So, you want to know the SAT requirements of UPENN. If so, you will likely consider applying to the esteemed Ivy League College. As you likely already know, if you want to go to UPENN, your work is cut out for you. It’s one of the most competitive colleges in the world.
However, while there’s no single answer to the question, “How do I get into UPENN?” there are a few nonnegotiable boxes that your application must check off. And yes, a high SAT or ACT score is often one of them. Mark my words: no matter where you’re from, what you’re majoring in, or what your goals are after college, a high standardized test score will help you get into UPENN.
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Is UPENN Test-Optional?
Many ask, “Is UPENN test optional?” Technically, yes. Theoretically, you can apply to UPENN without submitting SAT or ACT scores. Furthermore, we read the following statement on UPenn’s admission site:
Penn Admissions will remain test optional and will not require ACT or SAT test results for the 2024-25 application cycle. Students who are unable or choose not to submit test scores will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. We will continue to evaluate all components of an individual’s application through our comprehensive review process.[1]
This is the typical PR spin in most test-optional colleges. And yet, there are things that Test-optional schools aren’t telling you. For example, if we look at the admissions data of other test-optional colleges, we see a different picture. For example, look at the table below. You can see the percentage of accepted students who submitted test scores at competitive schools. The colleges’ acceptance rates are likewise listed.[2][3][4][5][6]
| College | Number of students who submitted ACT/Scores | Acceptance Rate of College |
| Boston College | 61% | 15.9% |
| Emory | 69% | 14.5% |
| Pomona | 57% | 6.6% |
| Vanderbilt | 61% | 5.1% |
| Wesleyan | 59% | 16% |
| Table Adapted & Sourced from Ivy Coach[7] | ||
Thus, if you want to go to UPENN, you better plan on your test scores mattering.
What’s the Average SAT Score For Students Accepted to UPENN?
So then, what kind of SAT score do you need to get into UPENN? Well, according to their Admissions Facts page[8], UPENN claimed the following:
Penn received 59,465 applications for admission to the Class of 2027. Of those applicants, 3,489, or 6 percent, were offered admission. Ninety-four percent of the students admitted for Fall 2023 came from the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. The middle 50% of scores, as well as the median scores, on each of the two SAT components, are as follows:
- SAT Evidence-based Reading + Writing component: 740 to 770, with a median of 760
- SAT Math component: 770 to 800, with a median of 790
From this self-reported admissions data, we come up with the following composite SAT scores:
- Minimum: 1510
- Maximum: 1570
- Median: 1550
Students hoping to attend UPENN should aim for a 1510-1570 SAT score.
What’s the Average ACT Score For Accepted UPENN Students?
Additionally, students can also opt to take the ACT or the SAT. UPENN, or any college, won’t prioritize one over the other. So then, for students asking, “What ACT score do I need to get into UPENN?” read the table below adapted from UPENN’s admissions site.[9]
| ACT Score Ranges | |
| ACT Score Range | % of Scores Submitted |
| 35-36 | 71% |
| 32-34 | 26% |
| 29-31 | 3% |
Consequently, we can see from this table the competitive cloth UPENN cuts their students from. 71% of accepted students who submitted scores to UPENN made between 35-36. That’s a perfect score, or just shy of one. To give that score threshold some context, consider this. Scoring a 34 on the ACT puts you squarely in the top 99% of all ACT scorers.[10]
Unsurprisingly, UPENN wants their applicants to be superhumans of high school academics. And a high test score on the SAT or ACT goes a long way toward proving that. So, again, if you’re serious about applying to UPENN, you need to be preparing for the SAT or ACT yesterday.
How Can I Improve My ACT or SAT Score Enough to Get into UPENN?
To raise your ACT or SAT score, you have three options:
- Study Independently
- Study with a private tutor
- Attend a test prep class
There are pros and cons to all three of these options. For a detailed analysis of each, read the Should I Get An ACT Tutor or Self-Study?
The short end of it is this:
- Studying independently takes more discipline than most students have. It also requires significant time to grade practice tests or find the content you need to study.
- Private tutoring is expensive but the most effective way to raise test scores. When I say “most effective,” that depends on the tutor or tutoring firm you use.
- Test Prep classes work especially well for lower-scoring students. They quickly reach their limit when students gain higher scores. However, they’re usually less expensive than one-on-one tutoring.
If you want to hire a one-on-one tutor, click the link below.
If you’d like a helpful and advanced self-paced class, consider checking out Achievable ACT. Also, the ACT has changed less over the years than the SAT has. The Achievable ACT course also uses advanced machine learning algorithms and memory science to help students retain the information they need on test day. In fact, all of our private ACT students are required to use it because of its usefulness and effectiveness.
What Else Can Help Me Get into UPENN?
