undergraduates with demonstrated need.
• 23 percent of the Class of 2029 is estimated to be Pell-eligible. Penn's socioeconomic mix has expanded meaningfully over the past decade through expanded aid commitments.
• 21 percent are first-generation to college students.

The combination of need-blind admission, full-need-met aid, and no loans means Penn ED is financially safe for most U.S. applicants. The binding ED commitment includes a financial-need release if the offered aid package is insufficient.

What Penn Weighs Beyond Test Scores

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

1. Academic record. Course rigor, GPA, and trajectory. Penn places unusual weight on the Penn-specific essay (the "Penn supplement") which asks why this Penn school and why this academic interest.
2. Standardized test scores. Required for the 2025-26 cycle and beyond; used to corroborate the academic file.
3. Penn-specific supplemental essays. Each Penn school has its own supplement asking why this school. Wharton and Nursing supplements are particularly important; SEAS asks for engineering interest depth; College asks for academic interest specificity.
4. Recommendations. Penn requires a counselor letter and two teacher letters. For SEAS applicants, at least one math or science teacher recommendation is the practical norm.
5. Activities and impact. Penn looks for depth, leadership, and clear narrative coherence with the chosen school.
6. Demonstrated interest. Not separately weighted as "very important," but applying ED, attending information sessions, and writing strong school-specific responses register implicitly.

Penn does not require interviews but offers them when alumni interviewers are available. An offered interview is an asset; not being offered is not a penalty.

A Realistic Prep Plan for Penn-Level Scores

If Penn 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. Penn super-scores, so identify your weakest section and concentrate prep there. Wharton and SEAS applicants should prioritize Math.
3. Junior spring. First official sitting. Lock in your strongest section. Aim for at least 1510 SAT or 34 ACT (the 25th percentile of enrolled) by this point.
4. Summer before senior year. Heavy prep window. Push toward the median (1535 SAT or 34.5 ACT). Penn's school-specific supplemental essays also need real time investment over this summer.
5. September of senior year. Second sitting. Scores from August or October administrations arrive in time for the November 1 ED deadline. A third sitting in October or November is possible for RD review.

Score targets to anchor on: 1510 SAT or 34 ACT for the enrolled 25th percentile, 1535 SAT or 34 ACT for the enrolled median, and 1560+ SAT or 35+ ACT for the upper end. Wharton, SEAS, and dual-degree program admits commonly cluster at 1550+ SAT with SAT Math 780+, or 35+ ACT with ACT Math at the top of the range.

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 UPenn SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for UPenn?

Approximately 1535 (super-scored), based on a published enrolled middle 50 of 1510 to 1560 for the Class of 2029. SAT Math middle 50 for admitted submitters is roughly 770 to 800 (median ~790); SAT Reading and Writing middle 50 is roughly 740 to 770 (median ~760).

What is the average ACT score for UPenn?

Approximately 34.5 composite (super-scored), with a published enrolled middle 50 of 34 to 35. Approximately 63 percent of test-submitting students achieved an ACT score of 35 or 36.

What are UPenn's SAT requirements?

Penn requires the SAT or ACT for first-year applicants starting with the 2025-26 admissions cycle (Class of 2030 entering Fall 2026). There is no published minimum, but the enrolled middle 50 SAT range is 1510 to 1560. Penn super-scores the SAT and accepts self-reported scores at the application stage.

What are UPenn's ACT requirements?

Penn requires the ACT or SAT for first-year applicants. The enrolled middle 50 ACT composite is 34 to 35. Penn super-scores the ACT and uses whichever super-score is most competitive if you submit both tests. There is no preference between SAT and ACT.

Is UPenn test-optional?

No, not for Fall 2026 and beyond. Penn announced in February 2025 that it would reinstate the standardized testing requirement starting with the 2025-26 cycle, becoming the sixth Ivy League school to end its pandemic-era test-optional policy. A testing waiver is available for documented hardship cases (lack of test center availability, financial hardship, natural disaster, civil unrest).

Does UPenn super-score the SAT and ACT?

Yes, both. Penn combines the highest section scores across all your test dates into a new composite. If you submit both the SAT and ACT, Penn pays attention to whichever is higher. Self-reported super-scores are accepted at the application stage, with official reports from each contributing date required prior to enrollment.

What GPA do I need for UPenn?

Penn does not publish an official admit-pool GPA. The average enrolled Class of 2029 GPA is approximately 3.9 unweighted, with 59 percent of enrolled students at 4.0 or above and 31 percent between 3.75 and 3.99. Course rigor (AP, IB, honors) at the maximum level your school offers is essentially universal among admits.

What is UPenn's acceptance rate?

The Class of 2029 acceptance rate was approximately 4.9 percent: 3,570 admits from 72,544 applications, with 2,421 enrolled. Approximately 51 percent of the Class of 2029 was admitted Early Decision.

How much does applying Early Decision help at UPenn?

Materially. Penn fills approximately 51 percent of the entering class through binding Early Decision. The historical ED admit rate is roughly three times the Regular Decision rate. Some of this advantage reflects stronger applicants self-selecting into ED, but the round-selection advantage is real and meaningful at this admit-rate tier. ED is binding (with a financial-need release available); the November 1 deadline is firm.

Does UPenn admit by school?

Yes. Penn admits to one of four undergraduate schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), the Wharton School, or the School of Nursing. The application asks you to choose at the time of submission, and admission is to that specific school. Internal transfer between schools is possible but is a separate process and not guaranteed.

What is the Wharton School at UPenn?

Wharton is Penn's undergraduate business school, widely considered the most prestigious undergraduate business program in the U.S. Wharton admits at a tighter rate than the all-Penn average. Wharton applicants typically present strong math signal (SAT Math 780+ or ACT Math 35+) and clear business or quantitative engagement in essays and activities.

What are UPenn's coordinated dual-degree programs?

Penn offers several highly selective coordinated dual-degree programs that span two schools. These include the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T, Wharton + SEAS), the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business (Wharton + College), the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management (LSM, Wharton + College), the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER, College + SEAS), and Nursing and Health Care Management (NHCM, Nursing + Wharton). Admit rates for these dual-degree programs are typically in the low single digits.

When are the UPenn application deadlines?

Early Decision is November 1 (binding) with decisions in mid-December. Regular Decision is January 5 with decisions on Ivy Day in late March. Penn uses the Common Application and accepts self-reported test scores at application.

Does UPenn offer financial aid?

Yes. Penn is need-blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need, and offers no-loan financial aid (grants instead of loans). Approximately 23 percent of the Class of 2029 is Pell-eligible. The binding ED commitment includes a financial-need release if the offered aid package is insufficient for the family to attend.

Does UPenn consider legacy status or demonstrated interest?

Penn considers legacy status as a factor in the holistic review. Demonstrated interest is not separately weighted as "very important," but applying ED, attending information sessions, and writing strong Penn-specific supplements register implicitly.

How does UPenn compare to other Ivy League schools?

Penn's 4.9 percent admit rate sits in the most selective tier of the Ivy League, comparable to Brown (~5.65 percent) and slightly less selective than Harvard (~4.2 percent), Princeton (~4.4 percent), or Yale (~4.6 percent). Penn's enrolled SAT range (1510 to 1560) closely matches peer Ivies. The defining structural difference is admission by school (with Wharton and the dual-degree programs running materially tighter than the headline rate) and the highest ED-class share among the Ivies.