Southern Colleges for a 18 on the ACT

With a 18 ACT, you are competitive at 470 four-year colleges in the South (178 target, 162 reach, 130 safety). Your score is roughly equivalent to a 970 SAT.

Colleges in the South for a 18 ACT

Target Schools (Competitive Chance of Admission)

Target schools have middle 50% ranges that include 18 - your score fits squarely in the admitted pool.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA	16-20	18	64%	Medium
Morgan State University Baltimore, MD	16-21	18	82%	Medium
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA	18-23	20	88%	Medium
University of Memphis Memphis, TN	18-24	21	72%	Medium
Alabama State University Montgomery, AL	15-20	17	98%	Medium
North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC	17-23	20	50%	Medium
Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX	17-24	20	90%	Medium
Texas Southern University Houston, TX	15-19	17	97%	Medium
University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA	17-22	19	52%	Medium
Virginia State University Petersburg, VA	14-20	17	89%	Medium
Hampton University Hampton, VA	13-22	17	62%	Medium
Wingate University Wingate, NC	18-25	21	91%	Medium

View all 178 target colleges

Reach Schools (Lower Admission Chance)

Reach schools typically enroll students with higher average ACT scores; admission is possible but more competitive.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ	21-28	24	90%	Low
University of Kentucky Lexington, KY	21-28	24	93%	Low
East Carolina University Greenville, NC	21-26	23	89%	Low
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	21-29	25	86%	Low
Texas State University San Marcos, TX	19-25	22	89%	Low
University of Houston Houston, TX	23-29	26	74%	Low
Georgia State University Atlanta, GA	19-26	22	55%	Low
Appalachian State University Boone, NC	21-27	24	90%	Low
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL	21-26	23	66%	Low
Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA	21-28	24	83%	Low
Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL	20-25	22	63%	Low
University of North Texas Denton, TX	19-27	23	72%	Low

View all 162 reach colleges

Safety Schools (Very High Chance of Admission)

Safety schools have average ACT scores well below 18; you have a very high chance of acceptance.

College	ACT Range	Avg ACT	Acceptance Rate	Your Chance
Savannah State University Savannah, GA	15-19	17	100%	High
Albany State University Albany, GA	15-18	16	100%	High
Valencia College Orlando, FL	-	-	100%	High
Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FL	-	-	100%	High
Miami Dade College Miami, FL	-	-	100%	High
Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FL	-	-	100%	High
St. Andrews University Laurinburg, NC	-	-	100%	High
Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL	-	-	100%	High
St Petersburg College St. Petersburg, FL	-	-	100%	High
The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX	17-22	19	100%	High
AdventHealth University Orlando, FL	21-24	22	100%	High
Indian River State College Fort Pierce, FL	-	-	100%	High

View all 130 safety colleges

View the full list of colleges that accept a 18 ACT in the South

See all colleges nationally for a 18 ACT

18 ACT to SAT Equivalent Conversion

Colleges use concordance tables to compare SAT and ACT scores. The following table shows the 18 ACT to SAT equivalent and nearby scores for context. These conversions are approximate.

ACT Score	SAT Equivalent
15	850
16	890
17	930
18	970
19	1010
20	1040
21	1080

Individual colleges may interpret scores slightly differently, so treat concordance as a guide rather than an exact rule.

Published: August 19, 2026