My good friend, Matt Lariva, a UPENN graduate, put Ivy League admissions this way:
There are only three types of students who find admission to the Ivy’s:
- elite students
- elite performers (think top-tier athletes, published writers, and child actors)
- and the elite connected (the children of world leaders, legacy families, or wealthy donors)
If those groups sound exclusive, it’s because they are.[11]
Therefore, you must convince their admissions team that you’re exceptional. One thing you can do is find some way to make an impact, no matter how small, outside of your school. Any student can join a club. Perhaps most students can gain some leadership position in said club. However, not every student organizes a food drive for the homeless, starts a business selling their own t-shirts, or makes an edutainment website on how to teach physics to rock climbers.
These students show ambition and initiative. While these activities can’t predict a student’s success, they sure don’t hurt in communicating to colleges that these students want to make a difference. As such, this wow factor in their applications does them a few favors:
- communicates genuine interest
- demonstrates unique expertise
- showcases impact or its potential
Students I advise throughout the admissions process often create websites for these projects. Saying you’ve done something extraordinary is one thing, but showing digital proof is another.
Remember, this may seem like a lot of work (it is), but you’re trying to get into UPENN. You can’t get into that school without working both harder and smarter. A Student Website for their College Application goes a long way toward showing an Ivy League Admissions Team that you’re worth considering.
For a detailed admissions guide on UPENN, read our How to Get Into UPenn Guide.
More Admissions FAQs on UPENN
What are UPENN’s GPA Requirements?
UPENN doesn’t list GPA requirements on its admissions site. However, most students who apply successfully boast high GPAs. According to UPENN’s common dataset,[12] we see these numbers about their incoming freshman.
Percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school grade point averages within the following ranges (using 4.0 scale). Report information only for those students from whom you collected high school GPA.
Percent who had GPA of 4.0 – 52%
Percent who had GPA between 3.75 and 3.99 – 36%
Percent who had GPA between 3.50 and 3.74 – 6%
Percent who had GPA between 3.25 and 3.49 – 4%
Percent who had GPA between 3.00 and 3.24 – 0%
Percent who had GPA between 2.50 and 2.99 – 0%
Percent who had GPA between 2.0 and 2.49 – 1%
Percent who had GPA between 1.0 and 1.99 – 0%
Percent who had GPA below 1.0 – 0%
These stats show that over half of UPENN’s incoming first-year students had a 4.0 GPA. If you want to join their ranks, you should prepare to do the same.
Is UPENN an Ivy League College?
This one’s easy… YES. Upenn is indeed an Ivy League College. It’s one of eight schools that make up the Ivy League Conference. A full list of the Ivy League schools is listed below.
- Brown University: Providence, RI
- Columbia University: New York, NY
- Cornell University: Ithaca, NY
- Dartmouth College: Hanover, NH
- Harvard University: Cambridge, MA
- Princeton University: Princeton, NJ
- University of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, PA
- Yale University: New Haven, CT
For more tips and insights on how to best apply for the Ivy League, read our “How to Get Into the Ivy League” blog post. You can also read the following League Admission Guides:
What are Wharton Undergraduate Admissions Requirements?
The Wharton School of Business is UPENN’s flagship college of study. Some of the most outstanding business schools in the world, many entrepreneurs, start-up prolifics, finance experts, and venture capitalists attend the Wharton School of Business.
- Elon Musk: Visionary entrepreneur and innovator. CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), revolutionizing the automotive, space exploration, and social media industries. (BS, Economics)[13]
- Sundar Pichai: Tech titan in charge of artificial intelligence and online services as CEO of Google and Alphabet. (MBA)[14]
- John Sculley: Marketing guru who led PepsiCo in the “Cola Wars” and later took the helm at Apple during a critical period of its growth. (MBA)[15]
- Peter Lynch: Wall Street legend who achieved extraordinary returns as manager of the Fidelity Magellan Fund, inspiring a generation of investors. (MBA)[16]
- Jeff Weiner: Influential leader in the world of professional networking, guiding LinkedIn’s rise as CEO and shaping the future of work. (BS, Economics)[17]
- Safra Catz: Powerful force in enterprise software, serving as CEO of Oracle and driving its cloud computing strategy. (BS, Economics)[18]
- Josh Kopelman: Venture capital pioneer and founder of First Round Capital, backing numerous successful startups and shaping the tech landscape. (BS, Economics)[19]
- Andrea Jung: Trailblazing businesswoman who broke barriers as CEO of Avon and now leads Grameen America, empowering women entrepreneurs. (BS, Economics)[20]
However, UPenn’s general admissions department handles getting into Wharton as a first-year freshman. Thus, you apply to get into Wharton the same way you would apply to any of UPenn’s programs.
What Are UPenn’s SAT Requirements for 2025?
UPENN currently has this on its website.
Penn will not require applicants to submit the SAT or ACT for the 2024-25 application cycle.[21]
You can apply to the university without test scores, but applying is a far cry from getting accepted.
Will UPenn Require the SAT in 2026?
Sadly, your guess is as good as ours. UPenn has yet to release its 2026 standardized testing policies as of when this article was written.
Is UPenn Test Optional for the 2025-2026 Application Cycle?
