Best colleges for 1000 SAT Score are listed here. If you have achieved a SAT score of 1000, then you must choose at least 5 of the below listed colleges, as not only your chances of admissions will be good but also these colleges will be a good match for you. The following list of best suitable colleges for 1000 SAT scores is given so that you can choose a more suitable college, and may not choose a less competitive college or loose admissions because you have applied to a more competitive college.
Is a 1000 SAT Score Good for 2026?
Yes, a 1000 SAT score is considered Foundational. Nationally, this performance puts you in the 35th-50th percentile of nearly 2 million annual test-takers.
Strategic Admissions Guidance
With a 1000, your college search should focus on schools that value a holistic application. While you may face challenges at highly selective state flagships, there are hundreds of great institutions where a 1000 is the norm. For 2026, we suggest looking into 'Test-Optional' or 'Test-Blind' schools if you feel this score doesn't accurately reflect your classroom performance. Alternatively, a focused prep program targeting SAT grammar rules can often jump this score by 100+ points.
What does a 1000 mean for your applications?
In the 2026 admissions cycle, universities are increasingly looking for 'data-backed' proof of academic readiness. A 1000 serves as a standardized metric that complements your GPA. However, remember that admissions officers also weigh your extracurricular involvement, leadership roles, and the difficulty of your high school curriculum (AP/IB classes).
To help you build a balanced college list, we have analyzed thousands of data points from the Common Data Set (CDS) to categorize the schools below into Reach, Match, and Safety categories specifically for a 1000 applicant.
Best Colleges for 1000 SAT Score
Following is the list of colleges that accept 1000 SAT Score.
| Logo | Institute | State | Average SAT Score | SAT Reading Scores | SAT Math Scores | Acceptance Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo | Institute | State | Average SAT Score | SAT Reading Scores | SAT Maths Scores | Acceptance Rate | Status |
|
Montclair State University | New Jersey | 1080 | 480 - 620 | 460 - 605 | 87.41% | Match |
|
SUNY Buffalo State University | New York | 1080 | 480 - 600 | 480 - 590 | 75.87% | Match |
|
Boise Bible College | Idaho | 1080 | 470 - 620 | 450 - 580 | 96.43% | Match |
|
University of Connecticut-Stamford | Connecticut | 1080 | 480 - 620 | 480 - 610 | 80.19% | Match |
|
McNeese State University | Louisiana | 1080 | 430 - 560 | 380 - 560 | 67.55% | Match |
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Baker College | Michigan | 1080 | 490 - 590 | 470 - 580 | 87.5% | Match |
|
Grand Valley State University | Michigan | 1079 | 480 - 600 | 460 - 590 | 94.69% | Match |
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Purdue University Fort Wayne | Indiana | 1078 | 480 - 600 | 480 - 590 | 85.66% | Match |
|
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 1078 | 480 - 590 | 490 - 580 | 92.88% | Match |
|
University of Northern Colorado | Colorado | 1077 | 490 - 600 | 480 - 580 | 86.43% | Match |
|
Xavier University of Louisiana | Louisiana | 1077 | 500 - 568 | 453 - 570 | 74.48% | Match |
|
Pennsylvania Western University | Pennsylvania | 1076 | 480 - 590 | 460 - 580 | 93.65% | Match |
|
Shorter University | Georgia | 1075 | 450 - 580 | 450 - 550 | 96.93% | Match |
|
Piedmont University | Georgia | 1074 | 510 - 600 | 480 - 570 | 92.84% | Match |
|
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | Indiana | 1074 | 490 - 600 | 480 - 580 | 82.21% | Match |
|
Stephen F Austin State University | Texas | 1074 | 500 - 590 | 480 - 570 | 88.25% | Match |
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Bethel University | Indiana | 1073 | 470 - 600 | 470 - 590 | 98.68% | Match |
|
West Texas A & M University | Texas | 1072 | 490 - 590 | 470 - 570 | 97.35% | Match |
|
McMurry University | Texas | 1072 | 500 - 580 | 510 - 590 | 57.65% | Reach |
|
Johnson University | Tennessee | 1072 | 460 - 530 | 430 - 560 | 53.77% | Match |
|
Aurora University | Illinois | 1072 | 470 - 583 | 460 - 550 | 85.14% | Match |
|
Indiana University-South Bend | Indiana | 1072 | 490 - 590 | 480 - 580 | 85.99% | Match |
|
Spring Arbor University | Michigan | 1072 | 470 - 595 | 465 - 570 | 37.33% | Match |
|
Colorado Mesa University | Colorado | 1070 | 470 - 600 | 460 - 580 | 81.39% | Match |
|
Cedar Crest College | Pennsylvania | 1070 | 520 - 660 | 480 - 570 | 99.13% | Match |
|
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus | Connecticut | 1070 | 490 - 610 | 470 - 580 | 87.04% | Match |
|
Christian Brothers University | Tennessee | 1069 | 540 - 640 | 500 - 660 | 88.42% | Reach |
|
Florida College | Florida | 1068 | 480 - 640 | 470 - 610 | 66.45% | Match |
|
McPherson College | Kansas | 1068 | 468 - 573 | 468 - 553 | 83.79% | Match |
|
Appalachian Bible College | West Virginia | 1068 | 528 - 630 | 500 - 570 | 98.57% | Reach |
|
Mount St. Joseph University | Ohio | 1068 | 440 - 548 | 440 - 535 | 56.52% | Match |
