Georgetown and Columbia SAT Scores: Requirements & Top School Ranges

Georgetown University SAT Requirements

Georgetown University is one of the most selective universities in the United States and one of the few schools in the elite tier that is known for weighing standardized test scores heavily even during test-optional periods. Georgetown's middle 50% SAT range is approximately 1440-1570. This means 25% of enrolled students scored below 1440 and 25% scored above 1570. Georgetown's median SAT score sits around 1510-1520, placing it in the same tier as highly selective universities like Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Rice.

Georgetown is currently test-optional. However, Georgetown has historically valued test scores more than many of its peer institutions, and many admissions counselors note that students who are competitive for Georgetown are typically in a position where their SAT score helps rather than hurts. If your SAT score is 1500 or above, submitting it to Georgetown is almost always the right decision — it confirms your academic readiness for Georgetown's demanding curriculum. If your score is in the 1440-1499 range, the decision depends on the strength of the rest of your application. Below 1440, applying test-optional is generally advisable at Georgetown, where a below-25th-percentile score will work against you.

Georgetown admits to individual schools: Georgetown College (liberal arts), McDonough School of Business, School of Foreign Service (SFS), School of Nursing, and Walsh School of Foreign Service. The School of Foreign Service is Georgetown's most famous and often its most selective program — applicants to SFS tend to have higher SAT scores than the overall Georgetown average. McDonough and Georgetown College are slightly more accessible by SAT score. When planning which Georgetown school to apply to, research each school's score profile specifically rather than relying solely on the university-wide middle 50%. For context on how Georgetown's range compares to Ivy League schools and other elite institutions, see our ivy league sat scores guide. For understanding nationally what your score means, see sat percentiles.

Georgetown's application process is notable in that it uses the Common Application and requires supplemental essays — the specificity and depth of those essays are weighted heavily in admissions. For applicants who are borderline by SAT score (1440-1490), the quality of supplemental essays and the strength of extracurriculars related to Georgetown's core values (public service, Jesuit education, international affairs) often determine outcomes. A student with a 1460 SAT and compelling leadership in community service or international engagement is more competitive at Georgetown than a student with a 1530 SAT who has a generic application. For the average sat score nationally and benchmarks for college admissions generally, see that guide. For what is a good sat score at selective schools, see our dedicated guide.

Columbia University SAT Scores

Columbia University, an Ivy League school in New York City, has a middle 50% SAT range of approximately 1500-1570. Columbia is one of the most selective universities in the country with an acceptance rate around 3-4% for recent admissions cycles. Columbia is currently test-optional, though given the overall Ivy League trend of re-examining test-optional policies post-pandemic, Columbia's policy may change. When Columbia is test-optional, the practical guidance is identical to other Ivy-tier schools: submit if you are at or above the 50th percentile (approximately 1530-1540 for Columbia).

Columbia's General Studies program (a separate degree program for non-traditional students, career changers, and transfer students) has a different admissions profile than Columbia College and Columbia Engineering. The General Studies SAT range is wider, with admitted students ranging from the low 1200s to perfect scores. Traditional Columbia College and Engineering applicants should target 1510 or above to be competitive by SAT alone — though as with all highly selective schools, SAT score is one of many factors, and students with exceptional essays, research experience, and extracurriculars are admitted at scores below the 50th percentile regularly.

Johns Hopkins University, another highly selective research university, has a middle 50% SAT range of approximately 1500-1580. Johns Hopkins is known for its strength in pre-medicine, biomedical engineering, and international studies. For applicants targeting Johns Hopkins for pre-med pathways, the combination of a strong SAT score (1520+) and rigorous science coursework (AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics) is most competitive. The University of Washington (Seattle) has a middle 50% SAT range of approximately 1230-1480 — a significantly broader range reflecting its status as a large public flagship. For in-state Washington residents, the University of Washington is one of the most accessible top public research universities in the country for students in the 1200-1350 range. For college board sat scores and score sending details, see that guide. For prep to target these score ranges, see khan academy sat preparation (free official program) and for test dates to retake before applications, see sat dates 2025 and sat registration. For understanding the full SAT format before your next attempt, see what is on the sat and how many questions are on the sat. For practice tests to benchmark readiness, see our sat test library.

How to Decide Whether to Submit Your SAT to Selective Schools

The decision framework for highly selective schools like Georgetown, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins is slightly different from the framework for less selective test-optional schools. At elite schools, nearly every applicant who does not submit test scores still has an extraordinary profile — meaning the absence of test scores does not level the playing field, it simply removes one piece of data that reviewers might have used in your favor. If your score is genuinely strong (within or above the school's middle 50%), submitting adds a positive signal at zero cost. The only scenario where withholding a strong score makes sense is if other red flags in your application make you concerned that reviewers will scrutinize your application more closely once they see it — and that scenario is rare.

For applicants whose score falls below the 25th percentile of their target school, test-optional applications are genuinely advisable. A 1380 SAT at Columbia (where the 25th percentile is approximately 1500) introduces a data point that actively hurts the application, and no amount of essay excellence fully compensates for it in the numerical review stage. These applicants are genuinely better served by withholding the score and letting their personal statement, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation carry the review. The test-optional option exists for exactly this scenario — and selective schools have demonstrated genuine willingness to admit high-profile students without scores when the rest of the application is exceptional.

A practical note on superscoring: Georgetown, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins all superscore the SAT — they take the highest Math score and highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score across all test sittings and calculate the highest possible composite. This means taking the SAT multiple times can only help your score at these schools, since they will never count a lower sitting against you. If you plan to apply to any of these schools, submit all SAT scores under Score Choice's superscore logic — they will calculate the highest composite from your individual section peaks. For how official score reports work, see college board sat scores. For timing a retake before application deadlines, see when to take the sat for grade-by-grade timing guidance and sat percentiles to benchmark your current score nationally before deciding whether a retake is worth pursuing.