What SAT or ACT score do you need for LSU?

As of November 2026: LSU is test-optional for fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants with a weighted high school GPA of 3.5 or higher (below 3.5, an ACT or SAT score is required), and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1150 to 1330. On the ACT, that middle half scored 24 to 29.

LSU's test policy depends on your child's weighted GPA. Here is what enrolled first-years scored, how many sent each test, and what your family can do next.

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

Below a 3.5 weighted GPA, LSU requires a score. For fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants, LSU requires an ACT or SAT score from anyone whose cumulative, weighted high school GPA is lower than 3.5.

The SAT middle half at LSU is 1150 to 1330. Enrolled first-years in the fall 2023 class who sent an SAT had a middle half of 1150 to 1330, and those who sent an ACT had a middle half of 24 to 29.

Most LSU students sent the ACT: 86 percent. Among enrolled first-years at LSU, 86 percent sent an ACT and 14 percent sent an SAT, so the ACT is the more common test on campus.

Does LSU require the SAT or ACT?

LSU's test policy for fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants, in the university's own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	What is changing	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

Students with a weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher may still choose to send a score.

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

Scores, applicants and admits are for the fall 2023 class. Prices are yearly figures.

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

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test, not all admitted students.

Does LSU require the SAT or ACT?

LSU is test-optional for fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants only if their cumulative, weighted high school GPA is 3.5 or higher. In the university's own words, '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.' The rule takes effect for summer 2027 entry. That covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027.

Students at 3.5 or above may still choose to send a score. LSU also says all applicants will need a score by summer 2028. If your child is a high school junior in the 2026-27 school year and hopes to start college in fall 2028, we tell families to plan on a test score from the start.

Tonight, look at the weighted GPA on your child's latest transcript. If it is below 3.5, the test is part of the application, not a choice.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at LSU have?

The middle half of enrolled first-years at LSU who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1330. These are students in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers, and only those who chose to send an SAT are counted.

Some students who sent an SAT scored below 1150, and some scored above 1330. So 1150 is not a cutoff, and 1330 is not a ceiling. The band shows where the middle of the group landed, not who was admitted.

We tell families to treat 1150 as a floor to aim past and 1330 as a strong target. A student who reaches the top of the band has a score that sits well among the students who enrolled.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at LSU have?

The middle half of enrolled first-years at LSU who sent an ACT scored between 24 and 29. Like the SAT band, this comes from the fall 2023 class and counts only students who sent an ACT.

Our students often ask which band matters more. Both describe the same class, measured on different tests. The ACT band rests on far more scores at LSU, as the next section shows, but either test meets the requirement.

We tell families to treat 24 as a floor to aim past and 29 as a strong target. A score near the top of that range is one we are glad to see on an application.

How many LSU students send an SAT or ACT score?

Among enrolled first-years at LSU, 86 percent sent an ACT and 14 percent sent an SAT. Some students may have sent both, so each share describes one test on its own. At a selective test-optional college like this one, we tell families it is nearly always good to have a score: a strong one bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to a score.

This tells you the ACT is the more common test among LSU students. It does not tell you which test your child should take. LSU accepts either an ACT or SAT score.

Our rule is to pick the test that fits the student, not the one most classmates take. A full-length mock of each, taken in the same month, usually makes the choice clear.

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 ACT or SAT score from those applicants. In that case, the job is to make the score as strong as you can before the application goes in.

If the GPA is 3.5 or higher, sending is a choice, and our rule is simple. A score inside or above the band -- 1150 to 1330 on the SAT, 24 to 29 on the ACT -- is one to send. A score below the band is one to think hard about. We often suggest a planned retest first, then a decision.

Juniors should plan on sending a score either way, since LSU says all applicants will need one by summer 2028.

How hard is it to get into LSU?

LSU admitted 31,493 of its 42,558 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 74 percent. That rate covers the whole pool, so it says little about any one student.

We tell families to focus on the parts of the application they can still shape this year: grades in current classes and the test score. A score inside the band, paired with a steady transcript, puts your child in line with the students who enrolled.

What does it cost to apply to and attend LSU?

The LSU application fee is $50. The full price of a year at LSU is $34,705, and the average net price after aid is $19,151.

The full price is the sticker cost before any grants or scholarships. The average net price is what families paid on average once aid was taken off. Your own cost could be higher or lower.

LSU, like every US college, publishes a net price calculator. We suggest your family run it with your own income and savings before your child applies, so the cost is clear early.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, both free at Test Prep Gurus. Then compare each result with the LSU bands: 1150 to 1330 on the SAT and 24 to 29 on the ACT.

Pick the test that looks stronger and choose a test date that counts. Plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before that date. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section, because a full, steady score is the goal.

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

Questions parents ask

Does LSU require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
LSU is test-optional for fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants only if their cumulative, weighted high school GPA is 3.5 or higher.

What SAT score do LSU students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years at LSU who sent an SAT scored between 1150 and 1330.

What ACT score do LSU students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years at LSU who sent an ACT scored between 24 and 29.

Should my child send a score to LSU with a GPA of 3.5 or higher?
A score inside or above the band -- 1150 to 1330 on the SAT, 24 to 29 on the ACT -- is one to send.

Is LSU hard to get into?
LSU admitted 31,493 of its 42,558 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 74 percent.

How much does LSU cost?
The full price of a year at LSU is $34,705, and the average net price after aid is $19,151.

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 admissions page, and it names fall/summer 2027 first-year applicants. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file, so they do not show scores for students who did not send one. Applicant and admit counts are also for fall 2023. Prices come from the College Scorecard and are averages, so a given family's cost may differ.