Is Brandeis test optional?

Yes. You can apply without a score. A common rule is to send it if it's at or above 1430 and hold it if it's under.

What is Brandeis's acceptance rate?

40% of applicants were admitted in 2025–26, according to the college's Common Data Set or, where that's missing, IPEDS, the federal college survey. In fall 2024, 4,237 of 10,462 applicants were admitted. Applications held near 10,462, and Brandeis's admit rate went from 34% to 40%.

What ACT score do you need for Brandeis?

8% of first-year students sent an ACT, and they scored 31–34, with a median of 32. On the official ACT–SAT concordance, their SAT range of 1370–1470 works out to about 30–33.

Why might Brandeis's SAT range look high?

Only 28% of enrolled students sent an SAT. The range counts only those who did, and students with lower scores tend to hold theirs back.

Does applying early decision help at Brandeis?

36% of early decision applicants were admitted (242 of 680), against 40% of all applicants. Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the real edge is smaller than the gap.

How many students get off the waitlist at Brandeis?

206 of the 771 students who stayed on the waitlist were admitted, or 27%, per the Common Data Set 2025–26.

All colleges

What SAT score do you need for Brandeis? (Middle 50%: 1370–1470)

First-year students at Brandeis who sent an SAT scored 1370–1470, with a median of 1430 (Common Data Set 2025–26). Brandeis admits 40% of applicants and is test optional.

Brandeis University · Waltham, MA

Where your score lands at Brandeis

First-year students who sent an SAT: 1370–1470, median 1430

Your score

Middle 50% of admitted students Median Fewer than half sent a score, so the range runs high

Enter your SAT or ACT to see which tier Brandeis is for you and whether to send your score.

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Brandeis by the numbers

Admit rate: 40%
Middle 50% SAT: 1370–1470
Median SAT: 1430
About on the ACT: 30–33
Sent an SAT: 28%

Test optional · checked Nov 9, 2026 · Brandeis admissions · SAT range from the Common Data Set, 2025–26; admit rate from it or IPEDS

Brandeis admit rate over 10 years

Applications held near 10,462, and Brandeis's admit rate went from 34% to 40%.

Show the numbers

Fall	Applied	Admitted	Admit rate
2024	10,462	4,237	40%
2023	11,282	3,984	35%
2022	9,917	3,908	39%
2021	9,796	3,834	39%
2020	10,223	3,414	33%
2019	11,343	3,391	30%
2018	11,798	3,675	31%
2017	11,721	4,011	34%
2016	11,351	3,796	33%
2015	10,528	3,582	34%

In fall 2024, 735 of the 4,237 admitted students enrolled. Applicants and admits from IPEDS, the federal college survey, by fall of entry.

What each SAT score means at Brandeis

Which tier your score puts them in, and whether it's worth sending.

Your SATTierSend it?

Under 1320Far reachHold
1320–1360ReachHold
1370–1420TargetHold
1430 and upTargetSend

12001300140015001600

Tiers here use only your SAT and their admit rate. Essays, activities and recommendations still decide most admissions at selective colleges.

Brandeis SAT sections, ACT and class rank

Scores of enrolled first-year students who sent one, by percentile.

Test	25th	Median	75th
SAT Math	660	710	750
SAT Reading and Writing	670	710	740
SAT total	1370	1430	1470
ACT composite	31	32	34

Of enrolled first-year students, 28% sent an SAT and 8% sent an ACT. Common Data Set 2025–26.

Top 10% of their class: 39%; of new students who reported a rank

Brandeis early decision and waitlist

Early decision

242 of 680 early decision applicants were admitted.

Early decision36%
All applicants40%

Early pools often include recruited athletes and other strong applicants, so the gap overstates how much applying early helps on its own.

Waitlist

1,717 applicants were offered a spot, 771 took it, and 206 were admitted from it.

27%of students who stayed on the waitlist got in

Common Data Set 2025–26.

Brandeis cost and outcomes

What students pay after grants, how many finish, and what they earn.

Average net price: $35,736; per year, after grants
Graduate in 6 years: 86%
Median earnings: $77,231; 10 years after starting
Undergraduates: 3,896

College Scorecard, 2022–23, from the US Department of Education. Net price averages federal-aid students across family incomes.

Colleges like Brandeis

Similar SAT ranges and admit rates.

Sources

Brandeis Common Data Set 2025–26
SAT and ACT ranges, early decision, waitlist, GPA and class rank, as the college reported them.
College Navigator (IPEDS)
Applications, admissions and enrollment by year, from the federal college survey.
College Scorecard
Net price, graduation rate and earnings, from the US Department of Education.
Brandeis admissions
Test policy for 2026–27, checked Nov 9, 2026.
Brandeis website
Brandeis University

Updated Nov 9, 2026. Spot a number that's off? Email support@tryashore.com and we'll check it against the source.

Questions

Still have a question? support@tryashore.com

There's no cutoff. The middle 50% of first-year students who sent an SAT scored 1370–1470, and the median was 1430. At 1430 or higher you're above half of them. Brandeis admits 40% of applicants.

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SAT Math · 1 of 5

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A jacket's price is increased by 20% and then the new price is decreased by 20%. The final price is what percent of the original price?

A $96\%$
B $100\%$
C $104\%$
D $80\%$