Does NC State require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: NC State is test-optional for applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above and requires a score below that line, under the UNC System policy for fall 2026 and beyond; this is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1300 to 1460.

NC State's test rule turns on your child's weighted GPA. Here is the policy, the score bands, and what we tell families to do this month.

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

Test-optional at a 2.8 weighted GPA or above NC State reads a score if one is sent from applicants at or above a 2.8 weighted GPA. Below that line, a score is required, with a floor of 930 on the SAT or 17 on the ACT.

The SAT middle half runs 1300 to 1460 Among enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023, the middle half scored 1300 to 1460. On the ACT, the middle half scored 28 to 32.

39.8 percent of applicants got in In fall 2023, NC State had 40,049 applicants and admitted 15,940, an admit rate of 39.8 percent.

Does NC State require the SAT or ACT?

This is NC State's published policy as of November 2026, in its own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	Required	current policy as published; follows UNC System Policy 700.1.1 (fall 2026 and beyond)	As a part of the UNC System, NC State is test optional for applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above.	Source

Optional at or above a 2.8 weighted GPA; required below it, with a floor of 930 SAT or 17 ACT.

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

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	40049
admits, fall 2023	15940
admit rate, percent	39.8
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1300
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1460
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	28
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	21
share who sent an ACT, percent	28
application fee, dollars	85
full price of a year, dollars	26425
average net price after aid, dollars	17303

Bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test, fall 2023. Prices are from the College Scorecard.

Does NC State require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

NC State is test-optional for applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above, and it requires a score from applicants below that line. This is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. NC State follows the UNC System policy, which covers fall 2026 and beyond.

Parents often ask us if NC State is test-optional. Yes, NC State is test-optional for applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above. NC State requires a score only from applicants with a weighted GPA below 2.8. For those applicants, the floor is 930 on the SAT or 17 on the ACT.

This is the rule for high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. It is also the rule today for juniors planning ahead. For more on the scores students bring, see our companion page, What SAT or ACT score do you need for NC State? at https://www.prepgurus.com/blog/sat-act-score-for-nc-state.

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

NC State lists its current rule with no end date, so the 2.8 weighted GPA line is the one to plan around today. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring. We do not guess at a rule that NC State has not stated.

Because the rule turns on weighted GPA, look at your child's weighted GPA on the transcript now. If it sits near 2.8, plan for a test. Bookmark NC State's first-year admissions page, and reread it in the spring and again before your child applies.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1300 to 1460. On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored 28 to 32. These figures come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers.

These bands describe students who enrolled and chose to send a score. They are not a line your child must clear. Not every student sent one: 21 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT, and 28 percent sent an ACT.

In fall 2023, NC State had 40,049 applicants and admitted 15,940, an admit rate of 39.8 percent. The 930 SAT and 17 ACT floor applies only below a 2.8 weighted GPA. It is a minimum for that group, not a picture of who enrolls.

Should my child send a score to NC State?

If your child has a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above and an SAT of 1300 or higher, or an ACT of 28 or higher, we tell families to send it. At a selective test-optional college like NC State, we tell families 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.

Our rule is simple. A score inside or above the band is one to send. A score below 1300 on the SAT or 28 on the ACT is one to think hard about. Below a 2.8 weighted GPA, every applicant sends one, so the question is only how strong.

Cost matters too. The full price of a year is $26,425, and the average net price after aid is $17,303. The application fee is $85. NC State publishes a net price calculator, and we tell families to run it with their own tax numbers.

What should we do this month?

Start with a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, both free at Test Prep Gurus. Compare each result with the 1300 to 1460 SAT band and the 28 to 32 ACT band. Then pick the test where your child is closer to or above the band.

Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section. That way, each sitting gives your child a real shot at a score to send.

To book the free mock SAT or free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will help you read the results and build a plan that fits your child.

Questions parents ask

Is NC State test-optional?
Yes, NC State is test-optional for applicants with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above.

Who has to send an SAT or ACT score to NC State?
NC State requires a score only from applicants with a weighted GPA below 2.8.

What SAT scores do NC State students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1300 to 1460.

Could NC State's test policy change before fall 2027?
Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring.

Should my child send a score to NC State?
At a selective test-optional college like NC State, we tell families 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.

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 NC State's own statement on its first-year admissions page, which names the UNC System policy for fall 2026 and beyond. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, and say nothing about students who did not send a score. Applicant, admit and score figures come from IPEDS, and prices come from the College Scorecard.