As of October 2026. Every number below is sourced; the list is at the end.
As of October 2026, Johns Hopkins requires a score. Its own testing page says so: "Johns Hopkins University requires first-year applicants to submit SAT (Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections) or ACT (Math, Reading, and English sections) scores to be considered for admission." Among first-years who enrolled and did send one, the middle half scored 1530 to 1580 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT (IPEDS, 2023). That is the band.
Check the date on any "test-optional" you read
Hopkins was test-optional when the most recent federal data was collected, and plenty of pages still say so. Our own Reach page carries the federal label from 2023, which is the year the bands come from. The college's own admissions page is the one that governs this year, and it now requires a score.
That is the habit to build for every school on your student's list. The college's own admissions page is the only one that is current by definition.
Read the band correctly
Be careful with 1530 to 1580. That band describes enrolled first-years who submitted an SAT, not admitted students, and it is not a cutoff. Of enrolled first-years, 41% submitted an SAT and 14% submitted an ACT (IPEDS, 2023). Those shares are from a test-optional year, so the band describes the submitting part of the class.
Hopkins admitted 7.6% of 38,926 applicants (IPEDS, 2023). Enrolled first-years averaged a 3.93 unweighted GPA, as Hopkins publishes it (2024-25).
Look at those two numbers together. Grades are already pressed against the ceiling. A score is one of the few places left with room in it.
What to send, and by when
Hopkins superscores. If a student tests more than once and submits multiple scores, it considers the highest section scores across all test dates. It also asks students to report all available scores and says it will consider the most competitive testing profile.
On timing, Hopkins encourages Early Decision applicants to finish testing no later than October of senior year, and Regular Decision applicants no later than December of senior year. Count backward from the sitting, not from the deadline: the work goes in the weeks before.
Transfer applicants are not required to submit a score, which matters for a family thinking two years ahead.
If your student is under the band
A 1450 is a strong score. At Hopkins it sits under the middle half. Moving it takes 6 to 12 weeks of work, and it means preparing for the whole SAT or ACT every sitting, never one section at a time.
Here is what our own students average. Students who start above 1350 gain 120 points (1400 to 1520). Students who start at 1350 or below gain 190 (1210 to 1400). Among the students who start at 1350 or below, 63% gain 200 points or more. Published research puts a typical retest-with-prep gain near 30 SAT points (Briggs, 2009). The cohorts and the method are on our results page.
An average is not a promise, and your student may land above it or below it. But a single season of real work is the distance here.
On cost, Hopkins averages $18,809 a year for families receiving aid against a full price of $85,947, and its own promise makes tuition free for families earning up to $200,000 a year.
The move
This month, have your student sit one full-length practice SAT and one full-length practice ACT before choosing which exam to prepare for, because the better fit is usually obvious once both are on paper. Both mocks are free: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. Then block 6 to 12 weeks on the calendar, work the whole test, and pick a sitting that lands before the month Hopkins names for your student's plan. Or call 949.229.5359 and we will help you map it.
Questions parents ask
Is Johns Hopkins still test-optional?
No. Its own testing page says Johns Hopkins University requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered for admission. Pages that still say test-optional are describing an older policy.
What SAT score is high enough for Johns Hopkins?
Enrolled first-years who submitted an SAT scored 1530 to 1580 in the middle half (IPEDS 2023). That is a band to aim at, not a cutoff, and it describes the submitting part of the class.
When does my senior need to finish testing for Hopkins?
Hopkins encourages Early Decision applicants to finish testing no later than October of senior year, and Regular Decision applicants no later than December of senior year.
Written by Nick Standlea, founder of Test Prep Gurus. Updated October 2026.
Sources
- Reach, Johns Hopkins college data: https://highschoolreach.com/colleges/johns-hopkins-university.json
- Johns Hopkins Undergraduate Admissions, Standardized Testing: https://apply.jhu.edu/how-to-apply/application-deadlines-requirements/standardized-testing/
- Johns Hopkins Undergraduate Admissions, Application Deadlines and Requirements: https://apply.jhu.edu/how-to-apply/application-deadlines-requirements/
- Reach, Test Prep Gurus score-improvement results: https://highschoolreach.com/test-prep-results