What SAT or ACT score do you need for Florida State?

As of November 2026: Florida State requires the SAT or ACT for its current freshman admission cycle, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1240 to 1390 (fall 2023). On the ACT, the middle half of submitters scored 27 to 31.

Florida State requires a test score. Here is the band enrolled first-years carried, how many sent each test, the odds, the cost and the deadlines.

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

Florida State requires a test score. In the university's own words, "At least one test score must be submitted before the material deadline" for the current freshman admission cycle. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1240 to 1390.

The ACT band runs from 27 to 31. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 27 to 31. In the fall 2023 class, 66 percent sent an SAT and 32 percent sent an ACT.

Florida State admitted 25.4 percent of applicants. For fall 2023, 74,038 students applied and 18,806 were admitted. The average net price after aid was $11,297 a year, and the full price of a year was $25,720.

Does Florida State require the SAT or ACT?

Florida State's test policy, in the university's own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Exception	Source
Florida State University	Required	current freshman admission cycle	At least one test score must be submitted before the material deadline	Exception: FTIC students earning a simultaneous HS diploma + Associate in Arts degree (admitted under BOG Reg 6.005) are not required to submit ACT/CLT/SAT, but are then ineligible for first-year merit scholarships.	Source

Required means a score must be sent.

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

Scores, odds and prices for Florida State.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	74038
admits, fall 2023	18806
admit rate, percent	25.4
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1240
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1390
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	27
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	31
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	66
share who sent an ACT, percent	32
application fee, dollars	30
full price of a year, dollars	25720
average net price after aid, dollars	11297

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

Florida State deadlines for fall 2027 entry

Application deadlines from the university's own page.

Early decision	Early action	Regular decision	In the university's words	Source
2026-10-15	2026-10-15	2026-12-01	Early Decision ... Application Deadline: October 15 ... Early Action ... Application Deadline: October 15 ... Regular Decision ... Application Deadline: December 1	Source

Dates not listed by the university are left out.

Does Florida State require the SAT or ACT?

Yes -- Florida State requires the SAT or ACT for its current freshman admission cycle. The university's admissions page puts it plainly: "At least one test score must be submitted before the material deadline." For families applying now, a score is part of the application, not an extra.

The same page lists an exception. Students who are earning a high school diploma and an Associate in Arts degree at the same time do not have to submit an ACT, CLT or SAT score. Those students are then not eligible for first-year merit scholarships.

If your child is on that path, we tell families to weigh that trade before skipping the test. A good score keeps scholarship doors open.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at Florida State carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1390. These numbers come from the fall 2023 class, the most recent year with federal figures. They describe students who enrolled and sent an SAT, not every student who was admitted.

A quarter of those students scored below 1240, and a quarter scored above 1390. So 1240 is not a cutoff. It is the low end of the range where the middle half of submitters landed.

We read the band as a target. An SAT at 1390 or higher puts your child among the top quarter of submitters. A score near 1240 sits inside the band but on the low side, and we would plan a retake if the calendar allows.

What ACT score do Florida State first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 27 and 31. A quarter scored below 27, and a quarter scored above 31. Like the SAT band, these are fall 2023 numbers for students who enrolled and sent that test.

Our rule is to pick the test that fits your child, not the test most classmates take. Many students score better on the SAT. Many others do better on the ACT. The way to find out is to sit a full-length practice test of each and line the results up against the bands on this page.

How many Florida State first-years send an SAT or ACT score?

In the fall 2023 class, 66 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 32 percent sent an ACT. The SAT was the more common choice among students who enrolled.

That does not make the SAT the right test for your child. A share tells you what other families chose. It does not tell you which test will give your child the higher score.

Because Florida State requires a score, the question for your family is not whether to send one. It is which test to send and how strong to make it. Our students do best when they choose early and prepare for that test fully.

Should my child send a score to Florida State?

Every Florida State applicant in the current freshman cycle must send a score, so the real question is whether today's score is the right one to send.

Our rule is simple. A score inside or above the band -- 1240 to 1390 on the SAT, or 27 to 31 on the ACT -- is a score to send with confidence. A score below the band still has to be sent, so we tell families to think hard about testing again before the material deadline.

At a test-optional college, a low score can stay home. At Florida State it cannot, which is why the timing of your child's last test matters so much. And if your child is earning an Associate in Arts degree along with the diploma, remember that skipping the test also means giving up first-year merit scholarships.

How hard is it to get into Florida State?

Florida State admitted 25.4 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That year 74,038 students applied and 18,806 were admitted.

That is a selective college by any measure. We tell families to build a balanced list. Apply to Florida State if it is a fit, and also apply to colleges where your child's scores sit well above the band.

We cannot promise any outcome, and neither can a test score. What we can do is help your child send the strongest score they can reach before the deadline.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Florida State?

The application fee at Florida State is $30. The full price of a year is $25,720, and the average net price after aid is $11,297.

The full price is the sticker price before any help. The average net price is what families paid on average once grants and scholarships came off. Your own price could land above or below that average, depending on your income and any awards your child earns.

Florida State publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must. We tell families to run it early, before the college list is final, so cost never comes as a surprise in the spring.

When are the Florida State deadlines for fall 2027?

For fall 2027 entry, the regular decision deadline at Florida State is December 1, 2026. The early decision and early action deadlines were both October 15, 2026, so as of November 2026 those dates have passed.

These dates apply to high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027. A test score must be in before the material deadline, so we tell families to check that date on the university's site and work back from it. If your child plans to test again, choose a date that leaves time for the score to reach Florida State.

For students in younger grades, the calendar is kinder. Testing in the spring or summer of junior year leaves room for a retake.

What should we do this month?

Start this month with a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT, then compare each result with Florida State's bands: 1240 to 1390 on the SAT and 27 to 31 on the ACT. Both mock tests are free at Test Prep Gurus.

Choose the test where your child is closest 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 the weakest section, because every part adds to the final score.

Call us at 949.229.5359, or book your free mock SAT and free mock ACT at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and help you set a plan.

Questions parents ask

Does Florida State require the SAT or ACT?
Yes -- Florida State requires the SAT or ACT for its current freshman admission cycle.

What SAT score do Florida State students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1240 and 1390.

What ACT score do Florida State students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 27 and 31.

What is the acceptance rate at Florida State?
Florida State admitted 25.4 percent of applicants for fall 2023.

How much does Florida State cost?
The full price of a year is $25,720, and the average net price after aid is $11,297.

When is the Florida State application deadline?
For fall 2027 entry, the regular decision deadline at Florida State is December 1, 2026.

Method and sources: The test policy comes from Florida State's own admissions page and applies to the current freshman admission cycle. The SAT and ACT bands describe the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal data, and do not describe all admitted students. Applicant and admit counts are also from fall 2023, and prices come from the College Scorecard.