Western Washington SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1150 to 1390
Half of enrolled students at Western Washington scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1390, and one quarter below 1150.
- Average composite
- 1289
- Acceptance rate
- 93.3%
- ACT range
- 24 to 31
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Bellingham, WA
- Undergraduates
- 13,544
Western Washington SAT Scores and Admissions
Western Washington University is a public university in Bellingham, WA, with 13,544 students, and the Western Washington SAT scores picture is friendlier than most schools that sit one tier below a flagship. The middle 50 of admitted students scored between 1150 and 1390 on the SAT, with the average landing at 1289 in the 2024 to 2025 data. Bellingham sits in the far northwest corner of the state, and the school's size puts it in a middle zone: big enough for real research, small enough that admissions is not a lottery.
The acceptance rate is 93.3%. In plain terms, about 93 of every 100 applicants get an offer and only around 7 get turned away. That changes what your score is for. At Western Washington, a strong SAT is less about clearing an admissions bar and more about merit money, honors placement, and proving you can handle the coursework once you arrive. The school is test optional in the most recent federal data, which means submitting is a choice, not a requirement. It is a choice worth making if your number sits inside or above that 1150 to 1390 band, because a blank score line does nothing for you while a solid one keeps working after the admit letter.
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Western Washington SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Western Washington, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 590 | 710 |
| Math | 560 | 680 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1150 | 1390 |
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
1150 to 1390
Western Washington Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Western Washington, 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 Western Washington'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 Western Washington by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Western Washington, based on its reported 1150 to 1390 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 1000 is well below the 1150 to 1390 range at Western Washington. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1100 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1100 falls just short of Western Washington's 25th percentile of 1150. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1270 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1270 sits inside the 1150 to 1390 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1390 | At the 75th percentile | A 1390 matches the 75th percentile at Western Washington, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1420 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1420 beats the 75th percentile at Western Washington. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Western Washington's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1150, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1390, 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 1150 | To reach 1390 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +150 points | +390 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | +50 points | +290 points | 1100 to 1400 plan |
| 1200 | Already there | +190 points | 1200 to 1400 plan |
| 1300 | Already there | +90 points | 1300 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 Western Washington?
Here is how to read your score against Western Washington's numbers. Below 1150 puts you under the 25th percentile of admitted students. With a 93.3% acceptance rate you can still get in, but going test optional is probably the smarter play, since that score would sit below 3 out of 4 admits. Inside 1150 to 1390 means you look like a typical admit, and submitting your score helps rather than hurts. Above 1390 puts you past the 75th percentile, ahead of 3 out of 4 admitted students, which is where merit scholarships and honors invitations start to open up.
The section splits matter too. Reading and Writing runs 590 to 710 while Math runs 560 to 680, so the verbal section sets the higher bar here. If your Math score is 30 points under your Reading and Writing score, you are actually matching the typical admit profile, not falling behind it. And if you took the ACT instead, the middle 50 runs 24 to 31, so the same logic applies: at or above 31 you stand out, and below 24 you are better off holding the score back.
Western Washington GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Western Washington typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. That is a wide band, and it reflects a 93.3% acceptance rate: the school admits students across a broad academic range rather than skimming the top few percent. You do not need a perfect transcript here. You need a credible one.
What matters as much as the number is where the grades came from. A 3.3 built on honors and AP courses reads stronger than a 3.5 built on the lightest schedule available, because it shows you chose the harder path and held up. Admissions readers see the course list next to the grades, not the GPA in isolation.
And if your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, the fastest offset is a strong SAT. A score in the upper half of Western Washington's range, say 1300 or above, tells the admissions office your transcript undersells you. That is exactly the situation where the test optional policy tilts toward submitting: the score adds context your grades cannot.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Western Washington 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.
Western Washington SAT Testing Policy
Western Washington 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 1270, the middle of Western Washington's range. If you are below 1150, the 25th percentile, consider holding your score and letting your grades, essays, and activities carry the application.
Last verified July 14, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to Western Washington?
Western Washington 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.
1270+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1150 to 1270
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 1150
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Western Washington. 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 Western Washington's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Western Washington ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Western Washington scored between 24 and 31 on the ACT, alongside the 1150 to 1390 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Western Washington 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 |
|---|---|
| 31 | 1390 to 1410 |
| 30 | 1360 to 1380 |
| 29 | 1330 to 1350 |
| 28 | 1300 to 1320 |
| 27 | 1260 to 1290 |
| 26 | 1230 to 1250 |
| 25 | 1200 to 1220 |
| 24 | 1160 to 1190 |
| 23 | 1130 to 1150 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Western Washington's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Western Washington
Set two targets. Hitting 1150 or above, the 25th percentile, keeps you inside Western Washington's range and makes submitting your score an easy call under the test optional policy. Hitting 1390 or above, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of admits, which is the territory where a score starts paying for itself in merit aid. Per section, the floor means roughly 590 on Reading and Writing and 560 on Math, and the top quarter means pushing toward 710 and 680.
The average admit sits at 1289, so treat that as your middle marker. Land there and you are ordinary in the best sense, squarely in the pool. Land 100 points higher and you are negotiating from strength.
Getting there is a planning problem, not a mystery. Our score plans break down what to study week by week depending on where you start and where you need to land. But you cannot plan from a guess, so the first move is to take a diagnostic and get a real baseline. Do that this week, then build your prep around the gap between your baseline and 1390.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Western Washington?
Western Washington admits about 933 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 13,544. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 67 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: Western Washington's 25th percentile score of 1150 already beats roughly 67% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1390 sits around the 93th 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 Western Washington: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Western Washington, 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 Western Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington | 1150 to 1390 | 93.3% | This page |
| Howard | 1090 to 1320 | 41.3% | Harder to get into than Western WashingtonSAT about 65 lower |
| Texas A&M University College Station | 1150 to 1400 | 57.4% | Harder to get into than Western Washingtonsimilar SAT range |
| South Carolina Columbia | 1180 to 1360 | 60.2% | Harder to get into than Western Washingtonsimilar SAT range |
| Penn State | 1240 to 1420 | 60.6% | Harder to get into than Western WashingtonSAT about 60 higher |
| New Jersey | 1210 to 1460 | 65.1% | Harder to get into than Western WashingtonSAT about 65 higher |
| Maryland Baltimore County | 1240 to 1420 | 72.4% | Similar oddsSAT about 60 higher |
How Recent Are These Western Washington 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 Western Washington 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 Western Washington's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Western Washington SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Western Washington?
Western Washington's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1150 to 1390. Aim for at least 1150 to be competitive, and 1390 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 1150 a good SAT score for Western Washington?
A 1150 sits at Western Washington's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1150 to 1390. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1390 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Western Washington?
The average composite SAT score at Western Washington is 1289. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1150 and 1390.
Does Western Washington require SAT scores?
No. Western Washington 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 Western Washington test optional for 2026-2027?
Western Washington 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 Western Washington?
Western Washington's middle 50 percent ACT range is 24 to 31. Aim for at least 24 to be competitive and 31 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Western Washington.
What GPA do you need to get into Western Washington?
Admitted students at Western Washington 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 Western Washington's acceptance rate?
Western Washington admits about 93.3% 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 Western Washington?
Western Washington admits about 93.3% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1150 to 1390 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.0 to 3.5. A score above 1390 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 Western Washington's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Western Washington?
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 Western Washington superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Western Washington 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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