Read the answer to the question above.
What Is UPenn’s Early Decision Acceptance Rate?
Upenn’s early acceptance rate as of 2024 is approximately 14%. Thus, your chances of getting into the Ivy League marginally increase if you commit to the binding requirements of an early decision admission.
Conclusion
Sure, UPENN is a tough school. But you can boost your chances with a standout application and competitive ACT/SAT score. If you found this helpful, subscribe to our newsletter for great IVY LEAGUE admissions tips. It’s a great way to prepare for college and make the most of your time in school.
Happy Testing!
-Marc
References
[1] University of Pennsylvania. “Testing for the 2024-25 Admissions Cycle | Penn Admissions.” Penn Admissions, 5 March 2024, https://admissions.upenn.edu/visit-connect/penn-perspectives/blog/testing-2024-25-admissions-cycle. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[2] Boston College. “Class Facts and Figures.” Boston College, https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/admission/apply/admission-statistics.html. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[3] Olivier, Madi, and Spencer Friedland. “Acceptance rate decreases to 14.5% for Class of 2028 after Regular Decision.” The Emory Wheel, 29 March 2024, https://www.emorywheel.com/article/2024/03/acceptance-rate-increases-to-14-5-for-class-of-2028-after-regular-decision. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[4] Wesleyan University. “Class Profile, Admission & Aid.” Wesleyan University, https://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/apply/class-profile.html. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[5] Perrotta, Rachael. “A steady decline: Class of 2028 regular decision admission rate drops to 3.7%, overall admission rate to 5.1%.” The Vanderbilt Hustler, 11 April 2024, https://vanderbilthustler.com/2024/04/11/a-steady-decline-class-of-2028-regular-decision-admission-rate-drops-to-3-7-overall-admission-rate-to-5-1/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[6] Bousquet, Ben. “How to Use the Pomona Common Data Set.” Admit Report, 21 March 2024, https://admitreport.com/blog/pomona-common-data-set. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[7] Ivy Coach. “The Fable of Test-Optional | SAT & ACT in Admissions.” Ivy Coach, https://www.ivycoach.com/the-ivy-coach-blog/college-admissions/the-fable-of-test-optional/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[8] University of Pennsylvania. “Facts.” University of Pennsylvania, https://www.upenn.edu/about/facts. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[9] University of Pennsylvania. “Incoming Class Profile | Penn Admissions.” Penn Admissions, https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/resources-programs/incoming-class-profile. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[10] Edwards, Halle. “How Many People Get a 34, 35, 36 on the ACT? Score Breakdown by %ile.” PrepScholar Blog, PrepScholar Inc, https://blog.prepscholar.com/how-many-people-get-a-34-35-36-on-the-act-score-breakdown. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[11] Larriva, Matt. “Ivy League Admissions: How To Get Into The Ivy League.” Powerful Prep, 28 July 2023, https://www.powerfulprep.com/how-to-get-into-the-ivy-league/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[12] IVY COACH. “UPenn Common Data Set 2021-22 Rev. Jul 2022.” Ivy Coach, https://www.ivycoach.com/wp-content/uploads/imported-files/UPenn-Common-Data-Set-2021-22-Rev-07.2022.pdf. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[13] Tesla. “Elon Musk.” Tesla, https://www.tesla.com/elon-musk. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[14] Times Entertainment. “Sundar Pichai’s journey: From humble beginnings to Google CEO and a $40 million California mansion |.” Times of India, 12 September 2024, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/sundar-pichais-journey-from-humble-beginnings-to-google-ceo-and-a-40-million-california-mansion/articleshow/113258369.cms. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[15] The Wharton School. “Former Apple CEO John Sculley Predicts How Technology Will Change Health Care.” Mack Institute for Innovation Management, 23 May 2019, https://mackinstitute.wharton.upenn.edu/2019/health-care-john-sculley/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[16] Lynch, Peter, and Kerry Hannon. “Peter Lynch, one of the greatest investors, talks “One Up On Wall Street.”” Kerry Hannon, 2 July 2023, https://kerryhannon.com/?p=9841. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[17] Weiner, Jeff. “LinkedIn’s Jeff Weiner: How Compassion Builds Better Companies.” Knowledge at Wharton, 17 May 2018, https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/linkedin-ceo-how-compassion-can-build-a-better-company/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[18] Oracle. “Safra A. Catz | Executive Biography.” Oracle, https://www.oracle.com/corporate/executives/safra-catz/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[19] “Josh Kopelman.” First Round Capital, https://firstround.com/person/josh-kopelman/. Accessed 10 October 2024.
[20] “Andrea Jung.” Wayfair, https://investor.wayfair.com/governance/board-of-directors/person-details/default.aspx?ItemId=31dff8dd-5aee-4527-944d-640e2f773584. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
[21] University of Pennsylvania. “Testing | Penn Admissions.” Penn Admissions, https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/preparing-your-application/testing. Accessed 10 October 2024.
