William Penn SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 15, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
880 to 1110
Half of enrolled students at William Penn scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1110, and one quarter below 880.
- Average composite
- 984
- Acceptance rate
- 51.9%
- ACT range
- 16 to 22
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- Oskaloosa, IA
- Undergraduates
- 1,301
William Penn SAT Scores and Admissions
About 52 of every 100 applicants get into William Penn University, so the William Penn SAT scores that matter sit in a reachable band rather than a wall. The admission rate is 51.9%, which puts this school in the range where a solid application has a real shot. The middle 50 percent of admitted students scored between 880 and 1110 on the SAT. The average lands at 984, close to the center of that band.
William Penn is a private nonprofit university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, with an enrollment near 1,301 students. That small scale means each class is read by people who see the whole file, not just a number. The section splits show where the points come from. Reading and Writing runs 450 to 570, while Math runs 430 to 540. Students who took the ACT instead landed between 16 and 22. In the most recent federal data the testing policy is optional, so you can send scores if they help your case or hold them if they do not. If your numbers sit near or above 984, they help. If they fall short, the rest of your file carries more of the weight.
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William Penn SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at William Penn, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 450 | 570 |
| Math | 430 | 540 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 880 | 1110 |
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
880 to 1110
William Penn Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into William Penn, 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 William Penn'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 William Penn by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at William Penn, based on its reported 880 to 1110 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 730 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 730 is well below the 880 to 1110 range at William Penn. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 830 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 830 falls just short of William Penn's 25th percentile of 880. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1000 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1000 sits inside the 880 to 1110 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. This is a competitive score here. |
| 1110 | At the 75th percentile | A 1110 matches the 75th percentile at William Penn, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1140 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1140 beats the 75th percentile at William Penn. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to William Penn's Range
The two targets that matter here are 880, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1110, 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 880 | To reach 1110 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Already there | +110 points | 1000 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 William Penn?
The 880 to 1110 band is the quickest way to read where you stand. A total below 880 puts you under the middle 50 percent, so you are in the bottom quarter of admitted scorers and leaning on GPA, essays, and activities to carry the file. A score between 880 and 1110 lands you inside the range most admitted students occupy. Anything above 1110 puts you in the top quarter and reads as a clear strength.
The section splits set two different bars. Reading and Writing runs 450 to 570, while Math runs 430 to 540. The Reading and Writing numbers sit higher at both ends, so verbal is where the stronger applicants tend to separate. If your Math is solid but your Reading and Writing lags, that is the gap to close first. Hitting 570 on Reading and Writing does more for your standing here than pushing Math past 540. Balance both, but read the verbal side as the higher bar.
William Penn GPA Requirements
Admitted students at William Penn typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. That is a working range, not a cutoff, and it fits a school that admits about 52 of every 100 applicants. Grades near the bottom of that band still land inside the class most years.
What sits behind the number counts as much as the number itself. Grades earned in harder courses carry more weight than an easy 4.0, so a challenging schedule with a few B grades often reads stronger than a light one with straight A grades. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of 3.3 to 3.7, a strong SAT is the fastest way to offset it. A score at or above the William Penn average of 984, or better yet up toward the 1110 mark, tells an admissions reader that the grade dip does not reflect your ceiling. The GPA opens the conversation. The test score can change how the rest of the file gets read.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at William Penn 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.
William Penn SAT Testing Policy
William Penn 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 995, the middle of William Penn's range. If you are below 880, 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 William Penn?
William Penn 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.
1000+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
880 to 1000
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 880
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at William Penn. 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 William Penn's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
William Penn ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at William Penn scored between 16 and 22 on the ACT, alongside the 880 to 1110 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, William Penn 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 |
|---|---|
| 22 | 1100 to 1120 |
| 21 | 1060 to 1090 |
| 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 William Penn's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into William Penn
Set your targets against the band. A total at or above 880 keeps you inside the middle 50 percent and in range with most admitted students. Push to 1110 or higher and you land in the top quarter, which gives your file room to stand out even if your GPA sits near 3.3. By section, aim for 570 on Reading and Writing and 540 on Math to reach the upper edge, since those marks are the 75th percentile here.
Work backward from those numbers. A short set of score plans can map the point gap between where you are now and 984 or 1110, then break it into weekly practice. Start with a diagnostic to see your current Reading and Writing and Math splits, so you know which section to weight first. Since the verbal bar runs higher at William Penn, that is usually the section to attack. Next step: take the diagnostic this week, then pick the target that matches your GPA and build from there.
How Hard Is It to Get Into William Penn?
William Penn admits about 519 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 1,301. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 481 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: William Penn's 25th percentile score of 880 already beats roughly 18% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1110 sits around the 60th 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 William Penn: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside William Penn, 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 William Penn |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Penn | 880 to 1110 | 51.9% | This page |
| West Alabama | 860 to 1120 | 42.6% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Puerto Rico Carolina | 809 to 1057 | 54.5% | Similar oddsSAT about 62 lower |
| Dordt | 1070 to 1330 | 68.5% | Similar oddsSAT about 205 higher |
| Wartburg | 930 to 1200 | 75.8% | Similar oddsSAT about 70 higher |
| Saint Ambrose | 930 to 1170 | 77.3% | Similar oddsSAT about 55 higher |
| Southern University at New Orleans | 820 to 1050 | 78.9% | Better odds than William PennSAT about 60 lower |
How Recent Are These William Penn 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 William Penn 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 William Penn's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
William Penn SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into William Penn?
William Penn's middle 50 percent SAT range is 880 to 1110. Aim for at least 880 to be competitive, and 1110 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 880 a good SAT score for William Penn?
A 880 sits at William Penn's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 880 to 1110. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1110 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at William Penn?
The average composite SAT score at William Penn is 984. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 880 and 1110.
Does William Penn require SAT scores?
No. William Penn 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 William Penn test optional for 2026-2027?
William Penn 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 William Penn?
William Penn's middle 50 percent ACT range is 16 to 22. Aim for at least 16 to be competitive and 22 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at William Penn.
What GPA do you need to get into William Penn?
Admitted students at William Penn 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 William Penn's acceptance rate?
William Penn admits about 51.9% 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 William Penn?
William Penn admits about 51.9% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 880 to 1110 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.3 to 3.7. A score above 1110 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 William Penn's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for William Penn?
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 William Penn superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and William Penn 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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