1296 SAT Colleges: Best Schools for 1296 SAT Score

Best colleges for 1296 SAT Score are listed here. If you have achieved a SAT score of 1296, 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 1296 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 1296 SAT Score Good for 2026?

Yes, a 1296 SAT score is considered Solid / Competitive. Nationally, this performance puts you in the 75th-88th percentile of nearly 2 million annual test-takers.

Strategic Admissions Guidance

Scoring a 1296 puts you well above the national average. You are a competitive applicant for the majority of four-year universities in the US and Canada. For the 2026 cycle, we recommend identifying 'Target' schools where your score is at or above their 75th percentile; this strategy maximizes your chances for automatic merit scholarships. If your GPA is also strong, you have a very high probability of admission at your listed Match schools.

What does a 1296 mean for your applications?

In the 2026 admissions cycle, universities are increasingly looking for 'data-backed' proof of academic readiness. A 1296 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 1296 applicant.

Best Colleges for 1296 SAT Score

Following is the list of colleges that accept 1296 SAT Score.

LogoInstituteStateAverage SAT ScoreSAT Reading ScoresSAT Math ScoresAcceptance RateStatus
LogoInstituteStateAverage SAT ScoreSAT Reading ScoresSAT Maths ScoresAcceptance RateStatus
Brigham Young University Brigham Young UniversityUtah1376 650 - 720640 - 730 69.19% Match
University of Washington-Bothell Campus University of Washington-Bothell CampusWashington1376 560 - 700610 - 770 91.77% Match
Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence CollegeNew York1374 680 - 730590 - 710 58.93% Match
St Olaf College St Olaf CollegeMinnesota1373 640 - 740620 - 730 52.15% Match
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPennsylvania1371 640 - 720630 - 730 49.7% Match
The College of Wooster The College of WoosterOhio1370 640 - 730610 - 720 54.32% Match
Pepperdine University Pepperdine UniversityCalifornia1367 630 - 710620 - 740 49.85% Match
Westmont College Westmont CollegeCalifornia1367 622 - 720590 - 698 79.86% Match
St. John's College St. John's CollegeNew Mexico1367 680 - 750580 - 700 49.46% Match
Whitman College Whitman CollegeWashington1365 650 - 740620 - 740 49.99% Match
Touro University Touro UniversityNew York1365 650 - 730625 - 710 63.01% Match
Furman University Furman UniversitySouth Carolina1364 650 - 720610 - 705 52.57% Match
Wheaton College Wheaton CollegeIllinois1363 650 - 720610 - 720 89.98% Match
United States Air Force Academy United States Air Force AcademyColorado1362 620 - 710630 - 740 13.93% Reach
Soka University of America Soka University of AmericaCalifornia1360 560 - 690660 - 770 69.52% Match
Emerson College Emerson CollegeMassachusetts1359 650 - 720600 - 690 47.48% Match
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinnesota1359 640 - 720670 - 760 77.03% Reach
Bennington College Bennington CollegeVermont1358 690 - 740600 - 673 48.04% Match
University of Vermont University of VermontVermont1357 640 - 720610 - 700 60.02% Match
United States Military Academy United States Military AcademyNew York1355 600 - 700600 - 730 13.98% Reach
College of the Holy Cross College of the Holy CrossMassachusetts1354 630 - 720620 - 700 21.1% Reach
Chapman University Chapman UniversityCalifornia1353 630 - 710620 - 720 55.61% Match
University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado BoulderColorado1353 620 - 700610 - 720 83.28% Match
Patrick Henry College Patrick Henry CollegeVirginia1351 650 - 750570 - 680 81.98% Match
Syracuse University Syracuse UniversityNew York1351 630 - 710630 - 720 41.69% Match
Gettysburg College Gettysburg CollegePennsylvania1350 630 - 720610 - 740 47.51% Match
CUNY Hunter College CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York1350 610 - 710600 - 760 54.05% Match
Lawrence University Lawrence UniversityWisconsin1349 600 - 720600 - 710 63.03% Match
Centre College Centre CollegeKentucky1345 610 - 683620 - 740 54.34% Match
University of Denver University of DenverColorado1344 630 - 710610 - 700 71.19% Match
St Lawrence University St Lawrence UniversityNew York1343 630 - 710625 - 700 58.47% Match
