ACT Scores for Admission to the Southeastern Conference

A Side-by-Side Comparison of College Admissions Data

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Southeastern Conference ACT scores. Thomas Barwick / Getty Images
By
Allen Grove
Allen Grove
College Admissions Expert
  • Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
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Updated on February 21, 2020

If you're wondering if you have the ACT scores you'll need to get into one of the Southeastern Conference universities, here's a side-by-side comparison of scores for the middle 50% of enrolled students. If your scores fall within or above these ranges, you're on target for admission to one of these universities.

Realize, of course, that ACT scores are just one part of the application. The SEC admissions officers will also be looking for a strong high school record and meaningful extracurricular activities.

Southeastern Conference ACT Score Comparison (mid 50%)

(Learn what these numbers mean)

Composite 25% Composite 75% English 25% English 75% Math 25% Math 75%
Alabama 23 32 23 33 21 29
Arkansas 23 29 23 30 22 28
Auburn 24 30 24 32 23 28
Florida 28 32 27 34 26 31
Georgia 26 31 26 33 25 30
Kentucky 22 28 22 30 21 28
LSU 23 28 23 31 22 27
Mississippi State 21 28 21 30 20 27
Missouri 23 29 23 30 22 27
Ole Miss 22 29 22 30 21 27
South Carolina 25 30 24 31 24 28
Tennessee 24 30 24 32 24 28
Texas A&M 25 30 23 31 24 29
Vanderbilt 32 35 33 35 30 35

View the SAT version of this table

If your ACT scores are a little below the lower numbers above, don't lose hope. Keep in mind that 25% of matriculated students had scores below the lower number. When your scores are on the low end, however, you'll need to have other strengths to make up for the less-than-idea SAT numbers. 

In general, the SEC schools are relatively selective, and successful applicants tend to have grades and standardized test scores that are at least average, and many admitted students have "A" averages and standardized test scores that are well above average. Vanderbilt University is certainly not the strongest school for athletics in the conference, but it is by far the most academically rigorous. 

Data from National Center for Educational Statistics.

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Grove, Allen. "ACT Scores for Admission to the Southeastern Conference." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/act-scores-for-southeastern-conference-admission-788810. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 27). ACT Scores for Admission to the Southeastern Conference. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/act-scores-for-southeastern-conference-admission-788810 Grove, Allen. "ACT Scores for Admission to the Southeastern Conference." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/act-scores-for-southeastern-conference-admission-788810 (accessed June 6, 2023).