Colleges for a Low ACT Score

College admission test taking is stressful. Not everyone rocks their ACT test. A low score doesn't mean you can't get into college. We've prepared a list of all selective admission, four year colleges which are likely to accept students who scored in the lower fifty percentile on the ACT. Based on school admission history, an applicant with a lower than average ACT has a good chance to get into these 381 schools. Schools are listed in order from low ACT score to highest.

381 Results
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Low ACT Public Private 4 Year
University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Honolulu, HI
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • 21 average ACT

UH Manoa is a large public university known for undergraduate marine science, oceanography, and Hawaiian studies. The campus occupies Manoa Valley in Honolulu.

#1 Best Public Universities in Hawaii 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1081-1293
  • Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $17,202
Details
San Francisco State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • San Francisco, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • 19 average ACT
  • Nov 30 application deadline

SF State is a large public university known for undergraduate ethnic studies, cinema, and creative writing. The urban campus borders Lake Merced in southwestern San Francisco.

#17 Best Public Universities in California 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1130
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $13,168
Details
California State University Los Angeles Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • 17 average ACT
  • Jan 19 application deadline

Cal State LA is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and criminal justice. The urban campus sits in the hills east of downtown Los Angeles.

#26 Best Public Universities in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1060
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $4,460
Details
California State University Fullerton Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fullerton, CA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • 20 average ACT
  • Nov 30 application deadline

Cal State Fullerton is a large public university known for undergraduate business, communications, and education. The suburban campus sits in northern Orange County.

#19 Best Public Universities in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.77
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $7,064
Details
California State University Sacramento Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Sacramento, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • 20 average ACT
  • Nov 30 application deadline

Sacramento State is a large public university known for undergraduate government, criminal justice, and business. The urban campus sits along the American River in California's capital city.

#21 Best Public Universities in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1130
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $10,110
Details
Clark Atlanta University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • 18 average ACT
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Clark Atlanta is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate social work, business, and mass media arts. The urban Atlanta campus is part of the Atlanta University Center consortium with neighboring HBCUs.

#17 Best Private Colleges in Georgia 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.28
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $31,223
Details
Morgan State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Baltimore, MD
  • 4.2 | 5 reviews
  • 18 average ACT
  • Apr 15 application deadline

Morgan State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and business. The urban campus is in northeast Baltimore.

#10 Best Public Universities in Maryland 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 840-1070
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $15,476
Details
Georgia Southern University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Statesboro, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • 20 average ACT
  • May 1 application deadline

Georgia Southern is a large public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and logistics. The main campus anchors the college town of Statesboro in southeast Georgia.

#6 Best Public Universities in Georgia 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 986-1133
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $15,971
Details
University of Memphis Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Memphis, TN
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • 21 average ACT
  • Jul 1 application deadline

University of Memphis is a large public university known for undergraduate music, business, and journalism. The urban campus is in Midtown Memphis.

#7 Best Public Universities in Tennessee 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 915-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.48
  • Acceptance Rate 72%
  • Net Price $12,756
Details
Alabama State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Montgomery, AL
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • 17 average ACT
  • Jul 31 application deadline

Alabama State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate education, business, and health sciences. The urban campus is in Montgomery, the state capital.

#12 Best Public Universities in Alabama 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 749-967
  • Avg GPA 2.95
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $13,138
Details
North Carolina A & T State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Greensboro, NC
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • 20 average ACT
  • Jun 1 application deadline

NC A&T is a large public HBCU known for undergraduate engineering and agriculture. The urban campus is in Greensboro.

#13 Best Public Universities in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 50%
  • Net Price $10,097
Details
Sam Houston State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Huntsville, TX
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • 20 average ACT
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Sam Houston State is a large public university known for undergraduate criminal justice and forensic science. The main campus is in Huntsville in the piney woods of East Texas.

#10 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1120
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $14,737
Details
Texas Southern University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 3.0 | 3 reviews
  • 17 average ACT
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Texas Southern is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Houston's Third Ward.

#27 Best Public Universities in Texas 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1000
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $13,584
Details
University of Nevada Las Vegas Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • 4.0 | 3 reviews
  • 21 average ACT
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UNLV is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality and hotel management. The urban campus sits near the Las Vegas Strip.

#2 Best Colleges in Nevada 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $11,553
Details
California State University Chico Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Chico, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • 21 average ACT
  • Dec 15 application deadline

Chico State is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus sits in the college town of Chico in Northern California.

#16 Best Public Universities in California 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $14,630
Details
University of West Georgia Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Carrollton, GA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • 19 average ACT
  • Jun 1 application deadline

West Georgia is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The residential campus is in Carrollton, a small city about an hour west of Atlanta.

#5 Best Public Universities in Georgia 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 950-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 52%
  • Net Price $12,913
Details
Virginia State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Petersburg, VA
  • | 0 reviews
  • 17 average ACT
  • May 1 application deadline

Virginia State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate agriculture, education, and business. The historic campus is in Petersburg near Richmond.

#14 Best Public Universities in Virginia 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 840-1070
  • Avg GPA 2.85
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $17,840
Details
Portland State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Portland, OR
  • | 0 reviews
  • 20 average ACT

Portland State is a large public university known for undergraduate urban planning, sustainability, and business. The compact urban campus sits in downtown Portland.

#4 Best Public Universities in Oregon 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $10,195
Details