Memphis SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
915 to 1180
Half of enrolled students at Memphis scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1180, and one quarter below 915.
- Average composite
- 1088
- Acceptance rate
- 72.0%
- ACT range
- 18 to 24
- Test policy
- Required
- Location
- Memphis, TN
- Undergraduates
- 12,701
Memphis SAT Scores and Admissions
The University of Memphis is a public university in Memphis, Tennessee, with 12,701 students enrolled. If you are researching Memphis SAT scores, the numbers to anchor on come from the 2024-2025 federal data: the middle 50 percent of admitted students scored between 915 and 1180, and the average sits at 1088. The acceptance rate is 72.0%, so roughly 7 out of 10 applicants get in. That makes this an accessible school, but not an automatic one. Nearly 3 out of 10 applicants still hear no, and in a pool this size that is a lot of rejection letters going to people who assumed the answer would be yes.
One detail matters more here than at most schools: Memphis requires test scores. The testing policy for the 2024-2025 cycle is listed as required, so you cannot apply without an SAT or ACT result. That changes your strategy. At a test optional school, a weak score is a choice you can walk back by leaving it off the application. Here, the score you earn is the score they read, which makes test prep one of the highest leverage pieces of your entire file.
The section splits show admitted students lean stronger on Reading and Writing, 480 to 600, than on Math, 435 to 580. ACT scores in the middle 50 percent run from 18 to 24.
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Memphis SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Memphis, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 480 | 600 |
| Math | 435 | 580 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 915 | 1180 |
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
915 to 1180
Memphis Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Memphis, 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 Memphis'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 Memphis by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Memphis, based on its reported 915 to 1180 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 770 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 770 is well below the 915 to 1180 range at Memphis. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 870 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 870 falls just short of Memphis's 25th percentile of 915. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1050 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1050 sits inside the 915 to 1180 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1180 | At the 75th percentile | A 1180 matches the 75th percentile at Memphis, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1210 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1210 beats the 75th percentile at Memphis. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Memphis's Range
The two targets that matter here are 915, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1180, 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 915 | To reach 1180 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +180 points | 1000 to 1200 plan |
| 1100 | Already there | +80 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 Memphis?
The middle 50 percent range of 915 to 1180 splits applicants into 3 groups. Below 915, you scored lower than at least 3 out of 4 admitted students, and with testing required, that number will weigh on your file even at a 72.0% acceptance rate. Inside the range, say a 1050, you look like a typical admit. The average admitted student scored 1088, so you sit near the center of the pool, and the rest of your application does the deciding. Above 1180, you outscore roughly 3 out of 4 admitted students, which can help with merit consideration as well as admission.
The section splits tell you where the bar sits. Reading and Writing runs 480 to 600 while Math runs 435 to 580, so the verbal side sets the higher standard here. A 550 sits comfortably in the upper half of the Math range but lands only in the middle of the Reading and Writing range. If you are deciding where to spend study hours, that gap between the 2 section ranges is your map. A point gained on the verbal side moves you further up this applicant pool than the same point gained in Math.
Memphis GPA Requirements
Admitted students at the University of Memphis typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. That is a solid B plus to A minus record, and most applicants who land in that band with a reasonable SAT are in good shape given the 72.0% acceptance rate.
The number on your transcript is only half the story. Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the GPA itself. A 3.4 built on honors and AP classes reads stronger than a 3.6 built on the easiest schedule available, because readers look at what you chose to take, not just what you earned in it.
If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest offset. Grades take semesters to move, and by the time you apply, most of your transcript is already written. A test score can move in weeks. And because Memphis requires scores, yours will be read no matter what, so a jump from 1000 toward the 1088 average does real work that no single late semester of grades can match.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Memphis 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.
Memphis SAT Testing Policy
Memphis required SAT or ACT scores 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.
Last verified July 14, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to Memphis?
