What SAT or ACT score do you need for Minnesota?

As of November 2026: Minnesota is test-optional for freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1310 to 1480. On the ACT, that middle half scored 27 to 31.

The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities does not require a score, but a score inside its band is one we would send. Here is what the numbers say and what to do next.

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

Minnesota is test-optional through the fall 2029 term. Freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term are not required to send an ACT or SAT score. If your child does send one, it is read as part of the application.

The SAT middle half runs from 1310 to 1480. That is the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023. On the ACT, the same middle half scored 27 to 31.

The ACT is the more common score at Minnesota. In fall 2023, 34 percent of enrolled first-years sent an ACT, while 8 percent sent an SAT.

Does Minnesota require the SAT or ACT?

Here is Minnesota's test policy as its own admissions page states it.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	Test-optional	freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term (per the dedicated ACT/SAT policy page); a separate freshman checklist page on the same site states 'through fall 2027'	Freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term are not required to submit an ACT or SAT test score.	Source

Test-optional means a score is read if one is sent, and no score is required.

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

These figures describe the fall 2023 class. Prices are for a full year.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	39,863
admits, fall 2023	30,695
admit rate, percent	77
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,310
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1,480
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	27
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	31
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	8
share who sent an ACT, percent	34
application fee, dollars	55
full price of a year, dollars	30,061
average net price after aid, dollars	16,778

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal data.

Does Minnesota require the SAT or ACT?

No, Minnesota does not require the SAT or ACT for freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term. The university's ACT and SAT page puts it plainly: 'Freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term are not required to submit an ACT or SAT test score.' Test-optional means a score is read if your child sends one, and no score is required.

There is one detail to know. A separate freshman checklist page on the same site says 'through fall 2027.' For high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, both pages agree. For younger students, we tell families to check the ACT and SAT page again in the summer before senior year.

On the application, your child marks whether a submitted score should be considered. Minnesota states that this choice is final once submitted. Minnesota states that scholarship and Honors program eligibility are unaffected by whether a score is sent.

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

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1310 and 1480. These are students in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal numbers. A quarter of those submitters scored below 1310.

Keep in mind who these students are. They enrolled at Minnesota, and they chose to send an SAT. The band is not a minimum, and it tells you nothing about students who sent no score.

We tell families to read the band as a picture of the middle of the room. A score inside it fits right in with the students who sent one. A score above 1480 sits above the middle half of submitters.

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

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored between 27 and 31. This is the same fall 2023 class. The ACT band rests on more students than the SAT band, since far more enrolled first-years sent an ACT.

If your child is choosing between the tests, we have them take a full-length practice test of each and compare. Use the ACT band of 27 to 31 and the SAT band of 1310 to 1480 as the yardsticks. Whichever test puts your child higher in its band is the one we would prepare for.

How many Minnesota students send a score?

Among enrolled first-years in fall 2023, 34 percent sent an ACT and 8 percent sent an SAT. These shares come from the same class as the score bands. 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.

The takeaway for parents is simple. The ACT is the more common score among Minnesota students who send one. That does not make the SAT a weaker choice. Minnesota accepts either test, so your child should pick the one that fits them best.

Should my child send a score to Minnesota?

Yes, if your child has an SAT of 1310 or higher or an ACT of 27 or higher, because our rule is that a score inside or above the band is one to send. A score below the band is one to think hard about. Minnesota is test-optional, so leaving a score off is allowed.

When a score is below the band, we tell families to look at whether it matches the rest of the record. If there is still time before the deadline, we would rather see your child prepare and retest than send a number they are not proud of.

Make the call before your child submits. Minnesota states that this choice is final once submitted, so there is no changing your mind later. A strong score gives your child the option to send it, and that option only exists if the score does.

How hard is it to get into Minnesota?

Minnesota admitted 77 percent of applicants for fall 2023. That fall, 39,863 students applied and 30,695 were admitted.

Most applicants got in, but not all of them did. A strong application still matters. A solid test score is one piece your family can work on at home, on your own schedule.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Minnesota?

The application fee at Minnesota is $55. The full price of a year is $30,061, and the average net price after aid is $16,778.

An average is just that. Your family's price could be higher or lower. Minnesota publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must, and we tell families to run it with their own numbers before senior fall.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus. Then compare each result with Minnesota's bands: 1310 to 1480 on the SAT and 27 to 31 on the ACT. Pick the test where your child lands higher in the band.

Next, plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Our students prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the section that felt hardest last time.

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

Questions parents ask

Does Minnesota require an SAT or ACT score?
No, Minnesota does not require the SAT or ACT for freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term.

What SAT score do students at Minnesota have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored between 1310 and 1480.

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

Should my child send a score to Minnesota?
Yes, if your child has an SAT of 1310 or higher or an ACT of 27 or higher, because our rule is that a score inside or above the band is one to send.

Will skipping a score change my child's scholarship or Honors chances at Minnesota?
Minnesota states that scholarship and Honors program eligibility are unaffected by whether a score is sent.

How many applicants does Minnesota admit?
Minnesota admitted 77 percent of applicants for fall 2023.

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 test policy comes from Minnesota's own ACT and SAT admissions page, which names freshman applicants through the fall 2029 term. The score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal data, and say nothing about students who sent no score. Prices come from the College Scorecard, and the net price is an average after aid that will differ from family to family.