Colleges for a 36 on the ACT

What colleges accept a 36 ACT score?

36 ACT Score, 99% Percentile

These colleges are a good match for you

If you've achieved a score of 36 on your ACTs, this places you squarely within the average range for accepted students at 168 U.S. colleges. This list features popular colleges where your application will likely be competitive, given their historical acceptance of students with a 36 ACT score. However, it's crucial to remember that a good ACT score is not the sole criterion for admission. In fact, may colleges are now test optional. It's equally significant to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) that aligns with the college's expectations for incoming students. The creation of this list is rooted in a comprehensive analysis of ACT scores from students admitted to all U.S. colleges

Is a 36 ACT good?

Can't be beat. You have a shot at getting in anywhere with a score of 36. It situates you in the top 99th percentile on the national scale, outperforming the majority of the 2 million ACT test takers. This score signifies your truly exceptional performance in answering questions in the English, Math, Reading and Science sections of the exam. The ACT is scored out of a maximum of 36 and a minimum of 1, meaning your 36 score represents 100% of the total possible points. If a 36 does not meet the requirements of your preferred college, you might want to consider enrolling in a test prep course to potentially enhance your score.

Demographic comparisons for a 36

Let's examine how a 36 ACT score stacks up to the national averages across various demographic groups

Gender

  • Male: A 36 is 15.7 points (77%) higher than the average male ACT score of 20.3
  • Female: A 36 is 15.4 points (75%) higher than the average female ACT score of 20.6

Race/ethnicity

  • White: A 36 is 14.3 points (66%) higher than the average white ACT score of 21.7
  • Black: A 36 is 19.7 points (121%) higher than the average black ACT score of 16.3
  • Hispanic: A 36 is 17.7 points (97%) higher than the average Hispanic ACT score of 18.3
  • Asian: A 36 is 11.1 points (45%) higher than the average Asian ACT score of 24.9
  • Pacific Islander: A 36 is 18.8 points (109%) higher than the average Pacific Islander ACT score of 17.2
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: A 36 is 19.1 points (113%) higher than the average American Indian/Alaska Native ACT score of 16.9
  • Two or more races: A 36 is 15.4 points (75%) higher than the average two or more races ACT score of 20.6

All groups

  • All Students: A 36 is 15.7 points higher than the average ACT score for all students of 20.3

What is the SAT equivalent to a 36 ACT score?

A 36 on the ACT translates to a 1590 on the SAT according to the concordance provided by the College Board and ACT. It's important to note that not all colleges disclose admission data for both the SAT and ACT. As such, we recommend checking our listings for each test to identify schools with similar academic profiles.

What percentile is a 36 ACT score?

Scoring a 36 on the ACT places you in the 99th percentile nationwide. This implies that your performance surpassed 99% of all test takers. To put this in perspective, about 2 million students sit for the ACT each year. Thus, with your score, you've outperformed about 1,980,000 students placing you ahead of the majority.

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.


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168 results nationwide

List of 36 ACT Colleges

Displaying 168 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 144 target schools (good chance), 126 reach (harder) schools and 4,224 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

Harvard University
H
Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

34 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#4 Best Colleges in America

  • 31,345enrollment
  • $18,037net price
  • 4%acceptance rate
  • 1480-1580SAT range
  • 33-36ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance9%

Applications Due Jan 1

Stanford University
S
Stanford, CA

Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

34 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#2 Best Colleges in America

  • 17,680enrollment
  • $20,023net price
  • 4%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.96Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance35%

Applications Due Jan 2

University of Florida
F
Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

31 Average ACT Composite

 

#7 Best Public Universities in America

  • 55,781enrollment
  • $10,075net price
  • 30%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1470SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance68%

Applications Due Mar 1

The University of Texas at Austin
T
Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

30 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#12 Best Public Universities in America

  • 51,991enrollment
  • $16,892net price
  • 29%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1500SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance60%

Applications Due Dec 1

University of Michigan
M
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

32 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#19 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 50,278enrollment
  • $17,832net price
  • 20%acceptance rate
  • 1340-1520SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance58%

Applications Due Feb 1

University of California Los Angeles
C
Los Angeles, CA

University of California Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

32 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#4 Best Public Universities in America

  • 46,116enrollment
  • $16,474net price
  • 11%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1530SAT range
  • 29-35ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance23%

Applications Due Nov 30

Clemson University
C
Clemson, SC

Clemson University

Public 4 Year

9 reviews

29 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#1 Best Public Universities in South Carolina

  • 27,341enrollment
  • $22,935net price
  • 49%acceptance rate
  • 1220-1420SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance85%

Applications Due May 1

University of Southern California
S
Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

33 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#5 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 49,318enrollment
  • $39,759net price
  • 13%acceptance rate
  • 1410-1540SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.83Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance35%

University of Miami
M
Coral Gables, FL

University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

31 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 19,096enrollment
  • $31,726net price
  • 28%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.7Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance77%

Applications Due Jan 1

University of Georgia
G
Athens, GA

University of Georgia

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

31 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#3 Best Colleges in Georgia

  • 40,118enrollment
  • $16,580net price
  • 40%acceptance rate
  • 1270-1450SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance77%

Applications Due Jan 1

Virginia Tech
V
Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

29 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#20 Best Public Universities in America

  • 37,279enrollment
  • $20,247net price
  • 56%acceptance rate
  • 1210-1410SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 3.97Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance85%

Applications Due Jan 15

New York University
N
New York, NY

New York University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

33 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#6 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 58,226enrollment
  • $45,417net price
  • 13%acceptance rate
  • 1450-1570SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance35%

Duke University
D
Durham, NC

Duke University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

34 Average ACT Composite

 

#3 Best Colleges in America

  • 17,620enrollment
  • $26,932net price
  • 6%acceptance rate
  • 1468-1558SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance19%

Applications Due Jan 3

Vanderbilt University
V
Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

34 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#15 Best Colleges in America

  • 13,796enrollment
  • $25,804net price
  • 7%acceptance rate
  • 1480-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.89Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance50%

Applications Due Jan 1

Princeton University
P
Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

34 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#1 Best Colleges in America

  • 8,478enrollment
  • $18,685net price
  • 4%acceptance rate
  • 1460-1570SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.93Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance13%

Applications Due Jan 1

Johns Hopkins University
J
Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

35 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#10 Best Colleges in America

  • 32,049enrollment
  • $25,241net price
  • 8%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1560SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance14%

Applications Due Jan 3

Boston University
B
Boston, MA

Boston University

Private 4 Year

9 reviews

32 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 36,104enrollment
  • $29,154net price
  • 19%acceptance rate
  • 1360-1520SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance57%

Applications Due Jan 4

Ohio State University
O
Columbus, OH

Ohio State University

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

29 Average ACT Composite

Test Optional

#1 Best Public Universities in Ohio

  • 61,677enrollment
  • $18,884net price
  • 57%acceptance rate
  • 1250-1440SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 3.76Estimated Avg GPA
Your 36 ACT
Admission Chance86%

Applications Due Feb 1

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.