Best colleges for 1550 SAT Score are listed here. If you have achieved a SAT score of 1550, 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 1550 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 1550 SAT Score Good for 2026?
Yes, a 1550 SAT score is considered Exceptional (Top 1%). Nationally, this performance puts you in the 99th percentile of nearly 2 million annual test-takers.
Strategic Admissions Guidance
A score of 1550 is nearly perfect. In the current 2026 admissions landscape, this puts you in the top 1% of applicants globally. For Ivy League institutions (Harvard, Yale, Princeton) and elite tech schools like Caltech, your SAT score is now 'checked off'—meaning it meets their highest threshold. Further testing is unnecessary. Your primary focus should now be on your Common App main essay and securing high-impact letters of recommendation that speak to your character and intellectual curiosity.
What does a 1550 mean for your applications?
In the 2026 admissions cycle, universities are increasingly looking for 'data-backed' proof of academic readiness. A 1550 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 1550 applicant.
Best Colleges for 1550 SAT Score
Following is the list of colleges that accept 1550 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 |
|
University of Chicago | Illinois | 1554 | 740 - 770 | 770 - 800 | 4.79% | Reach |
|
Harvard University | Massachusetts | 1553 | 740 - 780 | 760 - 800 | 3.45% | Reach |
|
Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 1553 | 750 - 780 | 780 - 800 | 7.56% | Reach |
|
Stanford University | California | 1553 | 740 - 780 | 770 - 800 | 3.91% | Reach |
|
Rice University | Texas | 1553 | 730 - 770 | 770 - 800 | 7.88% | Reach |
|
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts | 1553 | 730 - 780 | 780 - 800 | 4.74% | Reach |
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Vanderbilt University | Tennessee | 1550 | 740 - 770 | 770 - 790 | 6.28% | Reach |
|
Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 1547 | 730 - 770 | 760 - 800 | 4.23% | Reach |
|
Brown University | Rhode Island | 1546 | 740 - 770 | 760 - 800 | 5.23% | Reach |
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Carnegie Mellon University | Pennsylvania | 1545 | 730 - 770 | 770 - 800 | 11.4% | Reach |
|
University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 1545 | 730 - 770 | 770 - 800 | 5.87% | Reach |
|
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | Massachusetts | 1540 | 720 - 770 | 760 - 790 | 21.66% | Match |
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Duke University | North Carolina | 1539 | 740 - 770 | 770 - 800 | 6.78% | Reach |
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Harvey Mudd College | California | 1537 | 720 - 770 | 760 - 790 | 13.06% | Reach |
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Princeton University | New Jersey | 1535 | 740 - 780 | 760 - 800 | 4.5% | Reach |
|
Yale University | Delaware | 1534 | 740 - 780 | 760 - 800 | 4.5% | Reach |
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Dartmouth College | New Hampshire | 1533 | 740 - 780 | 760 - 790 | 6.23% | Reach |
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Washington University in St Louis | Missouri | 1530 | 730 - 770 | 770 - 800 | 11.96% | Reach |
|
Swarthmore College | Pennsylvania | 1527 | 720 - 770 | 740 - 790 | 6.94% | Reach |
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Williams College | Massachusetts | 1527 | 730 - 770 | 740 - 790 | 9.99% | Reach |
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New York University | New York | 1527 | 720 - 770 | 760 - 800 | 9.41% | Reach |
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Northwestern University | Illinois | 1526 | 730 - 770 | 760 - 790 | 7.15% | Reach |
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Pomona College | California | 1520 | 730 - 770 | 750 - 790 | 6.76% | Reach |
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Cornell University | New York | 1520 | 720 - 770 | 760 - 790 | 8.16% | Reach |
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Claremont McKenna College | California | 1514 | 710 - 770 | 740 - 790 | 11.12% | Reach |
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Bowdoin College | Maine | 1514 | 730 - 760 | 750 - 790 | 8.02% | Reach |
|
Emory University-Oxford College | Georgia | 1513 | 700 - 760 | 750 - 790 | 17.25% | Reach |
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Wesleyan University | Delaware | 1513 | 720 - 770 | 730 - 770 | 17.1% | Reach |
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Tufts University | Massachusetts | 1513 | 710 - 760 | 750 - 790 | 10.13% | Reach |
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Wellesley College | Massachusetts | 1513 | 720 - 770 | 720 - 780 | 13.91% | Reach |
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Vassar College | New York | 1513 | 720 - 770 | 715 - 780 | 17.73% | Reach |
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University of Notre Dame | Indiana | 1510 | 710 - 760 | 730 - 780 | 12.38% | Reach |
|
Jewish Theological Seminary of America | New York | 1507 | 730 - 779 | 710 - 780 | 45.07% | Safety |
|
Emory University | Georgia | 1507 | 710 - 760 | 750 - 790 | 11.1% | Reach |
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Northeastern University | Massachusetts | 1505 | 710 - 760 | 750 - 790 | 5.65% | Reach |
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Washington and Lee University | Virginia | 1504 | 710 - 750 | 700 - 780 | 17.36% | Reach |
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University of Southern California | California | 1501 | 700 - 760 | 740 - 790 | 10.02% | Reach |