Purdue University-Main Campus Purdue University-Main CampusIndiana1342 590 - 710600 - 750 50.3% Match
Providence College Providence CollegeRhode Island1342 630 - 700620 - 700 48.72% Match
Clemson University Clemson UniversitySouth Carolina1341 620 - 690610 - 700 38.05% Match
Bentley University Bentley UniversityMassachusetts1340 620 - 690630 - 720 48.44% Match
CUNY City College CUNY City CollegeNew York1340 610 - 710610 - 750 58.07% Match
Pratt Institute-Main Pratt Institute-MainNew York1339 620 - 700600 - 720 53.17% Match
Clark University Clark UniversityMassachusetts1339 640 - 710600 - 690 41.67% Match
Willamette University Willamette UniversityOregon1339 630 - 730590 - 700 79.11% Match
University of Connecticut University of ConnecticutConnecticut1338 610 - 700600 - 720 53.95% Match
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia1337 620 - 700620 - 720 57.03% Match
School of Visual Arts School of Visual ArtsNew York1337 585 - 725580 - 725 91.32% Match
Drexel University Drexel UniversityPennsylvania1337 610 - 700620 - 730 77.53% Match
Hendrix College Hendrix CollegeArkansas1336 605 - 695580 - 690 52.98% Match
The University of the South The University of the SouthTennessee1336 633 - 710603 - 688 50.9% Match
New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew Jersey1336 590 - 710620 - 760 66.9% Match
University of Puget Sound University of Puget SoundWashington1332 615 - 710570 - 680 76.28% Match
Simmons University Simmons UniversityMassachusetts1332 640 - 710590 - 680 66% Match
University of Florida-Online University of Florida-OnlineFlorida1331 640 - 700615 - 690 64.38% Match
Muhlenberg College Muhlenberg CollegePennsylvania1327 630 - 710600 - 690 64.01% Match
Saint Louis University Saint Louis UniversityMissouri1326 610 - 710600 - 720 81.47% Match
University of Tulsa University of TulsaOklahoma1325 590 - 740560 - 750 57.99% Match
Fairfield University Fairfield UniversityConnecticut1323 620 - 690620 - 690 44.98% Match
Florida State University Florida State UniversityFlorida1323 630 - 700610 - 690 25.38% Reach
University of Alabama in Huntsville University of Alabama in HuntsvilleAlabama1321 595 - 700600 - 740 74.25% Match
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Wheaton College (Massachusetts)Massachusetts1321 620 - 720590 - 700 71.33% Match
Lewis & Clark College Lewis & Clark CollegeOregon1321 620 - 720590 - 670 74.53% Match
Gustavus Adolphus College Gustavus Adolphus CollegeMinnesota1320 - - 61.8% Safety
Auburn University Auburn UniversityAlabama1318 630 - 690610 - 690 50.47% Match
Beloit College Beloit CollegeWisconsin1318 630 - 720580 - 640 57.36% Match
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusPennsylvania1316 610 - 690610 - 710 54.22% Match
Gonzaga University Gonzaga UniversityWashington1316 620 - 710600 - 700 75.96% Match
University of San Francisco University of San FranciscoCalifornia1313 610 - 690600 - 700 50.77% Match
University of Dayton University of DaytonOhio1313 600 - 680595 - 690 61.65% Match
Miami University-Oxford Miami University-OxfordOhio1313 610 - 690600 - 690 82.09% Match
Baylor University Baylor UniversityTexas1313 610 - 700600 - 700 50.99% Match
Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan UniversityOhio1311 550 - 685555 - 665 50.67% Match
CUNY Brooklyn College CUNY Brooklyn CollegeNew York1310 560 - 710580 - 710 53.66% Match
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York1310 600 - 680610 - 730 50.48% Match
Lake Forest College Lake Forest CollegeIllinois1309 590 - 685580 - 680 59.41% Match
Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana University-BloomingtonIndiana1308 590 - 690580 - 710 80.37% Match
United States Naval Academy United States Naval AcademyMaryland1308 600 - 700600 - 720 9.36% Reach
Seton Hall University Seton Hall UniversityNew Jersey1308 620 - 700600 - 700 78.9% Match
Clarkson University Clarkson UniversityNew York1307 593 - 690605 - 700 77.16% Match
Marquette University Marquette UniversityWisconsin1306 600 - 680590 - 680 87.44% Match
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennessee1304 600 - 670590 - 670 45.99% Match
Rollins College Rollins CollegeFlorida1304 620 - 690590 - 670 40.56% Match
