Villanova SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1395 to 1510
Half of enrolled students at Villanova scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1510, and one quarter below 1395.
- Average composite
- 1460
- Acceptance rate
- 27.0%
- ACT range
- 32 to 34
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Villanova, PA
- Undergraduates
- 6,938
Villanova SAT Scores and Admissions
Villanova University sits in Villanova, Pennsylvania, a private nonprofit university with about 6,938 students on its main campus outside Philadelphia. If you are reading Villanova SAT scores to size up your chances, the middle 50 percent of admitted students lands between 1395 and 1510, with an average near 1460. That is the band where most of the accepted class falls. One quarter score below 1395, and one quarter score above 1510.
Admission is selective. About 27.0% of applicants get in, so scores are one part of a file that Villanova reads closely. The section split is worth a look. Reading and Writing runs from 685 to 740, while Math runs higher, from 710 to 770. For a school this size, that gap tells you where the sharper edge sits. Villanova is test optional in the most recent federal data, which means you can apply without sending scores. Still, a score inside or above that middle 50 gives your file a clear number to stand on, and many admitted students choose to send one. The data here reflects the 2024-2025 cycle.
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Villanova SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Villanova, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 685 | 740 |
| Math | 710 | 770 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1395 | 1510 |
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
1395 to 1510
Villanova Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Villanova, 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 Villanova'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 Villanova by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Villanova, based on its reported 1395 to 1510 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1250 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 1250 is well below the 1395 to 1510 range at Villanova. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1350 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1350 falls just short of Villanova's 25th percentile of 1395. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1450 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1450 sits inside the 1395 to 1510 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1510 | At the 75th percentile | A 1510 matches the 75th percentile at Villanova, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1540 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1540 beats the 75th percentile at Villanova. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Villanova's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1395, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1510, 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 1395 | To reach 1510 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +395 points | +510 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | +295 points | +410 points | All score plans |
| 1200 | +195 points | +310 points | All score plans |
| 1300 | +95 points | +210 points | 1300 to 1600 plan |
| 1400 | Already there | +110 points | 1400 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 Villanova?
Here is how to read your score against Villanova's numbers. Below 1395 puts you under the 25th percentile, so you would be applying from behind and leaning on the rest of your file to carry the case. Inside the 1395 to 1510 band puts you squarely in range with the bulk of the admitted class. Above 1510 puts you in the top 25 percent of scores Villanova sees, which is where you want to be if the rest of your application is average for the pool.
The section split sets different bars. Math is the tougher one, running 710 to 770, while Reading and Writing runs 685 to 740. That 20 point gap at the top means a strong Math score does more to lift your total here. If you are deciding where to spend study time, Math is the section that pulls your number up fastest at this school. On the ACT side, the middle 50 percent runs 32 to 34, which lines up with the same range of applicants.
Villanova GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Villanova typically present an unweighted GPA in the range of 3.6 to 3.9. That band reflects the kind of record the class tends to carry, not a fixed cutoff. Villanova reads the full transcript, so where your grades come from matters as much as the number itself.
Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the raw average. A 3.7 built on honors and advanced classes reads stronger than a higher number from a lighter load. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that 3.6 to 3.9 band, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score at or above 1510, the 75th percentile here, gives the reader a concrete reason to look past a softer semester. Keep taking the harder classes and hold the line on your grades. Those two things move a file more than almost anything else you can do in a single year.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Villanova typically present a GPA in the 3.6 to 3.9 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Strong grades in challenging courses count as much as the number itself, and an upward trend helps.
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.
Villanova SAT Testing Policy
Villanova 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 1453, the middle of Villanova's range. If you are below 1395, 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 Villanova?
Villanova 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.
1450+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1395 to 1450
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 1395
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Villanova. 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 Villanova's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Villanova ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Villanova scored between 32 and 34 on the ACT, alongside the 1395 to 1510 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Villanova 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 |
|---|---|
| 34 | 1490 to 1520 |
| 33 | 1450 to 1480 |
| 32 | 1420 to 1440 |
| 31 | 1390 to 1410 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Villanova's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Villanova
Aim for concrete targets. A total at or above 1395 keeps you in range with the middle of the class. A total at or above 1510 puts you in the top quarter of scores Villanova reports and gives your file real weight. For the sections, treat 740 in Reading and Writing and 770 in Math as your stretch marks, since those are the 75th percentile figures at this school. Getting Math toward the high end matters most, because that is where the bar sits highest.
Start by figuring out where you stand today. Take a full length diagnostic to see your current Reading, Writing, and Math splits, then map the distance to your targets. From there, build out score plans that put more hours into the section holding you back. Your next step is simple: set your target at 1510, sit a timed practice test this week, and track which section is costing you the most points.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Villanova?
Villanova admits about 270 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 6,938. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 730 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: Villanova's 25th percentile score of 1395 already beats roughly 94% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1510 sits around the 98th 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 Villanova: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Villanova, 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 Villanova |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 1395 to 1510 | 27.0% | This page |
| UPenn | 1510 to 1570 | 5.4% | Harder to get into than VillanovaSAT about 88 higher |
| Swarthmore | 1490 to 1560 | 7.5% | Harder to get into than VillanovaSAT about 73 higher |
| Tufts | 1470 to 1560 | 11.5% | Harder to get into than VillanovaSAT about 63 higher |
| Carnegie Mellon | 1500 to 1570 | 11.7% | Harder to get into than VillanovaSAT about 83 higher |
| Haverford | 1460 to 1550 | 12.4% | Harder to get into than VillanovaSAT about 53 higher |
| Lehigh | 1370 to 1500 | 25.9% | Similar oddsSAT about 17 lower |
How Recent Are These Villanova 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 Villanova 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 Villanova's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Villanova SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Villanova?
Villanova's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1395 to 1510. Aim for at least 1395 to be competitive, and 1510 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 1395 a good SAT score for Villanova?
A 1395 sits at Villanova's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1395 to 1510. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1510 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Villanova?
The average composite SAT score at Villanova is 1460. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1395 and 1510.
Does Villanova require SAT scores?
No. Villanova 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 Villanova test optional for 2026-2027?
Villanova 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 Villanova?
Villanova's middle 50 percent ACT range is 32 to 34. Aim for at least 32 to be competitive and 34 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Villanova.
What GPA do you need to get into Villanova?
Admitted students at Villanova typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.6 to 3.9 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 Villanova's acceptance rate?
Villanova admits about 27.0% of applicants, which makes it selective. A strong SAT score helps your application stand out in a pool this competitive.
What are my chances of getting into Villanova?
Villanova admits about 27.0% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1395 to 1510 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.6 to 3.9. A score above 1510 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 Villanova's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Villanova?
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 Villanova superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Villanova 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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