Is a 1200 a Good SAT Score?
By the Cheetah Prep team
A 1200 is a solid, above average SAT score.
About 521,291 of the 2,004,965 students in the most recent testing class scored a 1200 or higher.
What a 1200 SAT Score Really Means
That puts a 1200 in the 74th percentile, so you scored higher than about 74 percent of test takers. A 1200 opens the door at a large number of four year colleges and clears the average comfortably. It falls short of the most selective schools, so the right move depends on where you want to apply and how far your list reaches above this number.
Whether a 1200 is good enough is really a question about your list. It keeps you in range at 619 of the 787 colleges below that report SAT data. Find your target schools in that group, and if the ones you want sit higher, the tools on this page show exactly how far you have to climb.
What Colleges Can You Get Into With a 1200 SAT Score?
Every school below reports real SAT data. Filter by how a 1200 lands against each one, or search for a specific college. Every name links to its full scores and admissions page.
Your score sits inside their middle 50 percent.
| College | SAT middle 50 | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|
| College of the OzarksMO | 1050 to 1220 | 12.0% |
| United States Military AcademyNY | 1200 to 1430 | 12.4% |
| BereaKY | 1156 to 1335 | 19.3% |
| Citadel Military College of South CarolinaSC | 1085 to 1285 | 22.7% |
| SpelmanGA | 1108 to 1320 | 24.9% |
| FiskTN | 1140 to 1510 | 37.4% |
| LeTourneauTX | 990 to 1330 | 38.0% |
| RegentVA | 990 to 1250 | 38.1% |
| Illinois WesleyanIL | 1120 to 1340 | 39.3% |
| UCFFL | 1200 to 1350 | 40.1% |
| HowardDC | 1090 to 1320 | 41.3% |
| Tennessee KnoxvilleTN | 1200 to 1370 | 41.6% |
| DillardLA | 968 to 1202 | 41.9% |
| LynchburgVA | 980 to 1230 | 43.0% |
| SouthwesternTX | 1130 to 1300 | 43.0% |
| South FloridaFL | 1130 to 1320 | 43.2% |
| Texas ChristianTX | 1140 to 1350 | 44.5% |
| CUNY Bernard M BaruchNY | 1100 to 1400 | 47.5% |
| RollinsFL | 1160 to 1370 | 47.5% |
| AustinTX | 1100 to 1310 | 47.6% |
| College of IdahoID | 1070 to 1280 | 49.1% |
| Oklahoma BaptistOK | 1070 to 1240 | 49.4% |
| BelhavenMS | 1010 to 1298 | 49.8% |
| PurdueIN | 1200 to 1480 | 49.9% |
How Many More Colleges Open Up if You Raise Your Score?
A 1200 keeps you in range at 619 schools today. Drag the target to see how many more come into range as your score climbs.
+36
more colleges in range at a 1250
655
total colleges in range
That is a 50 point climb. A diagnostic shows exactly which topics stand between your 1200 and a 1250.
See how to reach your targetHow to Raise a 1200 SAT Score
The fastest gains come from the section costing you the most points, not from grinding what you already know. Our score plans break a target into weekly work by section, and the diagnostic shows exactly where a 1200 is leaking points. Start there, then drill your weakest skills with real questions until the misses stop.
1200 SAT Score: Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a 1200 a good SAT score?
- A 1200 is in the 74th percentile, meaning you scored higher than about 74 percent of the roughly 2 million students who take the SAT each year. It is above the national average and works at a wide range of colleges.
- What percentile is a 1200 SAT score?
- A 1200 is in the 74th percentile. About 521,291 of the 2,004,965 students in the most recent testing class scored the same or higher.
- What colleges can you get into with a 1200 SAT score?
- A 1200 is in range at 619 of the 787 colleges we track that report SAT data. Use the explorer above to filter them by target, likely, and reach, and open any school for its full admissions picture.
- Is a 1200 good enough for the Ivy League?
- The Ivy League middle 50 percent generally runs from about 1500 to 1580, so a 1200 is below the typical admitted range. A stronger score helps, but these schools weigh essays, rigor, and activities heavily, so it is never the whole story.
- How can I raise a 1200 SAT score?
- Start by finding the section and the specific topics costing you the most points, then drill those with real questions until they stop being misses. Cheetah Prep builds a plan around your weakest skills and shows your projected score as you go. The diagnostic on this page is the fastest way to see where a 1200 is leaking points.
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