Colleges for a 36 on the ACT

What colleges accept a 36 ACT score?

With a 36 on the ACT, these colleges are a good match for you

Based on 2021 freshman class ACT scores for all U.S. colleges, here are 131 schools where submitting a 36 with your college application places you around the middle ACT score range of admitted students. This list represents the most popular schools where you will be a competitive applicant and those which have historically accepted a 36 ACT score. Keep in mind, an ACT score alone won't get you admitted. It's equally important to have the GPA that the college is expecting for incoming students.

Is a 36 a good ACT score?

Can't be beat. You have a shot at getting in anywhere with a score of 36. It places you in the top 99th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. The score indicates you've done a truly exceptional job answering the questions on the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the test.

What is the SAT equivalent to a 36 ACT score?

For comparison purposes, a 36 on the ACT converts to a 1590 on the SAT based on the College Board / ACT concordance. Not all colleges report both SAT and ACT score admission data so you should check our comparable listings for both standardized tests to find academically similar schools.

What are the best colleges can I get into with a 36?

Here are some of the top ranked colleges which have historically accepted students in this test score range. Scroll down further to explore, search, sort and filter the full list.

Best ranked colleges for a 36 ACT score
CollegeAverage ACT
Harvard University34
Princeton University33
Stanford University33
Yale University34
Duke University34
University of Chicago34
California Institute of Technology35
Massachusetts Institute of Technology35
Rice University35
Johns Hopkins University35
Brown University34
Dartmouth College33
Amherst College33
Northwestern University34
Vanderbilt University34
Schools By Region
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ACT 36 Public Private 4 year

131 results nationwide

List of 36 ACT Colleges

Displaying 131 colleges where your 36 ACT score is within the typical range of past accepted students. You have a chance at being accepted but admission may be challenging at more selective colleges. Hint: Filter by admission chance for 174 target schools (good chance), 81 reach (harder) schools and 4,056 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

Harvard University
H
Cambridge, MA
Harvard University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

34 Average ACT

#1 Best Colleges in America

  • 30,391enrollment
  • $18,037net price
  • 5%acceptance rate
  • 1460-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance16%

Compare Calculate my chances 
Stanford University
Connect Me
S
Stanford, CA
Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

33 Average ACT

#3 Best Colleges in America

  • 15,953enrollment
  • $20,023net price
  • 5%acceptance rate
  • 1420-1570SAT range
  • 31-35ACT range
  • 3.96Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance12%

Applications Due Jan 3

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University of Florida
Connect Me
F
Gainesville, FL
University of Florida

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

31 Average ACT

#7 Best Public Universities in America

  • 53,372enrollment
  • $10,075net price
  • 31%acceptance rate
  • 1290-1460SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance69%

Applications Due Nov 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
The University of Texas at Austin
T
Austin, TX
The University of Texas at Austin

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

29 Average ACT

#11 Best Public Universities in America

  • 50,476enrollment
  • $16,892net price
  • 32%acceptance rate
  • 1210-1470SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance63%

Applications Due Dec 1

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University of Michigan
Connect Me
M
Ann Arbor, MI
University of Michigan

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

32 Average ACT

#15 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 47,907enrollment
  • $17,832net price
  • 26%acceptance rate
  • 1340-1520SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.87Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance66%

Applications Due Feb 1

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University of California Los Angeles
Connect Me
C
Los Angeles, CA
University of California Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

32 Average ACT

#4 Best Public Universities in America

  • 44,589enrollment
  • $16,474net price
  • 14%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1530SAT range
  • 29-35ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance28%

Applications Due Nov 30

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Clemson University
Connect Me
C
Clemson, SC
Clemson University

Public 4 Year

9 reviews

29 Average ACT

#25 Best Public Universities in America

  • 26,406enrollment
  • $22,935net price
  • 62%acceptance rate
  • 1210-1390SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
  • 4.39Avg Weighted GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance91%

Applications Due May 1

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University of Southern California
Connect Me
S
Los Angeles, CA
University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

32 Average ACT

#4 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 46,287enrollment
  • $39,759net price
  • 16%acceptance rate
  • 1340-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.83Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance41%

Applications Due Jan 10

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University of Miami
Connect Me
M
Coral Gables, FL
University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

30 Average ACT

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 17,809enrollment
  • $31,726net price
  • 33%acceptance rate
  • 1250-1420SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
  • 3.6Avg Weighted GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance77%

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of Georgia
Connect Me
G
Athens, GA
University of Georgia

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

31 Average ACT

#3 Best Colleges in Georgia

  • 39,147enrollment
  • $16,580net price
  • 48%acceptance rate
  • 1250-1460SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 4.02Avg Weighted GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance82%

Applications Due Jan 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
N
Chapel Hill, NC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

30 Average ACT

#10 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 30,092enrollment
  • $10,038net price
  • 25%acceptance rate
  • 1280-1490SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
  • 4.39Avg Weighted GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance61%

Applications Due Jan 5

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New York University
Connect Me
N
New York, NY
New York University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

32 Average ACT

#6 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 52,775enrollment
  • $45,417net price
  • 21%acceptance rate
  • 1370-1540SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.71Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance60%

Applications Due Jan 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
Duke University
D
Durham, NC
Duke University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

34 Average ACT

#5 Best Colleges in America

  • 16,172enrollment
  • $26,932net price
  • 8%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance53%

Applications Due Jan 2

Compare Calculate my chances 
Vanderbilt University
V
Nashville, TN
Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

34 Average ACT

#15 Best Colleges in America

  • 13,537enrollment
  • $25,804net price
  • 12%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1570SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.86Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance33%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Princeton University
Connect Me
P
Princeton, NJ
Princeton University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

33 Average ACT

#2 Best Colleges in America

  • 7,853enrollment
  • $18,685net price
  • 6%acceptance rate
  • 1450-1570SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance19%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Johns Hopkins University
J
Baltimore, MD
Johns Hopkins University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

35 Average ACT

#10 Best Colleges in America

  • 28,890enrollment
  • $25,241net price
  • 11%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1560SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance19%

Applications Due Apr 1

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Boston University
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B
Boston, MA
Boston University

Private 4 Year

9 reviews

32 Average ACT

#7 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 32,718enrollment
  • $29,154net price
  • 20%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1500SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.76Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance47%

Applications Due Jan 2

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Ohio State University
Connect Me
O
Columbus, OH
Ohio State University

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

29 Average ACT

#1 Best Public Universities in Ohio

  • 61,369enrollment
  • $18,884net price
  • 68%acceptance rate
  • 1210-1430SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 3.76Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance90%

Applications Due Feb 1

Compare Calculate my chances 

FAQs

Is a 36 a good ACT score?

Can't be beat. You have a shot at getting in anywhere with a score of 36. The score puts you in the top 99th percentile of those who take the test. Explore colleges you can get into with a 36 ACT score.

What colleges can I get into with a 36 ACT score?

Harvard University, Stanford University and University of Florida are some of the best colleges that you have a competitive chance of getting into. Explore the full list: Colleges for a 36 ACT score.

What percentile is 36 on the ACT?

A 36 ranks in the top 99th percentile of all students who take the ACT exam.

What is the equivalent SAT score to a 36 ACT?

A 36 converts to a 1590 on the SAT using College Board / ACT concordance tables. Explore the colleges: Colleges for a 1590 SAT score.