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Boston College | Massachusetts | 1501 | 710 - 760 | 720 - 780 | 15.65% | Reach |
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Case Western Reserve University | Ohio | 1501 | 700 - 750 | 730 - 790 | 28.68% | Match |
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Barnard College | New York | 1500 | 723 - 770 | 730 - 780 | 7.96% | Reach |
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Middlebury College | Vermont | 1500 | 720 - 770 | 710 - 780 | 10.37% | Reach |
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Colby College | Maine | 1500 | 710 - 760 | 730 - 790 | 6.83% | Reach |
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Haverford College | Pennsylvania | 1498 | 710 - 760 | 720 - 780 | 12.91% | Reach |
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Georgetown University | District of Columbia | 1494 | 700 - 770 | 690 - 780 | 13.08% | Reach |
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Amherst College | Massachusetts | 1494 | 690 - 770 | 670 - 780 | 9.82% | Reach |
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Carleton College | Minnesota | 1491 | 710 - 760 | 720 - 790 | 22.28% | Match |
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University of Virginia-Main Campus | Virginia | 1488 | 700 - 750 | 710 - 780 | 16.86% | Reach |
|
Hamilton College | New York | 1487 | 700 - 770 | 710 - 780 | 11.77% | Reach |
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Grinnell College | Iowa | 1486 | 698 - 760 | 720 - 790 | 12.68% | Reach |
|
Smith College | Massachusetts | 1480 | 718 - 770 | 690 - 770 | 19.73% | Match |
|
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | New York | 1480 | 680 - 740 | 720 - 780 | 19.05% | Match |
|
Scripps College | California | 1480 | 720 - 760 | 700 - 770 | 33.94% | Safety |
|
Rhode Island School of Design | Rhode Island | 1480 | 680 - 760 | 690 - 780 | 13.81% | Reach |
|
Colgate University | New York | 1480 | 710 - 750 | 720 - 780 | 11.95% | Reach |
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University of Rochester | New York | 1480 | 690 - 750 | 710 - 790 | 35.85% | Safety |
|
Webb Institute | New York | 1480 | 670 - 745 | 720 - 780 | 20% | Match |
|
University of Richmond | Virginia | 1474 | 690 - 750 | 720 - 780 | 23.31% | Match |
|
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Michigan | 1473 | 670 - 750 | 680 - 780 | 17.94% | Reach |
|
Brandeis University | Massachusetts | 1473 | 690 - 750 | 700 - 780 | 35.31% | Safety |
|
Boston University | Massachusetts | 1473 | 680 - 740 | 720 - 780 | 10.85% | Reach |
|
Northeastern University Oakland | California | 1472 | 670 - 740 | 720 - 780 | 16.54% | Reach |
FAQ for SAT Score: 1550
How does a 1550 SAT score compare to the ACT?
A 1550 on the SAT is roughly equivalent to a 35 on the ACT. You’re in the top 1% of all test takers, and this level of performance is considered exceptional by nearly all universities.
What scholarships are available for a 1550 SAT score?
With a 1550, you qualify for a wide range of scholarships, including merit awards from top-tier universities, honors colleges, and private foundations. It’s a good idea to research each school’s scholarship cutoff scores.
Can I get into Ivy League schools with a 1550 SAT score?
Yes, your 1550 makes you a strong academic candidate. Ivy Leagues will appreciate your test score, but be sure your application also reflects leadership, initiative, and personal growth.
Should I retake the SAT to improve my score?
A 1550 is already an elite score. Retaking might not be worth the effort unless you’re aiming for a perfect 1600 or feel that test day didn’t reflect your true potential.
What is the national average SAT score?
The average is around 1050, so your 1550 is far above it. This places you in the top percentile nationally and makes you eligible for the most selective colleges.
Do test-optional colleges consider a 1550 SAT score if submitted?
Yes, test-optional schools will view your 1550 very favorably. It strengthens your application and shows that you can handle rigorous academic challenges.
What GPA is a 1550 SAT?
A 1550 SAT score typically aligns with a GPA of around 3.9 to 4.0. Still, colleges assess your full transcript—course difficulty and consistency are also important.
Can I get into NYU with a 1550 SAT?
Definitely. NYU’s average SAT range is much lower than 1550, so your score would be considered excellent. Just make sure to keep your essays and application compelling.
Is 1550 a good SAT score for Harvard?
It’s an excellent score for Harvard, though just slightly below their typical 75th percentile (around 1580–1600). Your chances are strong if the rest of your profile stands out.
Can I get into MIT with a 1550 SAT?
Yes, a 1550 is competitive for MIT. Focus on highlighting your passion for STEM through projects, coursework, and recommendations to complement your strong test performance.
Can I get into Princeton with a 1550 SAT score?
You’re in a great position for Princeton. Use your essays and application to demonstrate intellectual curiosity, leadership, and commitment to service to complete your profile.
Is a 1550 SAT score good?
Absolutely! A 1550 is a perfect SAT score, placing you in the top 1% of test takers. This score significantly strengthens your application to Ivy League and top-tier universities. Colleges will view this as evidence of outstanding academic ability.
Which colleges can I get into with a 1550 SAT score?
With a 1550, you are a competitive applicant at all top universities including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Yale. Your score opens doors to nearly every prestigious institution. Other factors like essays and extracurriculars still matter, but your score is not a limiting factor.
