Cracking the Coast Guard Academy: A Guide to SAT Scores and Admissions
The United States Coast Guard Academy is ranked among the nation’s elite undergraduate colleges and is exceptionally difficult to get into. If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. The acceptance rate at United States Coast Guard Academy is 24.3%, making it very selective. Because this school is quite selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. This guide provides a detailed overview of the SAT scores, GPA, and other requirements needed to gain admission.
Understanding the Key Admission Numbers
There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. If you meet United States Coast Guard Academy's requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in.
Acceptance Rate: Setting the Stage
The acceptance rate at United States Coast Guard Academy is 24.3%. This signifies that the Academy is very selective. Use the acceptance rate as a general guide for curating a list of 10-15 schools that fall into different ranges of competitiveness.
GPA: A Foundation of Academic Excellence
The average GPA at United States Coast Guard Academy is 3.79, requiring you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need a mix of A's and B's, with a leaning toward A's. The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes.
If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.79, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics.
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SAT Scores: Demonstrating College Readiness
United States Coast Guard Academy requires that you either take the SAT or ACT. United States Coast Guard Academy hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores, it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them.
The average SAT score at United States Coast Guard Academy is 1150 - this is the sum of the math and reading portions of the SAT (the 1600 scale). The 25th percentile SAT score is 1160, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1365. In other words, a 1160 places you below average, while a 1365 will move you up to above average. To be a competitive applicant for United States Coast Guard Academy your SAT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 1060, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted.
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement.
The Power of Superscoring
United States Coast Guard Academy considers the highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. This is also known as "superscoring." This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school.
Because you can choose which tests to send in, and United States Coast Guard Academy forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1365, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on.
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ACT Scores: An Alternative Standardized Test
The average ACT score at United States Coast Guard Academy is 28. The 25th percentile ACT score is 26, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 31. To be a competitive applicant for United States Coast Guard Academy your ACT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 68, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. Even though United States Coast Guard Academy likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 26 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application.
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 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 31 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can.
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore.
The Optional Essay
Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. United States Coast Guard Academy considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration.
Beyond the Numbers: A Holistic Review
For a school as selective as United States Coast Guard Academy, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements.
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Here are some ways to maximize your chances of getting into United States Coast Guard Academy:
- Join your school band, a sports team or another group activity.
- Volunteer in your hometown. New London has tons of ways to be involved beyond just the college.
- Spend your summer doing something that speaks to your values, personal growth, leadership qualities and other less quantifiable characteristics. United States Coast Guard Academy needs to see past your test scores and grades - they need to know that you will be a valuable and contributing member of their community.
- Write a stellar essay that shows United States Coast Guard Academy something they can’t figure out from the other parts of your application.
- Get teacher recs that speak to your character.
- Apply Before the Deadline. Too many students wait until the last minute to submit their application, and too much can go wrong during this precious time window. Since many students are applying on the last day, it’s possible that United States Coast Guard Academy’s own system crashes.
Application Requirements and Submission
Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews.
Submit as follows:
- Self-report by uploading your score reports in the Personal Statements section of the online application (required)
- Via your high school transcript (optional)
- Via your Guidance Office (optional)
- Through the College Board or ACT (recommended)
To send your scores from the testing agency, contact College Board or ACT, or list the Academy code when you take the test. Our SAT code is 5807 and our ACT code is 0600.
Admissions may request to interview applicants and prospective applicants in order to best meet your needs and the Academy’s enrollment goals. If so, a representative of Admissions will contact you. If selected for an interview, participation is required.
Admissions Regular Application Due January 15
Target Scores for Admission
As you can see from the data above, United States Coast Guard Academy is exceptionally difficult to get into. Not only should you be aiming for a 3.71 but also SAT scores around 1150. If you're able to score a 1365 SAT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in. But if you apply with a score below a 1365 SAT or a 31 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in.
Other Schools to Consider
If you're interested in United States Coast Guard Academy, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. These schools are have higher average SAT scores than United States Coast Guard Academy. If you're currently competitive for United States Coast Guard Academy, you should have no problem getting into these schools.
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