If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.
This means the school is
a nearly open admissions school. They accept nearly all students, so for the most part, you just need to submit an application to get in. But if you don't meet all their application requirements, you'll be one of the very few people who gets rejected.
Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
New Mexico Highlands University hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."
Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to New Mexico Highlands University will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.
New Mexico Highlands University SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.
The average SAT score composite at New Mexico Highlands University is a 950 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes New Mexico Highlands University Lightly Competitive for SAT test scores.
New Mexico Highlands University SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile SAT score is 840, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1040. In other words, a 840 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1040 will move you up to above average.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
Math | 480 | 430 | 510 |
Reading + Writing | 470 | 410 | 530 |
Composite | 950 | 840 | 1040 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
New Mexico Highlands University ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, New Mexico Highlands University likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
The average ACT score at New Mexico Highlands University is 17. This score makes New Mexico Highlands University Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 15, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 20.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 15 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Superscore Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to New Mexico Highlands University, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 15.
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SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements
Both the SAT and ACT have an optional essay section.
New Mexico Highlands University hasn't reported their stance on SAT Essay/ACT Writing, but most likely they consider it to be optional. Thus you don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.
SAT Subject Test Requirements
Schools vary in their SAT subject test requirements. Typically, selective schools tend to require them, while most schools in the country do not.
We did not find information that New Mexico Highlands University requires SAT subject tests, and so most likely it does not. At least 6 months before applying, you should still doublecheck just to make sure, so you have enough time to take the test.