Carlow SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
960 to 1168
Half of enrolled students at Carlow scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1168, and one quarter below 960.
- Average composite
- 1080
- Acceptance rate
- 87.0%
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Undergraduates
- 1,348
- School type
- Private nonprofit university
Carlow SAT Scores and Admissions
Out of every 100 students who apply to Carlow University, about 87 get an offer. That 87.0% acceptance rate is the first thing to know before you worry about Carlow SAT scores: the school admits most applicants, and testing is optional in the most recent federal data. Still, scores matter for students who send them. The middle 50 percent of admitted students who submitted the SAT landed between 960 and 1168, with an average of 1080. Score above 1168 and you beat 3 out of 4 admitted testers.
Carlow is a small private nonprofit university in Pittsburgh, PA, with 1,348 students enrolled. That scale changes the math on what a score does for you. At a school this size, an application is not one file in a stack of 50,000, and a submitted SAT in the upper half of the range reads clearly. The section numbers from the 2024-2025 cycle show where the bar sits: Reading and Writing ran 500 to 598 for the middle 50 percent, while Math ran 460 to 570. A student with a 1100 and solid grades is comfortably positioned here. A student near 960 is still in range but has little cushion.
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Carlow SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Carlow, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 500 | 598 |
| Math | 460 | 570 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 960 | 1168 |
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
960 to 1168
Carlow Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Carlow, 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 Carlow'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 Carlow by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Carlow, based on its reported 960 to 1168 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 810 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 810 is well below the 960 to 1168 range at Carlow. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 910 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 910 falls just short of Carlow's 25th percentile of 960. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1060 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1060 sits inside the 960 to 1168 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1170 | At the 75th percentile | A 1170 matches the 75th percentile at Carlow, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1200 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1200 beats the 75th percentile at Carlow. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Carlow's Range
The two targets that matter here are 960, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1168, 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 960 | To reach 1168 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +168 points | 1000 to 1200 plan |
| 1100 | Already there | +68 points | 1100 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 Carlow?
The middle 50 percent range of 960 to 1168 splits Carlow's admitted testers into 3 groups. Below 960, you scored lower than 3 out of 4 admitted students who submitted scores. With an 87.0% acceptance rate you can still get in, but at that point the test optional policy is your friend: hold the score back and let your transcript carry the file. Inside the range, from 960 to 1168, you look like a typical admitted student, and the closer you sit to the 1080 average, the more neutral the score reads. Above 1168, you are in the top quarter of admitted testers, which is where a score starts working for you rather than just not hurting you.
The section splits show Reading and Writing sets the higher bar. Its middle 50 runs 500 to 598, while Math runs 460 to 570, a gap of roughly 30 to 40 points at both ends. If your verbal score outpaces your math, that pattern matches Carlow's admitted class. If math is your strength, a 570 already clears the Math 75th percentile while the same energy in Reading and Writing would still leave you short of 598.
Carlow GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Carlow University typically present an unweighted GPA somewhere around 3.0 to 3.5. That is a band, not a cutoff, and a school that admits 87.0% of applicants is not slicing transcripts to the hundredth of a point. What matters more is what sits behind the number. A 3.2 earned in honors and college level courses says more than a 3.5 built on the lightest schedule available, and readers know the difference.
If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, the fastest offset is a strong SAT. Carlow is test optional, which cuts both ways: you can withhold a weak score, but a good one becomes a deliberate signal. Submitting something at or above the 1080 average tells the school your transcript undersells you. A 3.0 paired with an 1150 is a very different application than a 3.0 alone, and it costs you a few months of prep rather than 3 years of grades you cannot redo.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Carlow 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.
Carlow SAT Testing Policy
Carlow 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 1064, the middle of Carlow's range. If you are below 960, the 25th percentile, consider holding your score and letting your grades, essays, and activities carry the application.
Last verified July 15, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to Carlow?
Carlow 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.
1060+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
960 to 1060
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 960
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Carlow. 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 Carlow's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
How to Get Into Carlow
Set 2 concrete targets. First, 960: at or above the 25th percentile keeps you inside the range Carlow admits from, and pairing it with the section floors of 500 in Reading and Writing and 460 in Math keeps either half from dragging the total down. Second, 1168: at or above the 75th percentile puts you in the top quarter of admitted testers, a level worth submitting anywhere test optional. Between those two, 1080 is the average and a sensible middle milestone.
How you get there matters as much as the number. Start with a diagnostic to see your real baseline across both sections, because guessing at your starting point wastes weeks. Then pick from the score plans that match the gap you found: closing 100 points is a different project than closing 40. Given that Reading and Writing carries the higher bar at Carlow, verbal heavy students should protect that edge and math heavy students should budget extra verbal reps. Your next step: take the diagnostic this week and write down your two target numbers, 960 and 1168, before you plan anything else.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Carlow?
Carlow admits about 870 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 1,348. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 130 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: Carlow's 25th percentile score of 960 already beats roughly 32% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1168 sits around the 70th 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 Carlow: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Carlow, 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 Carlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlow | 960 to 1168 | 87.0% | This page |
| Grambling State | 920 to 1080 | 44.9% | Harder to get into than CarlowSAT about 64 lower |
| Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 960 to 1045 | 56.9% | Harder to get into than CarlowSAT about 61 lower |
| Saint Vincent | 1020 to 1230 | 61.7% | Harder to get into than CarlowSAT about 61 higher |
| Lincoln | 820 to 960 | 65.7% | Similar oddsSAT about 174 lower |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 980 to 1190 | 71.5% | Similar oddsSAT about 21 higher |
| Saint Francis | 1050 to 1230 | 76.8% | Similar oddsSAT about 76 higher |
How Recent Are These Carlow 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 15, 2026.
Score ranges quoted around the web for Carlow 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 Carlow's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Carlow SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Carlow?
Carlow's middle 50 percent SAT range is 960 to 1168. Aim for at least 960 to be competitive, and 1168 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 960 a good SAT score for Carlow?
A 960 sits at Carlow's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 960 to 1168. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1168 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Carlow?
The average composite SAT score at Carlow is 1080. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 960 and 1168.
Does Carlow require SAT scores?
No. Carlow 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 Carlow test optional for 2026-2027?
Carlow 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 GPA do you need to get into Carlow?
Admitted students at Carlow 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 Carlow's acceptance rate?
Carlow admits about 87.0% 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 Carlow?
Carlow admits about 87.0% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 960 to 1168 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1168 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 Carlow's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Carlow?
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 Carlow superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Carlow 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 15, 2026.
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