Does LSU require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: LSU is test-optional for fall 2027 only for first-year applicants with a cumulative, weighted high school GPA of 3.5 or higher, and anyone below 3.5 must send an SAT or ACT score; this is LSU's published policy for fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1330.

A weighted GPA of 3.5 decides whether your child must send a score to LSU for fall 2027. Here is the rule, the score bands, and what we would do this month.

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

A 3.5 weighted GPA decides the rule LSU requires an SAT or ACT score from any fall 2027 first-year applicant whose cumulative, weighted high school GPA is lower than 3.5. At 3.5 or above, a score is optional.

The ACT is the common test at LSU Among enrolled first-years in the fall 2023 class, 86 percent sent an ACT and 14 percent sent an SAT.

The SAT band runs 1150 to 1330 The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1330, and on the ACT the band is 24 to 29.

Does LSU require the SAT or ACT?

LSU's published test policy for students who start college in summer or fall 2027.

College	Policy	Applies to	What changes	In LSU's words	Source
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	Test-optional	fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants	ACT/SAT requirement reinstated for applicants with weighted HS GPA below 3.5, effective for summer 2027 entry; all applicants will need a score by summer 2028	Any first-year applicant whose cumulative, weighted high school GPA is lower than 3.5 is required to submit either an ACT or SAT score	Source

Published policy as of November 2026.

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

Bands describe enrolled first-years in the fall 2023 class who sent that test.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	42,558
admits, fall 2023	31,493
admit rate, percent	74
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,150
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,330
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	24
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	29
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	14
share who sent an ACT, percent	86
application fee, dollars	50
full price of a year, dollars	34,705
average net price after aid, dollars	19,151

Fall 2023 class, the latest federal file. Prices from the College Scorecard.

Does LSU require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

LSU is test-optional for fall 2027 only for first-year applicants with a cumulative, weighted high school GPA of 3.5 or higher; anyone below 3.5 must send an SAT or ACT score. This is the published policy as of November 2026, and it covers fall and summer 2027 first-year applicants. That means high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

LSU's own words are plain: "Any first-year applicant whose cumulative, weighted high school GPA is lower than 3.5 is required to submit either an ACT or SAT score." Students at 3.5 or above may still choose to send a score. We tell families to look at the weighted GPA on the transcript first, since that number decides which rule applies.

For the scores that go with this policy, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for LSU?, at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-lsu.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Yes -- LSU has published that all applicants will need an ACT or SAT score by summer 2028. For seniors applying now, the 3.5 GPA rule is the one in force. LSU has not posted any other change for fall 2027, and colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring.

If your child is a junior in the 2026-27 school year, we would plan as if a score is required. Our students on that path start testing in the junior year, so a strong score is ready before senior fall. We also tell families to check the LSU admissions page again each spring.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1330, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 24 and 29. These bands come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file. They describe only students who enrolled and sent a score. A quarter of those students scored below the band, and a quarter scored above it.

The ACT is the common test here. Among enrolled first-years, 86 percent sent an ACT and 14 percent sent an SAT. LSU's rule names either test, so we tell families to pick the test that fits their child, not the one their friends take.

LSU admitted 31,493 of its 42,558 applicants in fall 2023, an admit rate of 74 percent.

Should my child send a score to LSU?

If your child's weighted GPA is below 3.5, the answer is yes, because LSU requires an SAT or ACT score from every first-year applicant under that line. For those students, every applicant sends one, so the only question is how strong it is.

At 3.5 or above, sending is your child's choice. Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below the band is one to think hard about. An SAT from 1150 to 1330 or an ACT from 24 to 29 sits inside the band.

We tell families it is nearly always good to have a score in hand, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one. The full price of a year at LSU is $34,705, and the average net price after aid is $19,151. LSU publishes a net price calculator, and we tell families to run it with their own numbers. The application fee is $50.

What should we do this month?

Book a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT with Test Prep Gurus this month, then compare each result with the LSU bands of 1150 to 1330 and 24 to 29.

Pick the test where your child landed closer to the top of the band, and plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not one section at a time.

To set up both mock tests, call us at 949.229.5359 or go to https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. If your child's weighted GPA is near 3.5, start now, since a score may be required.

Questions parents ask

Is LSU test-optional for fall 2027?
LSU is test-optional for fall 2027 only for first-year applicants with a cumulative, weighted high school GPA of 3.5 or higher; anyone below 3.5 must send an SAT or ACT score.

Does LSU require a score if my child's weighted GPA is below 3.5?
If your child's weighted GPA is below 3.5, the answer is yes, because LSU requires an SAT or ACT score from every first-year applicant under that line.

Will LSU require a score from every applicant later on?
Yes -- LSU has published that all applicants will need an ACT or SAT score by summer 2028.

What SAT and ACT scores do LSU first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1330, and the middle half who sent an ACT scored between 24 and 29.

Should we send a score if my child's GPA is 3.5 or higher?
Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send, and a score below the band is one to think hard about.

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 LSU's own published rule for fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants, as shown on its admissions page in November 2026. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years in the fall 2023 class who sent that test, the latest federal file, so they say nothing about students who did not send a score. Applicant, admit and band figures come from IPEDS, and prices come from the College Scorecard.