Austin Peay State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
843 to 1126
Half of enrolled students at Austin Peay State scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1126, and one quarter below 843.
- Average composite
- 1088
- Acceptance rate
- 96.4%
- ACT range
- 18 to 24
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Clarksville, TN
- Undergraduates
- 7,560
Austin Peay State SAT Scores and Admissions
Austin Peay State University is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, with about 7,560 students, and the Austin Peay State SAT scores picture reflects that accessible profile. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 843 and 1126 on the SAT in the 2024-2025 data, with an average around 1088. The acceptance rate sits at 96.4%, which means nearly every applicant who completes the process gets in. Put in plain terms, out of every 100 students who apply, about 96 receive an offer.
That 96.4% rate changes how you should read the score range. At most schools, the middle 50 tells you what it takes to get admitted. Here it mostly describes who chooses to enroll. A 1126 puts you above 3 out of 4 students on campus, which matters more for scholarships and course placement than for the admission decision itself. The section numbers also lean noticeably toward Reading and Writing, where the enrolled range runs 445 to 573 against 398 to 553 in Math. For students who took the ACT instead, the enrolled middle 50 runs 18 to 24, which tells the same story. This is a campus that takes students where they are and works from there.
Cheetah Prep
Achieve your dream SAT score before it's too late.
Start using Cheetah Prep by hitting the button below. Here is what you get from the first session:
- Adaptive practice that finds your weak spots and trains them with real SAT questions
- A diagnostic that predicts your SAT score out of 1600 in just 20 questions
- The Solve the SAT with Desmos course: 31 interactive lessons
- A study plan built around the score Austin Peay State expects
- Start with our free trial
Austin Peay State SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Austin Peay State, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 445 | 573 |
| Math | 398 | 553 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 843 | 1126 |
The College Board reports section percentiles, not section averages, so an average is shown for the composite only.
Where this sits on the 400 to 1600 scale
843 to 1126
Austin Peay State Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Austin Peay State, measured against real enrolled student data instead of a made up percentage.
No SAT score yet? Take the diagnostic and get a real number in about 25 minutes.
How this calculator works: your SAT is compared with Austin Peay State's reported middle 50 percent range from the federal College Scorecard, your GPA is compared with the range admitted students at similarly selective schools typically present, and both are weighed against the school's real acceptance rate. We do not print a made up percent chance. No calculator can see your essays, your course rigor, or your recommendations, and at selective schools those decide close calls. Treat this as an honest read of your academic position, not a prediction.
Chances of Getting Into Austin Peay State by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Austin Peay State, based on its reported 843 to 1126 middle 50 percent range. Find the row closest to your score, or use the calculator above for a read on your exact numbers. No made up percentages: each verdict is your real position in the enrolled class.
| SAT score | Where it lands | The honest read |
|---|---|---|
| 690 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 690 is well below the 843 to 1126 range at Austin Peay State. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 790 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 790 falls just short of Austin Peay State's 25th percentile of 843. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 980 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 980 sits inside the 843 to 1126 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1130 | At the 75th percentile | A 1130 matches the 75th percentile at Austin Peay State, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1160 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1160 beats the 75th percentile at Austin Peay State. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Austin Peay State's Range
The two targets that matter here are 843, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1126, the score that puts you in the top quarter. Here is the size of the jump from common starting points, with the step by step plan for each one.
| Starting score | To reach 843 | To reach 1126 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +126 points | 1000 to 1200 plan |
Not sure where you stand today? The diagnostic gives you a real starting score and a section breakdown in one sitting, so the gap you plan around is your actual gap.
What SAT Score Do You Need for Austin Peay State?
The middle 50 runs from 843 to 1126, so read your own score against those two markers. Below 843 puts you under 1 out of 4 enrolled students. With a 96.4% acceptance rate that rarely blocks admission, but it can limit scholarship money and may land you in developmental coursework, which costs time and tuition without earning credit toward a degree. Inside the range, say a 1000, makes you a typical Austin Peay State student. Above 1126 places you in the top quarter of the class, which is where merit awards start to open up.
The section splits are worth a look. Reading and Writing sets the higher bar, 445 to 573, while Math runs 398 to 553. A balanced 1100 with a 570 in Reading and Writing reads differently than the same total built on Math. Testing is optional in the most recent federal data, and that changes the math on submitting. A score below the range can simply stay in your pocket, while anything near or above the 1088 average is worth sending because it can only help your file.
