Colleges for a 1450 SAT Score
A 1450 SAT score falls around the 96th–97th percentile nationally. We found 1000 colleges that match this score — including 797 safety, 97 match, and 106 reach schools.
1450
SAT Score
96th–97th
Percentile
797
Safety
97
Match
106
Reach
What Does a 1450 SAT Score Mean?
A 1450 SAT score puts you in rarefied company—the top 3–4% of all SAT test-takers nationally. This score makes you a strong applicant at virtually every university in the country, including the Ivy League and equivalent institutions.
Scoring 1450 places you in the 96th to 97th percentile. At this level, your SAT score alone is unlikely to be the deciding factor in admissions—extracurricular distinction, essay quality, and demonstrated intellectual curiosity become the primary differentiators. Many admissions officers consider 1450+ as effectively equivalent to higher scores.
Recommended Colleges for 1450 SAT
Safety Schools(797 schools)
| College | Avg SAT | Accept Rate | Category | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester, NH | — | 96% | Safety | 95% |
| Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZ | — | 90% | Safety | 95% |
| Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA | — | 99% | Safety | 95% |
| Brigham Young University-IdahoRexburg, ID | — | 97% | Safety | 95% |
| University of ArizonaTucson, AZ | — | 86% | Safety | 95% |
| California State University-FullertonFullerton, CA | — | 87% | Safety | 95% |
| Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX | — | 89% | Safety | 95% |
| California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, CA | — | 93% | Safety | 95% |
| The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX | — | 88% | Safety | 95% |
| University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, OH | — | 88% | Safety | 95% |
| California State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA | — | 94% | Safety | 95% |
| George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA | — | 89% | Safety | 95% |
+ 785 more schools. Use the calculator below for the full list.
Match Schools(97 schools)
| College | Avg SAT | Accept Rate | Category | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| Ithaca CollegeIthaca, NY | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| University at AlbanyAlbany, NY | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| Arkansas State UniversityJonesboro, AR | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| University of South Carolina-UpstateSpartanburg, SC | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| University of HoustonHouston, TX | — | 70% | Match | 70% |
| University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY | — | 69% | Match | 69% |
| Brigham Young UniversityProvo, UT | — | 69% | Match | 69% |
| Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA | — | 69% | Match | 69% |
| Farmingdale State CollegeFarmingdale, NY | — | 69% | Match | 69% |
| University of Michigan-FlintFlint, MI | — | 69% | Match | 69% |
+ 85 more schools. Use the calculator below for the full list.
Reach Schools(106 schools)
| College | Avg SAT | Accept Rate | Category | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berklee College of MusicBoston, MA | — | 50% | Reach | 35% |
| Southern University and A & M CollegeBaton Rouge, LA | — | 50% | Reach | 35% |
| Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA | — | 50% | Reach | 35% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA | — | 50% | Reach | 35% |
| University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, GA | — | 49% | Reach | 34% |
| Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY | — | 49% | Reach | 34% |
| Providence CollegeProvidence, RI | — | 49% | Reach | 34% |
| University of La VerneLa Verne, CA | — | 48% | Reach | 33% |
| Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA | — | 48% | Reach | 33% |
| Hampton UniversityHampton, VA | — | 48% | Reach | 33% |
| Emerson CollegeBoston, MA | — | 47% | Reach | 32% |
| American UniversityWashington, DC | — | 47% | Reach | 32% |
+ 94 more schools. Use the calculator below for the full list.
Personalize Your Results
The table above uses a neutral 3.0 GPA baseline. Enter your actual GPA and preferences below for more accurate results.
Estimate Your Admission Chance
How to Build Your College List With a 1450 SAT
With a 1450, the most selective universities become realistic targets. Your match list might include Cornell, Rice, Vanderbilt, and Northwestern. Reach schools include MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, where average SATs are 1520+. Include 2–3 well-regarded "likely" schools (like Macalester, Kenyon, or Grinnell) to guarantee options with possible full-ride merit scholarships.
Tips to Maximize Your 1450+ SAT Score
- 1At this level, marginal gains come from eliminating careless errors rather than learning new content
- 2Take at least 5 full-length official practice tests under strict timed conditions before test day
- 3Develop a personal strategy for the last 5 minutes of each section: review flagged questions systematically
- 4Study the most unusual SAT question formats that appear only once or twice per test
- 5Sleep well the week before the test—research shows that rest impacts performance as much as last-minute cramming
If you're targeting the absolute highest-tier schools, pushing toward 1500+ can slightly improve your odds, but investing time in essay quality and extracurricular depth may yield higher returns.
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Results use a neutral 3.0 GPA baseline so SAT is the primary factor shown. Enter your actual GPA in the calculator above for personalized results. Data sourced from College Scorecard (NCES). Acceptance rates are based on the most recent publicly available data.