CUNY Lehman SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
850 to 1150
Half of enrolled students at CUNY Lehman scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1150, and one quarter below 850.
- Average composite
- 970
- Acceptance rate
- 56.6%
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Bronx, NY
- Undergraduates
- 10,696
- School type
- Public university
CUNY Lehman SAT Scores and Admissions
Roughly 57 out of every 100 applicants to CUNY Lehman College get an offer, an acceptance rate of 56.6% in the 2024-2025 federal data. In plain terms, if 10,000 students apply, about 5,660 get in and 4,340 do not. Lehman admits more than half its pool, but it still turns away a large minority, so the application has to hold up on its own.
That context matters when you look at CUNY Lehman SAT scores: the middle 50 of admitted students runs from 850 to 1150, with an average around 970. Half of the class scored inside that range, 1 out of 4 scored below 850, and 1 out of 4 scored above 1150.
Lehman is a public university in the Bronx, NY, enrolling 10,696 students. The section splits tell you where the bar sits. Reading and Writing runs 440 to 590 for the middle 50, while Math runs 410 to 560. That gap of 30 points at both ends means admitted students tend to lean on the verbal side. Testing is optional here in the most recent federal data, so a score is a choice you make, and the choice only pays off when the number lands in or above the range.
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CUNY Lehman SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at CUNY Lehman, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 440 | 590 |
| Math | 410 | 560 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 850 | 1150 |
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
850 to 1150
CUNY Lehman Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into CUNY Lehman, 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 CUNY Lehman'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 CUNY Lehman by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at CUNY Lehman, based on its reported 850 to 1150 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 700 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 700 is well below the 850 to 1150 range at CUNY Lehman. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 800 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 800 falls just short of CUNY Lehman's 25th percentile of 850. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1000 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1000 sits inside the 850 to 1150 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1150 | At the 75th percentile | A 1150 matches the 75th percentile at CUNY Lehman, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1180 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1180 beats the 75th percentile at CUNY Lehman. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to CUNY Lehman's Range
The two targets that matter here are 850, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1150, 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 850 | To reach 1150 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +150 points | 1000 to 1200 plan |
| 1100 | Already there | +50 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 CUNY Lehman?
Read the 850 to 1150 range in 3 zones. Below 850 puts you under 3 out of 4 admitted students. At a school where testing is optional, that is usually a score worth withholding while you retest, because sending it answers a question nobody asked. Inside the range, say a 1000, makes you a typical admit: the score neither carries the application nor sinks it, so grades and coursework decide. Above 1150 places you in the top quarter of the class, and that is a score worth sending every time.
Check the sections separately too. Reading and Writing sets the higher bar at 440 to 590, against 410 to 560 in Math. A 560 in Math clears the 75th percentile at Lehman, but the same 560 on the verbal side sits well inside the pack. If your split runs the other way, strong Math and weaker verbal, your composite may look better than its parts, and a reader who checks sections will see it.
CUNY Lehman GPA Requirements
Admitted students at CUNY Lehman typically show an unweighted GPA somewhere around 3.3 to 3.7. That is a band, not a cutoff. A 3.4 with honors and AP courses on the transcript reads stronger than a 3.6 built entirely on the easiest available schedule, because the rigor of the courses counts as much as the number itself.
If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, the fastest offset is a strong SAT. Grades take semesters to move. A score can move in weeks. Since Lehman is test optional, submitting a number at or above the 1150 mark at the top of its middle 50 gives an admissions reader a concrete reason to look past a transcript that is merely fine.
The reverse also holds. If your GPA sits near 3.7 or above, you are already ahead of the typical admit on grades, and a score below 850 would only pull the picture down. In that case the smart move is to hold the score back, keep the transcript in front, and retest only if you can clear the 970 average.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at CUNY Lehman typically present a GPA in the 3.3 to 3.7 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Solid grades with a clear upward trend read well, especially paired with a strong test score.
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.
CUNY Lehman SAT Testing Policy
CUNY Lehman 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 1000, the middle of CUNY Lehman's range. If you are below 850, 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 CUNY Lehman?
CUNY Lehman 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.
1000+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
850 to 1000
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 850
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at CUNY Lehman. 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 CUNY Lehman's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
How to Get Into CUNY Lehman
Set 2 targets and treat them differently. Scoring at or above 850, the 25th percentile, keeps you in range at Lehman; below it, more than 3 out of 4 admits outscored you. Scoring at or above 1150, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of admits, and since testing is optional, that is the number that makes submitting an easy call. Between the 2, aim section by section: 590 in Reading and Writing and 560 in Math each clear the 75th percentile bar on their own.
The distance between those 2 targets is 300 points, so where you start decides how long the plan runs. Start by finding out where you stand today. Take a diagnostic to get a real baseline score, then pick from our score plans to map the weeks between that baseline and your target. Your next step is simple: sit the diagnostic this week, write down your gap to 1150, and plan backward from your test date.
How Hard Is It to Get Into CUNY Lehman?
CUNY Lehman admits about 566 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 10,696. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 434 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: CUNY Lehman's 25th percentile score of 850 already beats roughly 15% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1150 sits around the 67th 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 CUNY Lehman: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside CUNY Lehman, 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 CUNY Lehman |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Lehman | 850 to 1150 | 56.6% | This page |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 930 to 1220 | 57.1% | Similar oddsSAT about 75 higher |
| CUNY Brooklyn | 950 to 1340 | 58.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 145 higher |
| Farmingdale State | 1040 to 1240 | 63.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 140 higher |
| CUNY New York City College of Technology | 900 to 1140 | 80.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 20 higher |
| New Mexico State | 870 to 1110 | 89.0% | Better odds than CUNY Lehmansimilar SAT range |
| Ferris State | 890 to 1120 | 91.4% | Better odds than CUNY Lehmansimilar SAT range |
How Recent Are These CUNY Lehman 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 CUNY Lehman 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 CUNY Lehman's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
CUNY Lehman SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into CUNY Lehman?
CUNY Lehman's middle 50 percent SAT range is 850 to 1150. Aim for at least 850 to be competitive, and 1150 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 850 a good SAT score for CUNY Lehman?
A 850 sits at CUNY Lehman's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 850 to 1150. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1150 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at CUNY Lehman?
The average composite SAT score at CUNY Lehman is 970. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 850 and 1150.
Does CUNY Lehman require SAT scores?
No. CUNY Lehman 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 CUNY Lehman test optional for 2026-2027?
CUNY Lehman 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 CUNY Lehman?
Admitted students at CUNY Lehman typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.3 to 3.7 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 CUNY Lehman's acceptance rate?
CUNY Lehman admits about 56.6% of applicants, which makes it moderately 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 CUNY Lehman?
CUNY Lehman admits about 56.6% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 850 to 1150 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1150 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 CUNY Lehman's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for CUNY Lehman?
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 CUNY Lehman superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and CUNY Lehman 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.
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