Austin Peay State GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Austin Peay State typically present an unweighted GPA somewhere around 3.0 to 3.5. That is a wide band, and it fits a school that admits 96.4% of applicants: solid grades keep you comfortably in the pool, and a rough semester does not shut the door. A 3.1 student and a 3.5 student both walk in with realistic odds, which is not something you can say at most public universities.
The number on your transcript is only half the signal. Grades earned in rigorous courses, honors, AP, or dual enrollment, count as much as the GPA itself, because they show you sought out harder work. If your GPA sits near the low end of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest offset. One good test day can outweigh a slow start from freshman year. It also feeds directly into merit aid decisions, and at a school where admission is close to certain, aid is the contest that actually matters.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Austin Peay State typically present a GPA in the 3.0 to 3.5 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Steady grades in a reasonable course load are usually enough on the GPA side of the application.
If your GPA sits at or below this range, a strong SAT score is the fastest way to stay competitive, since grades are hard to move late in high school. See where your SAT score really stands and build the plan around the gap.
These are unweighted grades on a 4.0 scale. A school that weights GPA or reports a different scale will show a higher number.
Austin Peay State SAT Testing Policy
Austin Peay State considered scores without requiring them (test optional) in the most recent federal data. Testing policies change year to year, so confirm the current 2026-2027policy on the school's admissions site before you decide whether to submit scores.
Should you submit your score?
Submit your score when it is at or above 985, the middle of Austin Peay State's range. If you are below 843, the 25th percentile, consider holding your score and letting your grades, essays, and activities carry the application.
Last verified July 14, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to Austin Peay State?
Austin Peay State was test optional in the most recent federal data, which turns your score into a strategic choice. The folk theory that applying without scores signals weakness is overstated, but the math of what helps is simple: a score that lands inside or above the admitted range works for you, and a score well below it does not.
980+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
843 to 980
Lean submit
Inside the range, most counselors say send it: you are within the profile of enrolled students, and holding it back leaves the reader guessing.
Below 843
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Austin Peay State. Apply without it, or better, close the gap first. Scores can still matter for merit scholarships elsewhere on your list.
Policy as reported for the 2024-2025 cycle. We verified it against Austin Peay State's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Austin Peay State ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Austin Peay State scored between 18 and 24 on the ACT, alongside the 843 to 1126 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Austin Peay State states no preference between the two tests. The right move is to take whichever test converts higher for you, using the official concordance below, and send that one.
| ACT composite | SAT equivalent |
|---|---|
| 24 | 1160 to 1190 |
| 23 | 1130 to 1150 |
| 22 | 1100 to 1120 |
| 21 | 1060 to 1090 |
| 20 | 1030 to 1050 |
| 19 | 990 to 1020 |
| 18 | 960 to 980 |
| 17 | 920 to 950 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Austin Peay State's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Austin Peay State
Set two targets. Scoring at or above 843, the 25th percentile, keeps you in range with the enrolled class. Scoring at or above 1126, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter and strengthens any merit scholarship case. The gap between those two numbers is 283 points, so decide early which one you are chasing, because the study plan for each looks very different. Since testing is optional in the 2024-2025 cycle, the practical rule is simple: submit anything at or above the 1088 average, and hold back a score well under 843.
Work backward from those numbers. Our score plans break a target like 1126 into weekly practice blocks, so you know exactly how many points you need from each section. Given the Reading and Writing range tops out at 573, that section often deserves the first push, especially since it carries the higher enrolled numbers on both ends. Start by taking a diagnostic this week to see where you stand against the 843 to 1126 range, then build your plan from that baseline.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Austin Peay State?
Austin Peay State admits about 964 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 7,560. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 36 of every 1,000 people who apply, the students who get in cluster at the top of every measurable scale.
For perspective against the country as a whole: Austin Peay State's 25th percentile score of 843 already beats roughly 13% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1126 sits around the 63th percentile. A score that feels middling on this page is an excellent score almost anywhere else, which is worth remembering when you build the rest of your list.
