Kettering SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1160 to 1330
Half of enrolled students at Kettering scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1330, and one quarter below 1160.
- Average composite
- 1251
- Acceptance rate
- 78.7%
- ACT range
- 26 to 30
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Flint, MI
- Undergraduates
- 1,205
Kettering SAT Scores and Admissions
Kettering SAT scores tilt slightly toward Math: the middle 50 percent of admitted students landed between 580 and 670 on Math and between 580 and 660 on Reading and Writing in the 2024-2025 cycle. Anyone researching Kettering SAT scores should start with those section numbers, because a school built around engineering and applied science reads the Math line closely. Put together, the composite middle 50 runs from 1160 to 1330, and the average sits at 1251.
Kettering University is a private nonprofit university in Flint, MI, and it is small on purpose: about 1,205 students total. That scale changes the admissions math. With an acceptance rate of 78.7%, roughly 3 out of 4 applicants get in, so the question is less whether you can get admitted and more whether your scores match the students who thrive there. Testing is optional in the most recent federal data, which means a score in or above that 1160 to 1330 band is a choice you make to strengthen your file, not a box you are forced to check. For a school this small and this technical, a solid Math section score does more work than almost anything else you can submit.
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Kettering SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Kettering, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 580 | 660 |
| Math | 580 | 670 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1160 | 1330 |
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
1160 to 1330
Kettering Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Kettering, 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 Kettering'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 Kettering by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Kettering, based on its reported 1160 to 1330 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1010 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 1010 is well below the 1160 to 1330 range at Kettering. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1110 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1110 falls just short of Kettering's 25th percentile of 1160. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1250 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1250 sits inside the 1160 to 1330 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1330 | At the 75th percentile | A 1330 matches the 75th percentile at Kettering, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1360 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1360 beats the 75th percentile at Kettering. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Kettering's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1160, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1330, 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 1160 | To reach 1330 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +160 points | +330 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | +60 points | +230 points | 1100 to 1400 plan |
| 1200 | Already there | +130 points | 1200 to 1400 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 Kettering?
Read the middle 50 as three zones. Below 1160, you are under the 25th percentile, meaning at least 3 out of 4 enrolled students scored higher than you. Since testing is optional here, a score in that zone usually should not be submitted at all; your application stands better without it. Inside 1160 to 1330, you look like a typical Kettering student, and any score in that range supports your case. Above 1330, you clear the 75th percentile and outscore the top quarter of the class, which is a real asset at a school with only 1,205 students.
The section splits tell you where to focus. Math sets the higher bar: its middle 50 tops out at 670 versus 660 for Reading and Writing, and the two sections share the same 580 floor. In practice, a strong Math score carries more weight at an engineering focused school, so if your two section scores are uneven, you want Math to be the higher one.
Kettering GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Kettering typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. That band reflects the reality of a 78.7% acceptance rate: the school admits most applicants, and it is looking for students who can handle a demanding technical curriculum, not a class full of 4.0s.
What matters as much as the number is where the grades came from. A 3.2 earned in calculus, physics, and chemistry says more to a school like Kettering than a 3.6 built on lighter courses. Rigor counts. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that 3.0 to 3.5 band, the fastest offset is a strong SAT. A composite at or above the 1251 average, and especially a Math score near the 670 top of the middle 50, gives the admissions office direct evidence that you can do the work even if your transcript had a rough semester or two.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Kettering 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.
Kettering SAT Testing Policy
Kettering 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 1245, the middle of Kettering's range. If you are below 1160, 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 Kettering?
Kettering 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.
1250+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1160 to 1250
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 1160
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Kettering. 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 Kettering's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Kettering ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Kettering scored between 26 and 30 on the ACT, alongside the 1160 to 1330 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Kettering 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 |
|---|---|
| 30 | 1360 to 1380 |
| 29 | 1330 to 1350 |
| 28 | 1300 to 1320 |
| 27 | 1260 to 1290 |
| 26 | 1230 to 1250 |
| 25 | 1200 to 1220 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Kettering's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Kettering
Set two concrete targets. First, get to 1160 or above: at or above the 25th percentile keeps you inside the range Kettering actually admits from. Second, if you want your score to be a genuine advantage, aim for 1331 or higher, which puts you in the top quarter of enrolled students. Between those two numbers, every 10 points helps, and Math points help most, since 670 is the section's 75th percentile mark.
Work backward from where you are now. Take a diagnostic to get a real baseline across both sections, then compare your section scores against the 580 to 670 Math band and the 580 to 660 Reading and Writing band. From there, one of our score plans can map the weeks between today and your test date to the specific point gap you need to close. Your next step: sit for a full length practice test this week and write down your Math score next to 670. That gap is your assignment.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Kettering?
Kettering admits about 787 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 1,205. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 213 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: Kettering's 25th percentile score of 1160 already beats roughly 68% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1330 sits around the 89th 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 Kettering: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Kettering, 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 Kettering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettering | 1160 to 1330 | 78.7% | This page |
| Michigan | 1360 to 1530 | 15.6% | Harder to get into than KetteringSAT about 200 higher |
| Hillsdale | 1320 to 1490 | 20.7% | Harder to get into than KetteringSAT about 160 higher |
| DePauw | 1200 to 1410 | 57.2% | Harder to get into than KetteringSAT about 60 higher |
| Kalamazoo | 1170 to 1380 | 75.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 30 higher |
| Detroit Mercy | 1030 to 1260 | 75.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 100 lower |
| Hope | 1100 to 1340 | 79.2% | Similar oddsSAT about 25 lower |
How Recent Are These Kettering 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 Kettering 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 Kettering's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Kettering SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Kettering?
Kettering's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1160 to 1330. Aim for at least 1160 to be competitive, and 1330 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 1160 a good SAT score for Kettering?
A 1160 sits at Kettering's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1160 to 1330. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1330 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Kettering?
The average composite SAT score at Kettering is 1251. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1160 and 1330.
Does Kettering require SAT scores?
No. Kettering 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 Kettering test optional for 2026-2027?
Kettering 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 Kettering?
Kettering's middle 50 percent ACT range is 26 to 30. Aim for at least 26 to be competitive and 30 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Kettering.
What GPA do you need to get into Kettering?
Admitted students at Kettering 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 Kettering's acceptance rate?
Kettering admits about 78.7% 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 Kettering?
Kettering admits about 78.7% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1160 to 1330 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1330 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 Kettering's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Kettering?
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 Kettering superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Kettering 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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