Ursinus College Ursinus CollegePennsylvania1304 600 - 700560 - 660 87.37% Match
University of the Pacific University of the PacificCalifornia1303 580 - 690580 - 730 94.86% Match
Texas Christian University Texas Christian UniversityTexas1303 580 - 690570 - 685 42.6% Match
Moore College of Art and Design Moore College of Art and DesignPennsylvania1303 605 - 688628 - 723 60.51% Match
University of Georgia University of GeorgiaGeorgia1301 590 - 690570 - 700 37.2% Match
The University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at DallasTexas1300 580 - 690590 - 720 65.46% Match
University of Maryland-Baltimore County University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyMaryland1299 610 - 700610 - 710 74.24% Match
University at Buffalo University at BuffaloNew York1298 600 - 680610 - 700 69.3% Match
University of Delaware University of DelawareDelaware1297 610 - 680590 - 680 65.11% Match
Wofford College Wofford CollegeSouth Carolina1297 610 - 680590 - 670 58.59% Match
University of South Carolina-Columbia University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth Carolina1297 600 - 690580 - 690 61.49% Match
Houghton University Houghton UniversityNew York1297 600 - 700580 - 690 92.7% Match
Agnes Scott College Agnes Scott CollegeGeorgia1296 610 - 710570 - 640 67.31% Match
Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois1296 570 - 690610 - 720 55.42% Match
Hobart William Smith Colleges Hobart William Smith CollegesNew York1296 620 - 690600 - 670 57.28% Match
University of St Thomas University of St ThomasMinnesota1296 610 - 708613 - 708 84.94% Match
SUNY College at Geneseo SUNY College at GeneseoNew York1296 610 - 690590 - 690 63.53% Match
Creighton University Creighton UniversityNebraska1296 610 - 700600 - 700 72.31% Match
John Carroll University John Carroll UniversityOhio1295 600 - 670590 - 680 81.1% Match
DigiPen Institute of Technology DigiPen Institute of TechnologyWashington1295 590 - 700580 - 690 68.02% Match
Florida Polytechnic University Florida Polytechnic UniversityFlorida1294 590 - 680590 - 690 55.73% Match
Hofstra University Hofstra UniversityNew York1294 610 - 690600 - 690 70.59% Match
Loyola University Maryland Loyola University MarylandMaryland1292 610 - 690570 - 660 76.33% Match
Allegheny College Allegheny CollegePennsylvania1292 600 - 690540 - 660 58.53% Match
United States Coast Guard Academy United States Coast Guard AcademyDelaware1290 610 - 690600 - 690 24.32% Match
Warren Wilson College Warren Wilson CollegeNorth Carolina1290 - - 77.62% Safety
Ohio Northern University Ohio Northern UniversityOhio1290 580 - 678593 - 698 73.35% Match
New York Institute of Technology New York Institute of TechnologyNew York1290 580 - 680600 - 710 78.08% Match
Drake University Drake UniversityIowa1288 610 - 690580 - 700 64.13% Match
The University of Alabama The University of AlabamaAlabama1287 590 - 700580 - 700 75.82% Match
DePauw University DePauw UniversityIndiana1287 570 - 680570 - 750 54.06% Match
Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMissouri1287 560 - 670590 - 708 73.07% Match
Marist University Marist UniversityNew York1285 620 - 690600 - 670 64.71% Match
Transylvania University Transylvania UniversityKentucky1285 570 - 670530 - 620 84.99% Safety
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-PoncePuerto Rico1285 575 - 658548 - 678 90.33% Match
Ithaca College Ithaca CollegeNew York1285 610 - 700580 - 670 69.94% Match
University of Dallas University of DallasTexas1284 600 - 710570 - 660 54.2% Match
Loyola University Chicago Loyola University ChicagoIllinois1283 590 - 680570 - 660 81.39% Match
Butler University Butler UniversityIndiana1282 590 - 680590 - 680 85.87% Match
Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia1281 560 - 670580 - 680 71.29% Match
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus University of Cincinnati-Main CampusOhio1281 580 - 670570 - 690 87.67% Match
Mercer University Mercer UniversityGeorgia1280 600 - 680580 - 670 66.46% Match
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Albany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesNew York1280 560 - 680560 - 700 59.08% Match
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FAQ for SAT Score: 1296

