Columbia ACT: Average Scores, Ranges, and What You Need to Know

With an average composite score of 35 and a middle 50% range extending from 34 to 35, Columbia University maintains itself among the most selective institutions in the nation, making admission an extraordinarily competitive process. The school's acceptance rate of approximately 4% means that the vast majority of admitted students have achieved exceptionally high scores, and simply meeting or exceeding the average is no guarantee of acceptance at Columbia. These numbers reflect only the academic testing component of an extraordinarily selective applicant pool where thousands of highly qualified students are rejected each cycle.

A good ACT score for Columbia typically means scoring at or above 34, with 35 being the target that positions you right in the middle of admitted students. However, it is crucial to understand that a high ACT score does not guarantee your admission to Columbia. Many applicants with perfect 36 scores are rejected every year because Columbia evaluates you as a complete individual through a genuinely holistic process. Your essays, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, intellectual curiosity, personal background, and how you have challenged yourself academically all matter tremendously in the decision.

While there is no official minimum ACT score required by the university, you should aim for at least a 33 to have any realistic chance of being considered for admission. Scoring below 33 would put you well outside the range of typical admitted students, and an ACT score in the low 30s or below would make acceptance extremely unlikely unless you have genuinely exceptional strengths elsewhere in your application. That said, Columbia explicitly states they do not have score cutoffs and conduct a comprehensive review, so an applicant with an ACT below their typical range is not automatically eliminated if other elements of your profile are truly outstanding. Just be realistic about the challenge you would face if your score is significantly below their standard range.

Columbia University maintains a permanently test-optional admissions policy, which means you are not required to submit either an SAT or ACT score for admission. You have complete freedom to decide whether standardized test results will strengthen your application, and choosing not to submit scores will not disadvantage you in the review process. The university emphasizes that standardized testing remains entirely optional, and applicants who choose to submit test scores receive no advantage over those who do not submit any scores. This represents a significant shift from traditional Ivy League practices, as Columbia became the first Ivy League school to adopt a permanent test-optional policy.

Columbia employs a superscoring method for the ACT that works heavily in your favor if you take the test multiple times. If you submit scores from different test dates, the school considers your highest individual section scores across all test dates and combines them to create your best possible composite score. This means you can take the ACT several times, improve specific sections where you struggled on earlier attempts, and Columbia will piece together your strongest composite from all your efforts. The Writing and Science sections of the ACT are optional, giving you additional flexibility in how you present your testing profile.

Understanding how Columbia evaluates your ACT score requires recognizing that standardized testing functions as just one component of a holistic admissions review that examines your entire application. Columbia admissions officers examine your coursework rigor, grades, personal essays, recommendations, leadership qualities, and personal circumstances alongside your test score. Even applicants with a perfect 36 ACT can be rejected because Columbia is looking for students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity and will contribute meaningfully to campus life beyond their test performance. Your test score helps demonstrate that you have the intellectual capability to handle Columbia's demanding curriculum, but it does not constitute a case for admission on its own.

At a school as highly selective as Columbia, strong test scores narrow down the applicant pool but do not separate you from thousands of other high-scoring applicants competing for limited spots. Instead, admissions officers focus on what makes you unique as an individual student and thinker. They want to understand your intellectual interests, what drives your curiosity, what challenges you have overcome, and how you will make the Columbia community better. Your ACT score signals that you have the academic preparation to succeed at Columbia, but the rest of your application demonstrates whether you deserve one of the roughly 2,400 spots they offer each year among tens of thousands of applicants. This is why students with 34 ACT scores sometimes gain admission while students with perfect 36 ACT scores are denied.

AdmitStudio users who have found success at top colleges often approach their applications as a single, cohesive story, not a checklist of impressive achievements. Rather than treating essays, activities, and recommendations as separate pieces, they focus on presenting themselves as a clear, memorable individual with defined values, motivations, and strengths. Their essays help admissions officers understand why they pursued certain activities, how their experiences shaped them, and what kind of person they would be on campus. This clarity makes it easier for readers to grasp who the applicant is within just a few minutes of review.

AdmitStudio users who are successful also tend to use their essays to connect and reinforce the rest of their application, not repeat it. The essay highlights a few core traits, such as curiosity, leadership, resilience, or initiative, while the activities list and recommendations quietly support those same traits with evidence. By aligning every part of the application around a consistent narrative, these students stand out not because they try to be extraordinary, but because they are specific, authentic, and intentional. Admissions officers come away with a strong sense of the applicant's identity and how they would uniquely contribute to the university community.