Virginia State SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
840 to 1070
Half of enrolled students at Virginia State scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1070, and one quarter below 840.
- Average composite
- 948
- Acceptance rate
- 88.6%
- ACT range
- 14 to 20
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Petersburg, VA
- Undergraduates
- 5,074
Virginia State SAT Scores and Admissions
The Virginia State SAT scores that matter most sit in a middle 50 range of 840 to 1070. Score inside that band and you look like a typical admitted student here, not an outlier in either direction. Land near 1070 and you sit at the top of the entering class. Land near 840 and you are still in the conversation, just closer to the lower edge. The average SAT is 948, which falls squarely in the middle of that spread.
Virginia State University is a public university in Petersburg, Virginia, with about 5,074 students enrolled. The admission rate is 88.6%, so most people who apply get in. That does not make the SAT pointless. It shapes where you land in the pool and how the rest of your file gets read. Testing was optional in the most recent federal data, for the 2024 to 2025 cycle, so you decide whether a score helps your case. If your practice numbers already reach the 840 to 1070 band, a submitted score tends to help more than it hurts. The section splits back this up: Reading and Writing runs 440 to 550 and Math runs 400 to 520, so both halves carry real weight.
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Virginia State SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Virginia State, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 440 | 550 |
| Math | 400 | 520 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 840 | 1070 |
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
840 to 1070
Virginia State Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Virginia State, 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 Virginia State'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 Virginia State by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Virginia State, based on its reported 840 to 1070 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 690 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 690 is well below the 840 to 1070 range at Virginia State. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 790 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 790 falls just short of Virginia State's 25th percentile of 840. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 960 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 960 sits inside the 840 to 1070 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1070 | At the 75th percentile | A 1070 matches the 75th percentile at Virginia State, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1100 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1100 beats the 75th percentile at Virginia State. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Virginia State's Range
The two targets that matter here are 840, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1070, 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 840 | To reach 1070 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +70 points | 1000 to 1100 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 Virginia State?
Here is how to read your number against the 840 to 1070 band. Below 840 and you sit in the bottom quarter of scorers, so the rest of your file needs to carry more of the load: grades, an upward trend, and the reasons behind any dip. Inside 840 to 1070 and you match the middle half of admitted students, which is exactly where you want to be at a school taking most applicants. Above 1070 and you clear the top quarter, and a submitted score starts working in your favor rather than just meeting the bar.
The two sections set slightly different bars. Reading and Writing runs 440 to 550, while Math runs 400 to 520. That 20 point gap at both ends means the verbal side asks for a touch more than the quantitative side. If you are stronger in Math, use that to pull your total up, but do not ignore the 440 floor on Reading and Writing, since a lopsided score can leave your total short of 840.
Virginia State GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Virginia State typically present an unweighted GPA somewhere around 3.0 to 3.5. That is a working band, not a hard cutoff, and plenty of files land above or below it. Grades in tougher classes count as much as the number itself. A 3.3 built from honors and harder core courses reads stronger than a flat 3.5 from an easy schedule, and admissions readers know the difference.
If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A number in the upper half of the 840 to 1070 range shows current academic readiness in a way a transcript alone cannot, especially when your grades climbed over time. Since Virginia State reported test optional policy in the most recent federal data, you get to choose whether that offset is worth submitting. Run your practice scores first, then decide.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Virginia State 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.
Virginia State SAT Testing Policy
Virginia State 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 955, the middle of Virginia State's range. If you are below 840, 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 Virginia State?
Virginia State 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.
960+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
840 to 960
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 840
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Virginia State. 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 Virginia State's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Virginia State ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Virginia State scored between 14 and 20 on the ACT, alongside the 840 to 1070 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Virginia State 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 |
|---|---|
| 20 | 1030 to 1050 |
| 19 | 990 to 1020 |
| 18 | 960 to 980 |
| 17 | 920 to 950 |
| 16 | 880 to 910 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Virginia State's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Virginia State
Set your targets against the real percentiles. A total at or above 840 keeps you inside the middle 50 range, which is the practical goal for staying in range here. Push to 1070 or higher and you land in the top quarter of the pool, where a submitted score clearly strengthens your case. On sections, aim for at least 440 on Reading and Writing and at least 400 on Math to hold the 25th percentile line, then stretch toward 550 and 520 to reach the upper edge.
Start by finding out where you stand today. Take a full diagnostic to see your current total and section split against the 840 to 1070 band, then map the fastest points with our score plans. If Reading and Writing is trailing, that is likely where your first gains hide, given the higher 550 ceiling. Your next step is simple: get a baseline score this week, then set a target 60 to 100 points above it and work backward.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Virginia State?
Virginia State admits about 886 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 5,074. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 114 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: Virginia State's 25th percentile score of 840 already beats roughly 13% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1070 sits around the 53th 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 Virginia State: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Virginia State, 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 Virginia State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia State | 840 to 1070 | 88.6% | This page |
| Virginia's College at Wise | 945 to 1120 | 28.5% | Harder to get into than Virginia StateSAT about 78 higher |
| Averett | 926 to 1143 | 56.6% | Harder to get into than Virginia StateSAT about 80 higher |
| Hampton | 790 to 1090 | 62.3% | Harder to get into than Virginia StateSAT about 15 lower |
| Lincoln | 820 to 960 | 65.7% | Harder to get into than Virginia StateSAT about 65 lower |
| Morgan State | 840 to 1070 | 82.2% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Randolph Macon | 980 to 1220 | 86.6% | Similar oddsSAT about 145 higher |
How Recent Are These Virginia State 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 Virginia State 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 Virginia State's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Virginia State SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Virginia State?
Virginia State's middle 50 percent SAT range is 840 to 1070. Aim for at least 840 to be competitive, and 1070 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 840 a good SAT score for Virginia State?
A 840 sits at Virginia State's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 840 to 1070. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1070 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Virginia State?
The average composite SAT score at Virginia State is 948. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 840 and 1070.
Does Virginia State require SAT scores?
No. Virginia State 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 Virginia State test optional for 2026-2027?
Virginia State 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 Virginia State?
Virginia State's middle 50 percent ACT range is 14 to 20. Aim for at least 14 to be competitive and 20 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Virginia State.
What GPA do you need to get into Virginia State?
Admitted students at Virginia State 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 Virginia State's acceptance rate?
Virginia State admits about 88.6% 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 Virginia State?
Virginia State admits about 88.6% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 840 to 1070 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1070 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 Virginia State's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Virginia State?
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 Virginia State superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Virginia State 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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