How does a 1296 SAT score compare to the ACT?

A 1296 SAT score is roughly equivalent to a 26-27 on the ACT. While this is above average, it may not be enough to make you competitive for the most selective colleges. However, you can still be a strong applicant for many state universities, private schools with lower selectivity, and a range of mid-tier colleges.

What scholarships are available for a 1296 SAT score?

A 1296 SAT score can qualify you for merit-based scholarships at a variety of schools, especially public universities. Partial-tuition scholarships are common, and some private schools may offer financial assistance packages, although full scholarships are rare for students with scores in this range.

Can I get into Ivy League schools with a 1296 SAT score?

A 1296 SAT score is lower than the typical range for Ivy League schools, which tends to be closer to 1500-1600. This score may limit your chances of admission to these top-tier institutions, but there are still many excellent schools where a 1296 SAT score is competitive.

Should I retake the SAT to improve my score?

If you're targeting selective colleges, retaking the SAT could improve your chances of getting into your top-choice schools. However, if you're aiming for state universities or less competitive private schools, a 1296 may already place you in a competitive position. Consider whether retaking the test would result in a substantial improvement.

What is the national average SAT score?

The national average SAT score is around 1050. With a 1296, you are well above average and in a good position to apply to many public and private universities across the country.

Do test-optional colleges consider a 1296 SAT score if submitted?

Yes, test-optional colleges will still consider your 1296 SAT score if submitted. While your score may not be as high as the average for selective schools, it can still help your application stand out, especially if your essays, GPA, and extracurriculars are strong.

What GPA is a 1296 SAT?

A 1296 SAT score is typically associated with a GPA around 3.4 to 3.6. This indicates that you have a solid academic record and can handle college-level coursework. Your GPA and SAT score combined will help make you a competitive applicant for a variety of colleges.

Can I get into NYU with a 1296 SAT?

A 1296 SAT score is below NYU's average, which is closer to 1500, but it’s still competitive for many other schools. For NYU, consider supplementing your application with a strong essay, extracurriculars, and recommendations that show you are a well-rounded applicant.

Is 1296 a good SAT score for Harvard?

A 1296 SAT score is below Harvard's typical range, which is closer to 1500-1600. While this score may not be sufficient for Harvard, it’s still strong and competitive for other excellent schools. Ensure that other aspects of your application are exceptional to compensate for your SAT score.

Can I get into MIT with a 1296 SAT?

MIT’s acceptance rate is very competitive, and a 1296 SAT is below their typical range of around 1500. To improve your chances, focus on strengthening other aspects of your application, such as STEM achievements, leadership roles, and strong letters of recommendation.

Can I get into Princeton with a 1296 SAT score?

Princeton typically admits students with SAT scores in the 1500s. A 1296 is below their typical range, so it may be difficult to gain admission. However, focusing on your essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities could help make your application more competitive.

Is a 1296 SAT score good?

Yes, a 1296 SAT score is good and places you above average, though it may not be competitive for the most selective colleges. For many public and mid-tier private universities, this score is solid, and it will make you a competitive candidate.

Which colleges can I get into with a 1296 SAT score?

A 1296 SAT score opens the door to many solid schools, including state universities and private colleges with moderate selectivity. Some options might include schools like University of Pittsburgh, Florida State University, and University of Alabama.

Best Colleges for SAT Score Ranges

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