Does Baylor require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: No. Baylor is test-optional for the 2027-2028 application process, the term its admissions page names, and that is the published policy as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1210 to 1400.

Baylor is test-optional. Here is what the score bands say, who sends a score, and what we tell families to do now.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1210 to 1400. That band describes enrolled first-years at Baylor who sent an SAT in fall 2023. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored 27 to 32.

Only 31 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT. Another 19 percent sent an ACT. Those shares are for the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers.

Baylor admitted 20,265 of 39,735 applicants. That is an admit rate of 51 percent for fall 2023. Baylor lists an application fee of $0.

Does Baylor require the SAT or ACT?

This is the rule Baylor publishes on its own admissions page, in its own words.

College	Policy	Term named	In the college's words	Source
Baylor University	optional	2027-2028 application process	Students are not required to submit standardized test scores for admission.	Source

Optional means a student may send a score or leave it off. This is the published policy as of November 2026.

Baylor: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

These numbers describe the fall 2023 class and current prices.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	39,735
admits, fall 2023	20,265
admit rate, percent	51
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,210
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,400
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	27
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	31
share who sent an ACT, percent	19
application fee, dollars	0
full price of a year, dollars	74,226
average net price after aid, dollars	41,104

Bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers. They are not cutoffs.

Does Baylor require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

No, Baylor does not require the SAT or ACT for admission. Its admissions page puts it plainly: 'Students are not required to submit standardized test scores for admission.' The page names the 2027-2028 application process, and that is the published policy as of November 2026.

We wrote this for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, and for juniors who are planning ahead. If that is your family, this is the rule Baylor publishes today, and it is the one we would plan around.

If you want the score side of the story in more depth, our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for Baylor?, walks through the bands at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-baylor.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Baylor's admissions page states its rule for the 2027-2028 application process, and that is the published policy as of November 2026.

No one can promise what a college will post next. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring, so that is the season to watch.

Our advice is to reread Baylor's admissions page in the spring and again right before your child applies. We also tell families to plan as if a score will help. If the rule stays the same, a strong score is there to send. If the rule changes, your child is already ready.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1210 to 1400. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored from 27 to 32. These numbers describe the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers, and they cover only students who chose to send that test.

The band is not a cutoff. It shows where the middle of the class landed. Some enrolled first-years who sent a score were below the band, and some were above it. A score near the top of the band sits with the stronger senders, and a score near the bottom sits at the low edge of the middle group.

Not every student sends a score. Of enrolled first-years, 31 percent sent an SAT and 19 percent sent an ACT. That year Baylor had 39,735 applicants and admitted 20,265, an admit rate of 51 percent.

Should my child send a score to Baylor?

Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the 1210 to 1400 SAT band, or the 27 to 32 ACT band, is one to send. Baylor is test-optional, so a student may send a score or leave it off. A score below the band is one to think hard about, so look at the rest of the application and decide as a family whether the score adds to it.

We tell families that at a selective test-optional college like Baylor it is nearly always good to have a score, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

Money matters here too. Baylor lists the full price of a year at $74,226 and the average net price after aid at $41,104. Baylor lists an application fee of $0. Baylor publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must, and we suggest running it at home with your own numbers.

What should we do this month?

Start with a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT from Test Prep Gurus, each taken full-length, then compare the results with the 1210 to 1400 SAT band and the 27 to 32 ACT band.

Pick the test where your child looks stronger, and stick with it. We have our students plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. We also have them prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the part that feels weakest, since a gain in one part can slip if another part is left alone.

To book the free mock SAT and free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. Bring the results to the call, and we will help you read them against the Baylor bands and set a plan that fits your child's calendar.

Questions parents ask

Does Baylor require the SAT or ACT?
No, Baylor does not require the SAT or ACT for admission.

Is Baylor test-optional?
Baylor is test-optional, so a student may send a score or leave it off.

What SAT scores do enrolled Baylor first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored from 1210 to 1400.

Should my child send an SAT or ACT score to Baylor?
Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the 1210 to 1400 SAT band, or the 27 to 32 ACT band, is one to send.

Does Baylor charge an application fee?
Baylor lists an application fee of $0.

Ready to plan the next test date? Free mock SAT and free mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus, then a plan built on the result: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or 949.229.5359.

Method and sources: The policy is taken from Baylor's own admissions page, which names the 2027-2028 application process, and it is the published policy as of November 2026. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, and they leave out students who sent no score. Applicant, admit and score-share figures come from IPEDS, and prices come from the College Scorecard.