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Tarleton State University | Texas | 1068 | 490 - 580 | 470 - 570 | 94.2% | Match |
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East Texas A&M University | Texas | 1067 | 480 - 590 | 460 - 580 | 92.59% | Match |
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Indiana University-Northwest | Indiana | 1067 | 480 - 580 | 460 - 590 | 76.7% | Match |
|
Hardin-Simmons University | Texas | 1064 | 480 - 600 | 488 - 590 | 96.53% | Match |
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Brevard College | North Carolina | 1064 | 440 - 620 | 430 - 600 | 39.5% | Match |
|
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Illinois | 1063 | 460 - 590 | 440 - 570 | 97.21% | Match |
|
Indiana University-Kokomo | Indiana | 1063 | 490 - 590 | 480 - 590 | 84.69% | Match |
|
University of South Carolina Aiken | South Carolina | 1063 | 490 - 620 | 480 - 580 | 79.72% | Match |
|
Hampton University | Virginia | 1062 | 400 - 626 | 457 - 600 | 48.27% | Match |
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Radford University | Virginia | 1061 | 490 - 610 | 460 - 560 | 90.64% | Match |
|
Hilbert College | New York | 1060 | 410 - 550 | 570 - 630 | 98.02% | Match |
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Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | Illinois | 1060 | 470 - 580 | 440 - 560 | 90.44% | Match |
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Clarke University | Iowa | 1060 | 480 - 525 | 410 - 520 | 68.16% | Match |
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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | Pennsylvania | 1060 | 510 - 590 | 480 - 590 | 91.05% | Match |
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SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | New York | 1060 | 500 - 590 | 490 - 580 | 83.25% | Match |
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University of Baltimore | Maryland | 1060 | 530 - 580 | 480 - 530 | 85.55% | Reach |
|
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | New York | 1059 | 480 - 580 | 490 - 590 | 81.75% | Match |
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Point University | Georgia | 1059 | 490 - 650 | 482 - 587 | 67.51% | Match |
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Lander University | South Carolina | 1057 | 490 - 590 | 470 - 570 | 67.92% | Match |
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Georgia Southern University | Georgia | 1057 | 500 - 590 | 480 - 570 | 89.63% | Match |
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Saint Martin's University | Washington | 1057 | 500 - 590 | 470 - 590 | 75.93% | Match |
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Western Oregon University | Oregon | 1057 | 438 - 575 | 430 - 533 | 98.69% | Match |
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Charleston Southern University | South Carolina | 1056 | 480 - 600 | 470 - 560 | 76.09% | Match |
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University of New Orleans | Louisiana | 1056 | 470 - 650 | 490 - 670 | 66.77% | Match |
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Jacksonville State University | Alabama | 1055 | 490 - 620 | 480 - 640 | 76.22% | Match |
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Youngstown State University | Ohio | 1055 | 480 - 600 | 460 - 610 | 80.32% | Match |
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University of St Francis | Illinois | 1055 | 460 - 590 | 440 - 580 | 63.93% | Match |
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Middle Georgia State University | Georgia | 1055 | 480 - 610 | 460 - 570 | 99.77% | Match |
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Sam Houston State University | Texas | 1055 | 480 - 580 | 460 - 560 | 85.39% | Match |
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Averett University | Virginia | 1054 | 495 - 615 | 465 - 576 | 47.8% | Match |
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Anderson University | Indiana | 1054 | 480 - 590 | 460 - 580 | 53.42% | Match |
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Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | Pennsylvania | 1052 | 480 - 600 | 460 - 570 | 91.2% | Match |
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Tennessee Wesleyan University | Tennessee | 1051 | 470 - 570 | 490 - 530 | 59.41% | Match |
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University of Memphis | Tennessee | 1051 | 465 - 615 | 440 - 590 | 93.38% | Match |
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Texas Wesleyan University | Texas | 1051 | 490 - 580 | 480 - 570 | 62.39% | Match |
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Saginaw Valley State University | Michigan | 1051 | 480 - 590 | 460 - 570 | 72.88% | Match |
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Marshall University | West Virginia | 1051 | 470 - 580 | 420 - 550 | 96.46% | Match |
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Baptist Health Sciences University | Tennessee | 1050 | - | - | 67.76% | Safety |
