If you have a 1460 SAT score that you’re considering using for college admissions, you may be wondering, “Is 1460 a good SAT score?” You’ve come to the right place! In this post, I’ll discuss where 1460 stands in terms of SAT statistics and how different schools view an SAT score of 1460. Plus, I’ll answer some common questions about which schools students can get into with a 1460.
Here are all the topics we’ll cover:
- How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score, Statistically Speaking?
- What Colleges Can I Get Into With a 1460 SAT Score?
- Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Top 20 Schools?
- Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Scholarships?
- Key Takeaways: How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score?
- Is 1460 a Good SAT Score for Ivy League Schools?
- Can I Get Into Harvard With a 1460 SAT?
- Can I Get Into MIT With a 1460 SAT?
- Can I Get Into Duke With a 1460 SAT?
- What’s Next?
Let’s begin by considering where 1460 stands in terms of SAT statistics.
How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score, Statistically Speaking?
The first statistic we can compare 1460 with is the national average SAT score. According to the College Board, since the change to a two-section SAT in 2016, the average SAT composite score has ranged from 1050 to 1068. Thus,1460 is around 400 points higher than the average SAT score. So, 1460 is a strong SAT score.
To see just how strong of a score 1460 is, we can also consider the 1460 SAT score percentile. As of this writing, the 1460 SAT percentile is 96th. In other words, a 1460 on the SAT is among the top 4 percent of SAT scores.
Finally, let’s do a 1460 SAT score to ACT score conversion. The College Board and ETS concordance table of SAT and ACT scores shows that a 1460 SAT composite score is approximately equivalent to a 33 ACT composite score. Since an ACT score of 33 is a 98th percentile score, we once again see that 1460 is a strong SAT score, statistically speaking.
So, if you’ve been wondering, “Is a 1460 SAT score good or bad?,” in terms of statistics, 1460 is a very good SAT score.
KEY FACT:
1460 is 400 points higher than the average SAT score and is a 96th percentile score.
At the same time, what matters most to you probably isn’t whether 1460 is higher than other test-taker’s SAT scores. Rather, it’s what schools a 1460 SAT score will get you into. So, let’s consider the answer to that question next.
What Colleges Can I Get Into With a 1460 SAT Score?
The short answer to the question of what college or university you can get into with a 1460 SAT score is … any college or university! The thing is, that answer doesn’t capture the full story, since 1460 is better for some schools than for others.
SAT scores that are competitive for a particular school are generally those at or above the school’s average SAT score, or at least within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at that school. (To learn more about the meaning of the middle 50 percent of SAT scores, see this post: What is a good SAT score for college?) So, let’s see how a 1460 SAT score compares with school averages and middle 50 percent SAT score ranges.
Looking at the top 100 national universities, as ranked by US News and World Report, we find that 1460 is above the average SAT score at most of them. For example, 1460 is higher than UNC Chapel Hill’s average SAT score of around 1430. It’s also higher than University of Michigan’s average SAT score of around 1450. Those schools are ranked 29th and 25th, respectively.
For some schools that are more highly ranked, 1460 is not above the average SAT score but is within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores. For instance, 1460 is in the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at Emory (ranked 22nd), which range from 1420 to 1540. It’s also within the middle 50 percent of scores at Notre Dame (ranked 18th), which range from 1410 to 1550.
KEY FACT:
1460 is an above-average SAT score for most top 100 universities.
So, what about the schools ranked at the very top?
Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Top 20 Schools?
As we just saw, 1460 is within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at Notre Dame (ranked 18th). In recent years, 1460 has also been within Dartmouth’s mid-50. However, for most top 20 schools,1460 is not within the middle 50 percent. So, while 1460 is a strong SAT score, it’s not a particularly competitive score for most top 20 schools.
Now, you may be saying, “Wait. You said I can get into any school with a 1460.” Yes, I did, and it’s true that 1460 is, in a sense, good enough for any school, since it indicates that an applicant’s level of college readiness is high. So, you can get into any school with a 1460 SAT score that is part of a relatively strong college application.