Memphis required SAT or ACT scores in the most recent federal data, so this decision is made for you: a score goes in either way. The real question is whether your current score helps or hurts, and what to do about it before the deadline.
1180+
Submit with confidence
At or above the 75th percentile your score is an asset. Stop retaking and put the time into essays.
915 to 1180
You are in range
Inside the middle 50 the score does its job. Closer to 1180 is stronger, but this range is what admitted students look like.
Below 915
The score needs work
Since submission is mandatory, a score below the 25th percentile is a real cost. A retake with focused prep is usually worth more than any other hour you can spend on this application.
Policy as reported for the 2024-2025 cycle. We verified it against Memphis's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Memphis ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Memphis scored between 18 and 24 on the ACT, alongside the 915 to 1180 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Memphis 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 |
|---|---|
| 24 | 1160 to 1190 |
| 23 | 1130 to 1150 |
| 22 | 1100 to 1120 |
| 21 | 1060 to 1090 |
| 20 | 1030 to 1050 |
| 19 | 990 to 1020 |
| 18 | 960 to 980 |
| 17 | 920 to 950 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Memphis's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Memphis
Set 2 targets. Scoring at or above 915, the 25th percentile, keeps you in range and clears the floor most admitted students clear. Scoring at or above 1180, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of admits, which is the position you want if merit aid matters to you. Per section, that means pushing Reading and Writing toward 600 and Math toward 580. If those numbers feel far off, look at the spread first. The gap between 915 and 1180 is 265 points, so plenty of admitted students started well below where they finished.
Because testing is required here, there is no version of this application where the SAT does not count. Start by finding out where you stand today: take a diagnostic and get a real baseline instead of a guess. Then pick one of our score plans built around your gap, whether that is 30 points or 200. Your next step is simple: sit for the diagnostic this week, and let the score, not a hunch, set your study plan.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Memphis?
Memphis admits about 720 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 12,701. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 280 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: Memphis's 25th percentile score of 915 already beats roughly 25% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1180 sits around the 71th 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 Memphis: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Memphis, 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 Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 915 to 1180 | 72.0% | This page |
| Tennessee Knoxville | 1200 to 1370 | 41.6% | Harder to get into than MemphisSAT about 238 higher |
| West Georgia | 950 to 1140 | 51.6% | Harder to get into than Memphissimilar SAT range |
| Akron Main Campus | 900 to 1190 | 59.7% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Middle Tennessee State | 1010 to 1230 | 69.1% | Similar oddsSAT about 73 higher |
| Tennessee Technological | 1048 to 1310 | 76.1% | Similar oddsSAT about 132 higher |
| Eastern Kentucky | 880 to 1080 | 77.6% | Similar oddsSAT about 67 lower |
How Recent Are These Memphis 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 Memphis 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 Memphis's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Memphis SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Memphis?
Memphis's middle 50 percent SAT range is 915 to 1180. Aim for at least 915 to be competitive, and 1180 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 915 a good SAT score for Memphis?
A 915 sits at Memphis's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 915 to 1180. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1180 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Memphis?
The average composite SAT score at Memphis is 1088. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 915 and 1180.
Does Memphis require SAT scores?
Yes. Memphis required SAT or ACT scores in the most recent federal data. Confirm the current 2026-2027 requirement on the school's admissions site before you apply.
Is Memphis test optional for 2026-2027?
Memphis required test scores in the most recent federal data, so it was not test optional. Verify the current 2026-2027 policy on the school's site, since these policies change year to year.
What ACT score do you need for Memphis?
Memphis's middle 50 percent ACT range is 18 to 24. Aim for at least 18 to be competitive and 24 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Memphis.
What GPA do you need to get into Memphis?
Admitted students at Memphis 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 Memphis's acceptance rate?
Memphis admits about 72.0% 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 Memphis?
Memphis admits about 72.0% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 915 to 1180 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1180 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 Memphis's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Memphis?
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 Memphis superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Memphis 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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