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Arkansas Tech University | Arkansas | 1050 | 480 - 580 | 460 - 570 | 96.29% | Match |
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John A Gupton College | Tennessee | 1050 | - | - | 83.87% | Safety |
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Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | Arkansas | 1050 | 460 - 590 | 460 - 590 | 66.59% | Match |
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University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Arkansas | 1050 | - | - | 81.47% | Safety |
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University of Central Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 1050 | - | - | 81.76% | Safety |
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Northeastern State University | Oklahoma | 1050 | 455 - 585 | 465 - 560 | 99.21% | Match |
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Morehouse College | Georgia | 1050 | - | - | 51.39% | Safety |
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Visible Music College | Tennessee | 1050 | - | - | 28.68% | Reach |
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Austin Peay State University | Tennessee | 1050 | 468 - 575 | 475 - 590 | 95.95% | Match |
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Millikin University | Illinois | 1050 | 450 - 600 | 410 - 570 | 54.05% | Match |
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Southwestern Oklahoma State University | Oklahoma | 1050 | - | - | 100% | Safety |
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Black Hills State University | South Dakota | 1050 | - | - | 94.43% | Safety |
|
DeVry University-Illinois | Illinois | 1050 | 485 - 580 | 505 - 550 | 43.25% | Match |
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University of Wisconsin-Superior | Wisconsin | 1050 | - | - | 93.64% | Safety |
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Dunwoody College of Technology | Minnesota | 1050 | - | - | 98.47% | Safety |
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Belhaven University | Mississippi | 1050 | - | - | 53.25% | Safety |
|
Mississippi University for Women | Mississippi | 1050 | - | - | 100% | Safety |
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Mount Mary University | Wisconsin | 1050 | - | - | 93.35% | Safety |
|
University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Arkansas | 1049 | 450 - 570 | 440 - 600 | 57.74% | Match |
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University of Akron Wayne College | Ohio | 1049 | 493 - 560 | 408 - 593 | 80.53% | Match |
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Goshen College | Indiana | 1049 | 420 - 570 | 430 - 563 | 88.94% | Match |
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Tabor College | Kansas | 1049 | 420 - 560 | 410 - 570 | 64.62% | Match |
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Angelo State University | Texas | 1049 | 470 - 580 | 450 - 560 | 79.23% | Match |
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North Carolina A & T State University | North Carolina | 1048 | 490 - 610 | 470 - 580 | 46.17% | Match |
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Louisiana State University-Alexandria | Louisiana | 1048 | 450 - 580 | 430 - 560 | 92.63% | Match |
|
University of New Mexico-Main Campus | New Mexico | 1047 | 460 - 590 | 440 - 570 | 95.45% | Match |
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University of Saint Mary | Kansas | 1047 | 448 - 560 | 478 - 533 | 89.84% | Match |
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Blue Mountain Christian University | Mississippi | 1047 | 450 - 500 | 500 - 570 | 100% | Match |
|
Eastern Michigan University | Michigan | 1046 | 470 - 600 | 440 - 570 | 81.35% | Match |
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Baptist University of Florida | Florida | 1045 | 500 - 650 | 430 - 550 | 64.1% | Match |
|
West Virginia Wesleyan College | West Virginia | 1045 | 460 - 580 | 418 - 563 | 95.05% | Match |
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West Virginia University Institute of Technology | West Virginia | 1044 | 470 - 570 | 430 - 550 | 61% | Match |
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Western Connecticut State University | Delaware | 1044 | 440 - 600 | 400 - 550 | 81.36% | Match |
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University of West Georgia | Georgia | 1044 | 480 - 580 | 450 - 550 | 49.37% | Match |
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Kentucky Christian University | Kentucky | 1044 | 450 - 510 | 450 - 530 | 62.38% | Match |
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Marion Military Institute | Alabama | 1043 | 500 - 630 | 510 - 610 | 59.17% | Reach |
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Midland University | Nebraska | 1043 | 430 - 550 | 463 - 560 | 66.92% | Match |
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Kentucky Wesleyan College | Kentucky | 1043 | 430 - 550 | 320 - 580 | 67% | Match |