Colleges Similar to Austin Peay State: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Austin Peay State, ordered by acceptance rate. Odds are compared on acceptance rate first, because a school with a lower SAT average can still be far harder to get into.
| School | SAT middle 50 percent | Acceptance rate | Odds vs Austin Peay State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay State | 843 to 1126 | 96.4% | This page |
| Middle Tennessee State | 1010 to 1230 | 69.1% | Harder to get into than Austin Peay StateSAT about 136 higher |
| Memphis | 915 to 1180 | 72.0% | Harder to get into than Austin Peay StateSAT about 63 higher |
| Eastern Kentucky | 880 to 1080 | 77.6% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Prairie View A&M | 860 to 1080 | 79.3% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Tennessee Chattanooga | 1013 to 1210 | 81.1% | Similar oddsSAT about 127 higher |
| East Tennessee State | 980 to 1200 | 86.2% | Similar oddsSAT about 106 higher |
How Recent Are These Austin Peay State SAT Scores?
Every score, rate, and enrollment figure on this page comes from the US Department of Education College Scorecard, 2024-2025 release, the same federal dataset colleges report into. Testing policy reflects the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. This page was last reviewed July 14, 2026.
Score ranges quoted around the web for Austin Peay State disagree with each other more than you would expect, usually because a site is quoting an older class or an unlabeled estimate. We publish the reported number, label the vintage, and update when the source updates. We also cross checked Austin Peay State's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Austin Peay State SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Austin Peay State?
Austin Peay State's middle 50 percent SAT range is 843 to 1126. Aim for at least 843 to be competitive, and 1126 or higher to be a strong applicant. There is no hard cutoff, but a score in or above this range keeps your application in contention.
Is a 843 a good SAT score for Austin Peay State?
A 843 sits at Austin Peay State's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 843 to 1126. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1126 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Austin Peay State?
The average composite SAT score at Austin Peay State is 1088. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 843 and 1126.
Does Austin Peay State require SAT scores?
No. Austin Peay State was test optional in the most recent federal data, so you can apply without SAT scores. Confirm the current 2026-2027 policy on the school's admissions site before you decide whether to submit.
Is Austin Peay State test optional for 2026-2027?
Austin Peay State was test optional in the most recent federal data, meaning you could apply without scores. Policies change year to year, so verify the 2026-2027 policy on the school's admissions site.
What ACT score do you need for Austin Peay State?
Austin Peay State's middle 50 percent ACT range is 18 to 24. Aim for at least 18 to be competitive and 24 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Austin Peay State.
What GPA do you need to get into Austin Peay State?
Admitted students at Austin Peay State typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.0 to 3.5 range on the 4.0 scale, based on schools with a comparable acceptance rate. Grades earned in rigorous courses matter as much as the number itself, and a strong SAT score is the fastest way to offset a GPA at the lower edge of that range.
What is Austin Peay State's acceptance rate?
Austin Peay State admits about 96.4% of applicants, which makes it less selective. A strong SAT score still helps your application stand out, especially for selective majors, honors programs, and merit scholarships.
What are my chances of getting into Austin Peay State?
Austin Peay State admits about 96.4% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 843 to 1126 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1126 puts you in the strongest quarter of the class on testing. Use the admissions calculator on this page to check your own SAT and GPA against Austin Peay State's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Austin Peay State?
Focus your prep on the section costing you the most points, then follow a study plan built for your target score range. Cheetah Prep has step by step score plans for specific point jumps and unlimited practice questions with worked solutions.
Does Austin Peay State superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Austin Peay State does not report this in the federal data. Check the school's admissions site for its current superscore policy, which tells you whether it combines your best section scores across test dates.
About this page: written and reviewed by the Cheetah Prep team. Last reviewed July 14, 2026.
Related guides
Stephen F Austin State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Stephen F Austin State SAT middle 50 percent: 970 to 1170. About 94% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.
Appalachian State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Appalachian State SAT middle 50 percent: 1120 to 1280. About 90.1% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.
Arkansas State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Arkansas State SAT middle 50 percent: 970 to 1190. About 82.3% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.
Ball State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Ball State SAT middle 50 percent: 1080 to 1260. About 85.5% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.
Bowling Green State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Bowling Green State SAT middle 50 percent: 1000 to 1210. About 81% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.
Bridgewater State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
Bridgewater State SAT middle 50 percent: 1060 to 1263. About 87.8% get in. See 2026 score and GPA requirements, where your score stands, and how to close the gap.