Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to Queens College. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
Queens College SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school’s average score.
The average SAT score composite at Queens College is a 1143 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes Queens College Competitive for SAT test scores.
Queens College SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile SAT score is 1060, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1220. In other words, a 1060 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1220 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
SectionAverage25th Percentile75th Percentile Math580540620 Reading + Writing563520600 Composite114310601220
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
Queens College has the Score Choice policy of “All Scores.”
This means that Queens College requires you to send all SAT scores you’ve ever taken to their office.
This sounds daunting, but most schools don’t actually consider all your scores equally. For example, if you scored an 1300 on one test and a 1500 on another, they won’t actually average the two tests.
More commonly, the school will take your highest score on a single test date. Even better, some schools form a Superscore – that is, they take your highest section score across all your test dates and combine them.
Some students are still worried about submitting too many test scores. They’re afraid that Queens College will look down on too many attempts to raise your score. But how many is too many?
From our research and talking to admissions officers, we’ve learned that 4-6 tests is a safe number to submit. The college understands that you want to have the best chance of admission, and retaking the test is a good way to do this. Within a reasonable number of tests, they honestly don’t care how many times you’ve taken it. They’ll just focus on your score.
If you take it more than 6 times, colleges start wondering why you’re not improving with each test. They’ll question your study skills and ability to improve.
But below 6 tests, we strongly encourage retaking the test to maximize your chances. If your SAT score is currently below a 1143, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You don’t have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.
Queens College ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, Queens College likely doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
The average ACT score at Queens College is 23. This score makes Queens College Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 21, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 25.
Even though Queens College likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 21 or below, you’ll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 23 and above that a 21 will look academically weak.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you’re taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school’s ACT requirement of 23 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you’re happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Superscore Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
We weren’t able to find the school’s exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Queens College, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 23.
SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements
Both the SAT and ACT have an optional essay section.
Queens College considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don’t need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you’re applying to may require it.
SAT Subject Test Requirements
Schools vary in their SAT subject test requirements. Typically, selective schools tend to require them, while most schools in the country do not.
Queens College has indicated that SAT subject tests are recommended. Typically this means that SAT subject tests are not required, but submitting them can showcase particular strengths. For example, if you’re applying to an engineering school, submitting science and math SAT subject tests will boost your application.
Typically, your SAT/ACT and GPA are far more heavily weighed than your SAT Subject Tests. If you have the choice between improving your SAT/ACT score or your SAT Subject Test scores, definitely choose to improve your SAT/ACT score.