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University of the Incarnate Word | Texas | 1042 | 470 - 580 | 430 - 560 | 93.36% | Match |
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Wilmington College | Ohio | 1042 | 430 - 540 | 430 - 510 | 84.6% | Match |
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West Liberty University | West Virginia | 1041 | 470 - 585 | 420 - 540 | 72.12% | Match |
|
University of Houston-Downtown | Texas | 1041 | 490 - 560 | 470 - 550 | 90.64% | Match |
|
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center | Pennsylvania | 1040 | 510 - 540 | 490 - 550 | 43.33% | Match |
|
D'Youville University | New York | 1040 | 445 - 595 | 440 - 595 | 82.35% | Match |
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University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | Indiana | 1040 | 470 - 570 | 450 - 560 | 97.56% | Match |
|
CUNY New York City College of Technology | New York | 1040 | 450 - 580 | 430 - 620 | 80.74% | Match |
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Lamar University | Texas | 1040 | 470 - 580 | 440 - 550 | 85.73% | Match |
|
University of Maine at Farmington | Maine | 1040 | 510 - 615 | 405 - 595 | 97.63% | Match |
|
Maria College of Albany | New York | 1040 | 480 - 535 | 485 - 560 | 60.94% | Match |
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Francis Marion University | South Carolina | 1039 | 470 - 590 | 430 - 548 | 82.23% | Match |
|
Alcorn State University | Mississippi | 1039 | 430 - 495 | 420 - 503 | 24.66% | Reach |
FAQ for SAT Score: 1000
How does a 1000 SAT score compare to the ACT?
A 1000 SAT score is roughly equivalent to a 19-20 on the ACT. While this score is below average for competitive colleges, you could still be a good candidate for public universities and state colleges. Consider improving your score with more study or test prep if you’re targeting more selective schools.
What scholarships are available for a 1000 SAT score?
A 1000 SAT score may qualify you for some merit-based scholarships at public universities or regional colleges. Full-tuition scholarships would be rare, but some institutions offer partial scholarships to students with scores in this range.
Can I get into Ivy League schools with a 1000 SAT score?
Ivy League schools typically require SAT scores much higher than 1000. If you're aiming for these elite institutions, you'll need to raise your score significantly. Focus on more achievable schools where your 1000 can be competitive.
Should I retake the SAT to improve my score?
If you want to apply to more selective colleges or universities, retaking the SAT could be a good option. You may want to focus on improving your test-taking strategies, reviewing specific areas of weakness, or taking a prep course.
What is the national average SAT score?
The national average SAT score is around 1050, so a 1000 SAT score is below average. Consider working on areas where you can improve, such as reading comprehension or math, to raise your score for better college prospects.
Do test-optional colleges consider a 1000 SAT score if submitted?
Test-optional colleges will consider your 1000 SAT if you choose to submit it. However, if your score is below average for your target school, you might want to focus on submitting strong essays, recommendation letters, and extracurriculars instead.
What GPA is a 1000 SAT?
A 1000 SAT score typically corresponds to a GPA between 2.5-2.8. If your GPA is in this range, you may want to consider schools with a higher acceptance rate to improve your chances of admission.
Can I get into NYU with a 1000 SAT?
NYU’s average SAT score is much higher than 1000, so it would be challenging to get in with this score. Consider applying to other schools with less competitive score requirements, or consider improving your score and reapplying.
Is 1000 a good SAT score for Harvard?
Harvard’s average SAT score is closer to 1500-1600, so a 1000 SAT score would not be competitive for admission. You may want to focus on other schools with a slightly lower average score.
Can I get into MIT with a 1000 SAT?
MIT’s average SAT score is much higher than 1000, and unfortunately, you won’t be competitive for admission with this score. Look for other top universities where your score may be more competitive.
Can I get into Princeton with a 1000 SAT score?
Princeton requires higher SAT scores than 1000, so you will likely not be competitive with this score. However, you may still be considered by other top universities with similar academic standards.
Is a 1000 SAT score good?
A 1000 SAT score is below average, but you still have opportunities at public universities and regional colleges. It’s important to focus on other aspects of your application, such as your GPA, extracurriculars, and personal essays, to strengthen your application.
Which colleges can I get into with a 1000 SAT score?
With a 1000 SAT score, you could be competitive at many public universities with moderate selectivity. Consider applying to state schools or universities with higher acceptance rates like University of Arizona, University of Alabama, or University of Oklahoma.
