As of October 2026. Every number below is sourced; the list is at the end.
As of October 2026, Georgia Tech requires a score. Its own admissions page says so: "All first-year applicants must submit results from at least one SAT and/or ACT in order to be considered for admission." Among enrolled first-years who sent one, the middle half scored 1330 to 1530 on the SAT and 28 to 34 on the ACT (IPEDS, 2023).
There is no test-optional path here
Georgia does not hand every family the same rule. We checked 9 Georgia public universities. Of those, 7 require a score and 2 are test-optional. Georgia Tech is one of the 7, and it has required one straight through.
Tech names the Classic Learning Test too, but not as a swap. Its page says the CLT "does not replace the SAT and/or ACT requirement but will be reviewed as additional information to support your application."
Read the band correctly
Be careful with 1330 to 1530. That band describes enrolled first-years who sent an SAT. It is not the score of admitted students. It is not a cutoff either. Of the enrolled class, 77% sent an SAT and 35% sent an ACT (IPEDS, 2023). Some sent both.
Now put the band next to the rest of the file. Georgia Tech admitted 16.5% of 52,377 applicants (IPEDS, 2023). Enrolled first-years averaged a 4.14 weighted GPA (Common Data Set 2024-25).
That is about one admit in six, with grades already above a 4.0. The score is one of the few lines a family can still move.
Which test, and what Tech counts
A score is required, so the real question is which exam and how high. Two details on Tech's own page change the math on the ACT. It uses the "Highest section score on English, Math, and Reading." It does not use the Science or Writing section. It also asks for self-reporting: "We highly recommend that you self-report your SAT and/or ACT scores."
So pick the exam that fits your student. Then prepare for the whole SAT or ACT every sitting, never one section at a time.
If your student is at 1200
A 1200 is a solid score. It is also 130 points under the band. Moving it takes 6 to 12 weeks of work.
Here is what our own students average, from our published results. On the SAT, students who start at 1350 or below gain 190 points (1210 to 1400). On the ACT, students who start at 27 or below gain 5.7 points (22 to 28). Among the SAT students who start at 1350 or below, 63% gain 200 points or more. Research puts a typical retest gain with prep near 30 SAT points and 1.4 ACT points (Briggs, 2009; Schiel and Valiga, 2014).
An average is not a promise. Your student may land above it or below it. But a 1200 reaching Tech's band in one season is ordinary work.
One more number for the planning side. Georgia Tech runs about $12,116 a year with aid and $28,167 a year at full price for in-state students (IPEDS). Its bands, policy and cost sit on its Reach page.
The move
This month, have your student sit one full practice SAT and one full practice ACT before picking an exam. The better fit is usually clear once both are on paper. Then block 6 to 12 weeks and work the whole test. Both mocks are free: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step, or call 949.229.5359 and we will set up a strategy call.
Questions parents ask
Is Georgia Tech test-optional?
No. Its own admissions page says all first-year applicants must submit results from at least one SAT and/or ACT in order to be considered for admission.
What SAT score is high enough for Georgia Tech?
Among enrolled first-years who sent one, the middle half scored 1330 to 1530 on the SAT and 28 to 34 on the ACT (IPEDS, 2023). That band is not a cutoff, and Georgia Tech admitted 16.5% of 52,377 applicants.
Does Georgia Tech use the ACT science section?
No. Its page uses the highest section score on English, Math, and Reading, and it does not use the Science or Writing section.
Written by Nick Standlea, founder of Test Prep Gurus. Updated October 2026.