Tufts SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1470 to 1560
Half of enrolled students at Tufts scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1560, and one quarter below 1470.
- Average composite
- 1513
- Acceptance rate
- 11.5%
- ACT range
- 33 to 35
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Medford, MA
- Undergraduates
- 7,061
Tufts SAT Scores and Admissions
Tufts sits in Medford, Massachusetts, a private nonprofit university just outside Boston with about 7,061 undergraduates. If you are checking Tufts SAT scores to see where you stand, the middle 50 percent of admitted students landed between 1470 and 1560, and the average score came in at 1513. That is a tight, high band. Most of the admitted class scored above 1470, and the top quarter cleared 1560.
Admission here is hard. About 11.5% of applicants got in, so roughly 1 in 9 earned a spot. A score inside the 1470 to 1560 range keeps you with the pack, but it does not carry an application on its own at a rate this low. On the ACT side, the middle 50 percent ran from 33 to 35, which lines up with the SAT band. The campus stays small for a research university, and that smaller scale means each application is read against a strong pool. Treat the middle 50 as the baseline the rest of your file has to match, not a finish line. Tufts reported a test optional policy in the most recent federal data, so scores are one part of the read, not the whole of it.
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Tufts SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Tufts, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 720 | 770 |
| Math | 750 | 790 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1470 | 1560 |
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
1470 to 1560
Tufts Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Tufts, 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 Tufts'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 Tufts by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Tufts, based on its reported 1470 to 1560 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1320 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 1320 is well below the 1470 to 1560 range at Tufts. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1420 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1420 falls just short of Tufts's 25th percentile of 1470. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1520 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1520 sits inside the 1470 to 1560 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1560 | At the 75th percentile | A 1560 matches the 75th percentile at Tufts, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1590 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1590 beats the 75th percentile at Tufts. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Tufts's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1470, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1560, 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 1470 | To reach 1560 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +470 points | +560 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | +370 points | +460 points | All score plans |
| 1200 | +270 points | +360 points | All score plans |
| 1300 | +170 points | +260 points | 1300 to 1600 plan |
| 1400 | +70 points | +160 points | 1400 to 1600 plan |
| 1500 | Already there | +60 points | 1500 to 1600 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 Tufts?
Here is how to read your score against the Tufts band. A 1470 puts you at the 25th percentile, meaning 3 out of 4 admitted students scored higher. Land there or below and you are in the bottom quarter, so the rest of your application has to do heavy lifting. A score in the 1470 to 1560 range puts you inside the middle 50 percent, right where most of the class sits. Clear 1560 and you are in the top quarter of admitted students.
The section splits show where the higher bar sits. Math ran from 750 to 790 for the middle 50 percent, while Reading and Writing ran from 720 to 770. Math sets the tougher target here, so a strong quantitative score matters more at Tufts. If you are stronger in Reading and Writing, you can still land inside the band, but do not let a soft Math score drag your total below 1470.
Tufts GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Tufts typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.8 to 4.0 band. That is close to a straight A record, which fits a school that admits about 11.5% of applicants. If your average sits near the low end of that band, you are still in the conversation, but the rest of your file needs to be strong.
The number is only half the story. Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the GPA itself, so an A in a demanding class carries more weight than an A in an easy one. A reader wants to see that you took the harder path and did well on it. If your GPA is parked at the lower edge of the band, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score in the upper part of the 1470 to 1560 range gives an admissions reader a clear, recent signal that backs up your transcript and helps close a small gap.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Tufts typically present a GPA in the 3.8 to 4.0 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. A mostly A record across a demanding schedule is the baseline that keeps an application in the running.
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.
Tufts SAT Testing Policy
Tufts 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 1515, the middle of Tufts's range. If you are below 1470, 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 Tufts?
Tufts 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.
1520+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1470 to 1520
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 1470
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Tufts. 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 Tufts's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Tufts ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Tufts scored between 33 and 35 on the ACT, alongside the 1470 to 1560 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Tufts 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 |
|---|---|
| 35 | 1530 to 1560 |
| 34 | 1490 to 1520 |
| 33 | 1450 to 1480 |
| 32 | 1420 to 1440 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Tufts's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Tufts
Set your targets against the actual band. Aim for at least 1470, the 25th percentile, to stay in range. A 1560 or higher puts you in the top quarter of admitted students and gives your file real strength at an 11.5% admit rate. Because Math carries the higher bar, push for the upper half of the 750 to 790 range on that section, and keep Reading and Writing at 720 or above.
Start by finding your current total. A short diagnostic shows your baseline and pins down which section is holding your total back. From there, our score plans map the week by week work to move from your current score toward the 1470 to 1560 band, with more focus on Math if that is your weaker side. Your next step: take the diagnostic today, note the gap between your total and 1470, and build the plan around closing that gap.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Tufts?
Tufts admits about 115 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 7,061. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 885 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: Tufts's 25th percentile score of 1470 already beats roughly 97% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1560 sits around the 99th 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 Tufts: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Tufts, 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 Tufts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tufts | 1470 to 1560 | 11.5% | This page |
| Williams | 1490 to 1570 | 8.3% | Harder to get into than TuftsSAT about 15 higher |
| Amherst | 1490 to 1580 | 9.0% | Similar oddsSAT about 20 higher |
| Wellesley | 1460 to 1560 | 14.1% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Boston College | 1440 to 1540 | 16.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 25 lower |
| Mount Holyoke | 1380 to 1530 | 36.0% | Better odds than TuftsSAT about 60 lower |
| Clark | 1288 to 1460 | 39.5% | Better odds than TuftsSAT about 141 lower |
How Recent Are These Tufts 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 Tufts 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 Tufts's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Tufts SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Tufts?
Tufts's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1470 to 1560. Aim for at least 1470 to be competitive, and 1560 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 1470 a good SAT score for Tufts?
A 1470 sits at Tufts's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1470 to 1560. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1560 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Tufts?
The average composite SAT score at Tufts is 1513. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1470 and 1560.
Does Tufts require SAT scores?
No. Tufts 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 Tufts test optional for 2026-2027?
Tufts 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 Tufts?
Tufts's middle 50 percent ACT range is 33 to 35. Aim for at least 33 to be competitive and 35 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Tufts.
What GPA do you need to get into Tufts?
Admitted students at Tufts typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.8 to 4.0 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 Tufts's acceptance rate?
Tufts admits about 11.5% of applicants, which makes it highly selective. A strong SAT score helps your application stand out in a pool this competitive.
What are my chances of getting into Tufts?
Tufts admits about 11.5% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1470 to 1560 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.8 to 4.0. A score above 1560 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 Tufts's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Tufts?
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 Tufts superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Tufts 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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