What SAT or ACT score do you need for Texas A&M?

As of November 2026: Texas A&M is test-optional for fall 2026 first-year applicants, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1140 and 1380. On the ACT, the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent a score scored between 25 and 31.

Texas A&M does not require a score. Here are the SAT and ACT bands, who sends a score, the costs, the deadline and what to do this month.

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

A score is optional at Texas A&M, and the SAT band is 1140 to 1380. Texas A&M does not require a score from fall 2026 first-year applicants. Among enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, the middle half scored between 1140 and 1380. On the ACT, the middle half scored between 25 and 31.

80 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT. Even with no score required, 80 percent of enrolled first-years in fall 2023 sent an SAT, and 20 percent sent an ACT. Sending a score is common among the students who enroll.

The regular deadline is December 1, 2026. High school seniors who start college in fall 2027 can apply from Aug. 1, 2026, to Dec. 1, 2026. A test date that counts needs to come early enough to have a score ready before then.

Does Texas A&M require the SAT or ACT?

The test policy as Texas A&M states it, with the term it names.

Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
Test-optional	fall 2026 first-year applicants	You can also choose to submit official test scores, a resume and up to two letters of recommendation.	Source

Test-optional means a family may send a score or apply without one.

Texas A&M: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

Score bands describe enrolled first-years in fall 2023 who sent that test. Prices are for a year of attendance.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	50832
admits, fall 2023	32126
admit rate, percent	63.2
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1140
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1380
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	25
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	31
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	80
share who sent an ACT, percent	20
application fee, dollars	75
full price of a year, dollars	32696
average net price after aid, dollars	21315

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent a score sits inside each band. A quarter scored below it.

When are the Texas A&M deadlines for fall 2027 entry?

The application dates Texas A&M lists for students who start college in fall 2027.

Regular deadline	In the college's words	Source
2026-12-01	Aug. 1, 2026 - Dec. 1, 2026	Source

No early decision, early action or priority date is listed.

Does Texas A&M require the SAT or ACT?

No, Texas A&M does not require an SAT or ACT score from fall 2026 first-year applicants. The Texas A&M admissions page lists official test scores as something an applicant can choose to submit, not something an applicant must submit.

That is what test-optional means here. Your child may send an SAT or ACT score, or apply with no score at all. Both paths are open.

We tell families to treat this as a choice to make on purpose, not as a reason to skip the test. The rest of this page will help you make that choice with real numbers in hand.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at Texas A&M carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT to Texas A&M scored between 1140 and 1380. These are students who enrolled in fall 2023 and chose to send an SAT. A quarter of them scored below 1140, and a quarter scored above 1380.

This band is not a cutoff. It is a picture of the students who sent a score and then enrolled. It does not show the lowest score that got in, and it does not describe students who applied without a score.

We use the band as a yardstick. When our students take a practice SAT, we start by setting the result next to this range. That tells us right away whether the score is one to send or one to keep working on.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at Texas A&M carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT to Texas A&M scored between 25 and 31. As with the SAT, a quarter of these students scored below 25, and a quarter scored above 31. The band covers fall 2023 enrollees who chose to send an ACT.

The SAT and the ACT feel different to many students. Some do better with one, and some do better with the other. The only way to know which fits your child is to try each one under real timing.

Once you know which test fits, put all of your prep into that one. A strong score on the test that suits your child does more good than an average score on both.

How many Texas A&M first-years send a score?

In fall 2023, 80 percent of enrolled first-years at Texas A&M sent an SAT, and 20 percent sent an ACT. Each share stands on its own, so we read them one at a time.

The plain takeaway is that sending a score is common among the students who enroll, even though no score is required. A family that skips the test is choosing a path that most enrolled first-years did not take.

Because the SAT is the more common choice, the SAT band rests on more students. Both bands are still useful. Use the one that matches the test your child plans to send.

Should my child send a score to Texas A&M?

If your child has an SAT score of 1140 or higher, or an ACT score of 25 or higher, we tell families to send it. That score sits inside or above the band, and it is one to send.

A score below the band at a test-optional college like Texas A&M is one to think hard about. Thinking hard does not mean giving up. It means weighing the score against the rest of the application, and asking whether more prep could move it into range before the deadline.

At a selective test-optional college like Texas A&M, 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. So our rule is simple. Inside or above the band, send it. Below the band, think hard, and plan the prep that could change the answer.

How hard is it to get into Texas A&M?

Texas A&M admitted 63.2 percent of applicants in fall 2023. That year, 50,832 students applied and 32,126 were admitted.

Those numbers cover everyone who applied, with a score or without one. They do not tell you the odds for any one student, and we would not read them that way.

What a family can control is the strength of the application. Of all the pieces, a test score is one that steady prep can move in a short time. That is why we put the score near the top of the list for our students.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Texas A&M?

The application fee at Texas A&M is $75. The full price of a year is $32,696, and the average net price after aid is $21,315.

The net price is an average. Your own number may be higher or lower, depending on your income and the aid your child is offered.

Texas A&M publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must. We tell families to run it early, with real tax figures at hand, so the cost question is clear before the deadline. Since most merit scholarships are keyed to a score, a strong score can matter for cost as well as for admission.

When are the Texas A&M deadlines?

The regular deadline for Texas A&M is December 1, 2026, for students who start college in fall 2027. The application window runs from Aug. 1, 2026, to Dec. 1, 2026.

This is the deadline for high school seniors in the school year that runs from fall 2026 to spring 2027. No early decision, early action or priority date is listed.

Plan backward from December 1. A test date that counts should fall early enough that the score is ready to send before the deadline. If your child still needs prep, pick that test date now, not later.

What should we do this month?

Start with a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT from Test Prep Gurus, then set each result next to the Texas A&M bands of 1140 to 1380 on the SAT and 25 to 31 on the ACT. Each mock is a full-length test under real timing, so the result tells you something true.

You can call us at 949.229.5359 or sign up at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and help you pick the test that fits your child.

Then plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just one section. If the mock lands inside or above the band, prep can push it higher. If it lands below, prep is how a score moves into range before December 1.

Questions parents ask

Does Texas A&M require an SAT or ACT score?
No, Texas A&M does not require an SAT or ACT score from fall 2026 first-year applicants.

What SAT score do Texas A&M first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT to Texas A&M scored between 1140 and 1380.

What ACT score do Texas A&M first-years have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT to Texas A&M scored between 25 and 31.

What if my child's score is below the Texas A&M band?
A score below the band at a test-optional college like Texas A&M is one to think hard about.

When is the Texas A&M application deadline?
The regular deadline for Texas A&M is December 1, 2026, for students who start college in fall 2027.

How much does it cost to apply to Texas A&M?
The application fee at Texas A&M is $75.

Method and sources: The test policy comes from Texas A&M's own admissions page, which names fall 2026 first-year applicants. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal data, and they say nothing about students who applied without a score. Applicant and admit counts are from the same fall 2023 federal data, and the full price and average net price come from the College Scorecard.