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Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
Updated on February 21, 2020You've taken the ACT, and have gotten your scores back. Now what? If you're interested in going to school for engineering, check out the chart below, which lists some of the country's top 10 undergraduate engineering colleges. It's a side-by-side comparison of ACT scores for the middle 50% of enrolled students at these schools. If your scores fall within or above these ranges, you're on track for admission to one of these highly regarded colleges for engineering.
Undergraduate Engineering ACT Scores (mid 50%)
(Learn what these numbers mean)
| Composite 25% | Composite 75% | English 25% | English 75% | Math 25% | Math 75% | |
| Air Force Academy | 27 | 33 | 27 | 32 | 27 | 32 |
| Annapolis | - | - | 25 | 33 | 26 | 32 |
| Cal Poly Pomona | 20 | 27 | 19 | 26 | 20 | 28 |
| Cal Poly | 26 | 31 | 25 | 33 | 26 | 32 |
| Cooper Union | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Embry-Riddle | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Harvey Mudd | 32 | 35 | 32 | 35 | 32 | 35 |
| MSOE | 25 | 30 | 24 | 29 | 26 | 30 |
| Olin College | 32 | 35 | 34 | 35 | 33 | 35 |
| Rose-Hulman | 28 | 32 | 26 | 33 | 29 | 34 |
Keep in mind that ACT scores are just one part of the application. The schools listed here generally have holistic admissions. This means that they look at more than just the grades and test scores on an application when making an admissions decision. Admissions officers will also be looking for a strong high school record, a well-crafted admissions essay, good letters of recommendations, and meaningful extracurricular activities. Because of this, some students with higher scores will not be admitted, and some with lower scores (lower even than the ranges listed here) will be admitted.
These colleges are selective, with acceptance rates in the teens or low twenties. While this may seem discouraging, the low acceptance rates shouldn't be a deterrence that keeps you from applying. Along with a strong application and solid test scores, there are steps you can take to bolster your application. Keep in mind that demonstrated interest can play an important role in admission decisions. Visiting the campus, making sure your supplemental essays focus on the specifics of the school, and applying through early decision or early action all help show that you are serious about attending. Be sure to contact the admissions office with any questions or concerns you have.
Data from National Center for Educational Statistics
