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St. Mary's SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)

By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026

SAT middle 50 percent

900 to 1310

Half of enrolled students at St. Mary's scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1310, and one quarter below 900.

Average composite
1089
Acceptance rate
97.8%
ACT range
15 to 27
Test policy
Test optional
Location
San Antonio, TX
Undergraduates
1,951

St. Mary's SAT Scores and Admissions

The St. Mary's SAT scores break down into a Reading and Writing middle 50 of 465 to 665 and a Math middle 50 of 435 to 645. Put those together and the composite middle 50 runs from 900 to 1310, with an average of 1089. That spread is wide, which tells you the school reads applications from students who arrive with very different testing backgrounds.

Admission here is not the choke point. About 97.8% of applicants get in, so a score inside that 900 to 1310 band already puts you in comfortable company. St. Mary's University is a private nonprofit university in San Antonio, TX, and it is small: roughly 1,951 students are enrolled. A campus that size tends to look at the whole file, not one line of it. Reading and Writing carries the slightly higher ceiling here. Its top mark of 665 sits 20 points above the Math top of 645, so the verbal side is where the strongest applicants pull ahead. In the most recent federal data the testing policy is optional, so you can decide whether a score helps your case. If your practice numbers land near or above 1089, sending them is usually the stronger move.

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St. Mary's SAT Score Breakdown by Section

Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at St. Mary's, from the federal College Scorecard.

Section25th percentile75th percentile
Reading and Writing465665
Math435645
CompositeTotal SAT9001310
Average composite SAT1089

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

900 to 1310

400National average near 10501600

St. Mary's Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?

Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into St. Mary's, 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 St. Mary's'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 St. Mary's by SAT Score

Here is what specific scores mean at St. Mary's, based on its reported 900 to 1310 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 scoreWhere it landsThe honest read
750Well below the 25th percentileA 750 is well below the 900 to 1310 range at St. Mary's. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority.
850Just below the 25th percentileA 850 falls just short of St. Mary's's 25th percentile of 900. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application.
1110Inside the middle 50 percentA 1110 sits inside the 900 to 1310 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here.
1310At the 75th percentileA 1310 matches the 75th percentile at St. Mary's, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level.
1340Above the 75th percentileA 1340 beats the 75th percentile at St. Mary's. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking.

How to Raise Your SAT Score to St. Mary's's Range

The two targets that matter here are 900, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1310, 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 scoreTo reach 900To reach 1310The plan
1000Already there+310 pointsAll score plans
1100Already there+210 points1100 to 1400 plan
1200Already there+110 points1200 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 St. Mary's?

Here is how to read your own score against these numbers. Below 900 puts you under the 25th percentile, so you would sit in the bottom quarter of admitted testers. It is not a rejection at a school that takes 97.8% of applicants, but it gives the rest of your file more work to do. A composite from 900 to 1310 lands you squarely inside the middle 50, which is the range most admitted students occupy. Clear 1310 and you are in the top quarter.

The two sections set slightly different bars. On Reading and Writing the middle 50 climbs from 465 to 665, while Math runs from 435 to 645. That 665 top mark is the higher hurdle, so verbal strength is what separates the upper group. If Math is your stronger side, a 645 or better there still reads well, but the biggest gains usually come from lifting Reading and Writing toward that 665 ceiling.

St. Mary's GPA Requirements

Admitted students at St. Mary's typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.0 to 3.5 band. With an acceptance rate near 97.8%, the school is not screening for a wall of perfect transcripts. It wants to see that you handled your coursework and kept moving forward.

Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the number itself. A 3.3 built on honors and demanding classes reads stronger than a higher average from an easy schedule. So do not treat the GPA figure as a single gate. If your average sits at the lower edge of that 3.0 to 3.5 range, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score at or above the 1089 average, or pushing toward the 1310 top of the middle 50, gives an admissions reader a clear reason to look past a softer transcript. The number and the score work together, and one can prop up the other.

Typical admitted GPA

3.0 to 3.5Accessible

Admitted students at St. Mary's 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.

AccessibleExtremely competitive

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.

St. Mary's SAT Testing Policy

Test optionalGuidance for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle

St. Mary's 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 1105, the middle of St. Mary's's range. If you are below 900, 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 St. Mary's?

St. Mary's 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.

1110+

Submit

At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.

900 to 1110

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 900

Usually hold it

Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at St. Mary's. 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 St. Mary's's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.

St. Mary's ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?

The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at St. Mary's scored between 15 and 27 on the ACT, alongside the 900 to 1310 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, St. Mary's 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 compositeSAT equivalent
271260 to 1290
261230 to 1250
251200 to 1220
241160 to 1190
231130 to 1150
221100 to 1120
211060 to 1090
201030 to 1050
19990 to 1020
18960 to 980
17920 to 950
16880 to 910

SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside St. Mary's's ACT middle 50 percent.

How to Get Into St. Mary's

Set your targets against the percentiles. Landing at or above the 25th percentile, which is 900 here, keeps you inside the admitted range. Reaching 1310 or higher puts you in the top quarter of testers and strengthens everything else in your file. A practical middle goal is the 1089 average, which is a realistic first checkpoint for most students.

By section, aim for at least 465 on Reading and Writing and 435 on Math to stay in range, then push toward the 665 and 645 marks to move into the upper group. Since testing is optional here, only submit a score once it helps your case. To map the point gains you need, our score plans turn a target like 1089 or 1310 into a weekly study schedule. Start by taking our diagnostic to see where your Reading and Writing and Math numbers stand today. Your next step is simple: get a baseline score, then aim for the 25th percentile first and build from there.

How Hard Is It to Get Into St. Mary's?

St. Mary's admits about 978 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 1,951. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 22 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: St. Mary's's 25th percentile score of 900 already beats roughly 21% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1310 sits around the 87th 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 St. Mary's: Reach, Match, and Safety Options

Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside St. Mary's, 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.

SchoolSAT middle 50 percentAcceptance rateOdds vs St. Mary's
St. Mary's900 to 131097.8%This page
Southwestern1130 to 130043.0%Harder to get into than St. Mary'sSAT about 110 higher
Austin1100 to 131047.6%Harder to get into than St. Mary'sSAT about 100 higher
Abilene Christian1070 to 127066.0%Harder to get into than St. Mary'sSAT about 65 higher
North Texas980 to 123072.2%Harder to get into than St. Mary'ssimilar SAT range
Texas Tech1090 to 128072.7%Harder to get into than St. Mary'sSAT about 80 higher
Saint Edward's970 to 124081.4%Similar oddssimilar SAT range

How Recent Are These St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.

St. Mary's SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions

What SAT score do you need to get into St. Mary's?

St. Mary's's middle 50 percent SAT range is 900 to 1310. Aim for at least 900 to be competitive, and 1310 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 900 a good SAT score for St. Mary's?

A 900 sits at St. Mary's's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 900 to 1310. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1310 makes your application stronger.

What is the average SAT score at St. Mary's?

The average composite SAT score at St. Mary's is 1089. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 900 and 1310.

Does St. Mary's require SAT scores?

No. St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's test optional for 2026-2027?

St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's?

St. Mary's's middle 50 percent ACT range is 15 to 27. Aim for at least 15 to be competitive and 27 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at St. Mary's.

What GPA do you need to get into St. Mary's?

Admitted students at St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's's acceptance rate?

St. Mary's admits about 97.8% 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 St. Mary's?

St. Mary's admits about 97.8% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 900 to 1310 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1310 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 St. Mary's's real numbers.

How can I raise my SAT score for St. Mary's?

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 St. Mary's superscore the SAT?

Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and St. Mary's 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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