<p>In order to assist some in their college search process, I have prepared a series of threads that will compare colleges on a variety of measurements. In making these comparisons, I have created three broad groups (private national universities, public national universities and liberal arts colleges) and provide comparisons involving 117 colleges (national universities ranked in the USNWR Top 75 and LACs ranked in the USNWR Top 40). </p>
<p>Following is a comparison on STUDENT BODY DEPTH-FOCUS ON ACT SCORES. The comparison shows what percentage of students achieved at the 30+ level on this test and is a potentially valuable indicator of the depth of the student body's abilities. While standardized test scores are best considered in combination with other student data that adcomms have access to (rigor of curriculum, grades in demanding courses, GPA, etc.), they are the best single source of data that outside observers have to compare the strengths of student bodies at various schools. </p>
<p>To aid in the comparisons, I have included the level of the highest-ranking public universities with each of the private groups for National Universities and LACs. This should help families appreciate the way that the very top scoring public compares with their private competition. </p>
<p>I hope that you enjoy the thread and find some helpful information. Good luck to all in your college search process!</p>
<p>% ACT score of 30+ , Private National University</p>
<p>99% , Caltech
88% , Notre Dame
85% , Princeton
85% , Wash U
84% , MIT
82% , Vanderbilt
79% , Rice
77% , Stanford
76% , U Penn
75% , Duke
75% , Emory
73% , Columbia
73% , Dartmouth
73% , Northwestern
69% , Johns Hopkins
69% , Cornell
67% , Carnegie Mellon
66% , Brown
63% , USC
61% , Brandeis
58% , TOP PUBLIC (William & Mary)
57% , U Chicago
54% , Tulane
53% , NYU
48% , Case Western
43% , U Rochester
42% , Wake Forest
42% , U Miami
35% , Worcester
33% , Pepperdine
29% , BYU
28% , Boston University
28% , SMU
25% , George Washington
23% , Rensselaer
23% , Fordham
15% , Yeshiva</p>
<p>na , Harvard
na , Yale
na , Georgetown
na , Tufts
na , Boston College
na , Lehigh
na , Syracuse</p>
<p>% ACT score of 30+ , State University</p>
<p>58% , WILLIAM & MARY
47% , U VIRGINIA
44% , U MICHIGAN
42% , U ILLINOIS
39% , UCLA
38% , U N CAROLINA
38% , GEORGIA TECH
34% , U WISCONSIN
30% , U FLORIDA
29% , UC SAN DIEGO
28% , U PITTSBURGH
27% , U TEXAS
25% , OHIO STATE
24% , U MINNESOTA
22% , U WASHINGTON
21% , UC S BARBARA
20% , U GEORGIA
20% , CLEMSON
20% , PURDUE
20% , TEXAS A&M
17% , INDIANA U
16% , U DELAWARE
13% , UC DAVIS
13% , U CONNECTICUT
13% , U IOWA
12% , MICHIGAN ST
9% , UC S CRUZ</p>
<p>na , UC BERKELEY
na , UC IRVINE
na , PENN STATE
na , U MARYLAND
na , RUTGERS
na , VIRGINIA TECH</p>
<p>% ACT score of 30+ , LAC</p>
<p>100% , Harvey Mudd
80% , Pomona
78% , Wesleyan
72% , Amherst
72% , Vassar
71% , Claremont McK
69% , Williams
69% , Bowdoin
68% , Carleton
66% , Swarthmore
66% , Middlebury
62% , Grinnell
61% , Davidson
59% , Wellesley
58% , W&L
58% , TOP PUBLIC (William & Mary)
56% , Barnard
56% , Whitman
55% , Scripps
54% , Oberlin
54% , Kenyon
52% , Colgate
52% , Colby
51% , Occidental
50% , Colorado College
44% , Bryn Mawr
42% , Bucknell
41% , Macalester
36% , Smith
35% , US Military Acad
33% , U Richmond
32% , Lafayette
31% , Sewanee
31% , Furman
26% , Trinity
17% , Mt. Holyoke</p>
<p>na , Haverford
na , US Naval Acad
na , Hamilton
na , Bates
na , Holy Cross
na , Bard</p>