All the same time, a 1460 won’t help you stand out among the applicants to most top 20 schools, since it’s not above-average for these schools. Much of the reason why is that most top 20 schools have gone test-optional. So, applicants don’t need to provide standardized test scores to meet university requirements when applying to these schools. As a result, only applicants with very high SAT scores submit them with their applications, causing the average SAT scores these schools receive to be very high.
So, amazingly, if you’re applying to certain top 20 schools, a 1460 SAT score may not help your case. In fact, it may make sense not to submit that score, even though it is rather strong.
KEY FACT:
Though 1460 is a strong SAT score, because of test-optional policies, it is no longer within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at most top 20 schools.
SAT scores can also help with getting scholarships. So, let’s explore how good a 1460 SAT score is for scholarships.
Is a 1460 SAT Score Good for Scholarships?
There are many scholarships that you can qualify for with a 1460 SAT score. For example, the SAT score requirement for the Gladys Carol Scholarship Program is 1290. The SAT score requirement for the New Mexico Tech Silver Scholarship is 1390. And there are many other scholarships you can be eligible for with a 1460. So, with an SAT score of 1460, you can apply for many scholarships that could cover at least part of your college costs.
Also, at some schools, an SAT score of 1460 may be high enough for getting a “full ride” scholarship, if your score is part of a strong application. That said, full ride scholarships are not common. So, if you want to get a full ride scholarship and your SAT score is 1460, it may make sense for you to do some more test preparation to improve your SAT score and break the 1500 level.
KEY FACT:
A 1460 SAT score satisfies the college entrance exams score requirements of many scholarships.
Let’s now wrap up with some takeaways from what we’ve discussed.
Key Takeaways: How Good Is a 1460 SAT Score?
Here is what we have seen about a 1460 SAT score:
- 1460 is a strong SAT score that is around 400 points above average and is a 96th percentile score.
- For most colleges and universities, including most top 100 colleges and universities, 1460 is a competitive SAT score that is above average or within the middle 50 percent range of SAT scores.
- For most top 20 schools, a 1460 SAT score is good enough for getting in but not above average or within the middle 50 percent range.
- A 1460 SAT score meets the SAT score requirements for many scholarships.
The bottom line: 1460 is a good SAT score that indicates that an applicant has learned the high school curriculum thoroughly and is well-prepared for college.
Let’s now answer some common questions about a 1460 SAT score.
Is 1460 a Good SAT Score for Ivy League Schools?
Just a few years ago, 1460 was within the middle 50 percent of SAT scores at Ivy League schools. However, in recent years, the middle 50 percent SAT score ranges at Ivy League schools have moved upward, mostly because of test-optional policies of Ivy League admissions. So, now 1460 is below the mid-50 range for all Ivy League schools but Dartmouth. Thus, while a few years ago 1460 would have been considered a good SAT score for Ivy League schools, it’s now an OK SAT score for Ivy League schools.
Can I Get Into Harvard With a 1460 SAT?
1460 is a high enough SAT score for getting into Harvard. That said, Harvard’s most recent middle 50 percent SAT score range was 1480 to 1580. So, 1460 is no longer within Harvard’s mid-50 range and thus is an OK but not great SAT score for getting into Harvard.
Can I Get Into MIT With a 1460 SAT?
The most recent middle 50 percent SAT score range at MIT is around 1520 to 1580. So, 1460 is below the mid-50 range at MIT. Thus, although you can get into MIT with a 1460 if your SAT Math score is over 700, 1460 is an OK but not great SAT score for MIT.
Can I Get Into Duke With a 1460 SAT?
Duke’s most recent middle 50 percent SAT score range was 1510 to 1570. So, 1460 is below Duke’s mid-50 SAT score range. Thus, while it’s possible to get into Duke with a 1460, 1460 is a below-average SAT score for Duke.
What’s Next?
If you want to increase your SAT Math score, you can get some ideas from our post on advanced SAT Math section techniques and our post on how to get an 800 on SAT Math.
If you’re having trouble getting yourself to prepare for the SAT, the ideas in our post on how to motivate yourself to study for the SAT could be just what you need.
