ISU Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Very High | |
| Applicant Competition | Very Low |
Can I get into ISU? The school has a 89% acceptance rate. Last year, 17,208 out of 19,262 applicants were admitted making Iowa State University an easy school to get into with a very good chance of acceptance assuming you meet the requirements. Academically, it has very high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 28 percent. Iowa State University typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 35% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
89% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 650 |
| SAT Math 25th | 580 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1230 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 720 |
| SAT Math 75th | 740 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1460 |
| Estimated Average SAT | 1350 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Iowa State University?
Iowa State University typically requires applicants to be in the top 20 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1230 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1110. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1350 out of 1600. 9 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1460 and Above | Good | >93% |
| 1345 to 1460 | Avg + | 89%-93% |
| 1230 to 1345 | Avg - | 83%-89% |
| 1115 to 1230 | Reach | 74%-83% |
| Less than 1115 | Low | <74% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 22 |
| ACT Math 25th | 21 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 22 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 28 |
| ACT Math 75th | 28 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 28 |
| Estimated Average ACT | 25 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into ISU?
Admission data indicates that ISU regularly accepts students with ACT's of 22 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 37 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 19 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 25 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 28 and above have very competitive chances. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 90 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Iowa State University.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 28 and Above | Good | >93% |
| 25 to 28 | Avg + | 89%-93% |
| 22 to 25 | Avg - | 83%-89% |
| 19 to 22 | Reach | 74%-83% |
| Less than 19 | Low | <74% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need very good grades in high school to get into Iowa State University. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Iowa State University was 3.6 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. If your high school grades are above the average 3.6 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as ISU accepts 89% of all applicants.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 36% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 22% | Avg + |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 18% | Avg - |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 14% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 9% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
High School Class Rank
56% of Iowa State University freshman were in the top twenty five percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 26% |
| Top 25% of class | 56% |
| Top 50% of class | 90% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 10% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 13% |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 8,878 | 10,384 | 19,262 |
| Accepted | 8,009 | 9,199 | 17,208 |
| Acceptance Rate | 90% | 89% | 89% |
| Enrolled | 2,616 | 3,328 | 5,944 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 33% | 36% | 35% |
Fall 2019 Application Deadline
Applicants have 68 days left until the Fall 2019 term applications are due on Jul 1, 2019.
Seniors, these are the SAT and ACT test dates you can still sit for a test and send your results to ISU before the Jul 1 application deadline.
| SAT Test Date | Scores Available |
|---|---|
| May 4 | May 17 |
| ACT Test Date | Scores Available |
|---|---|
| Jun 8 | Jun 18 |
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Iowa State University and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Required |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Neither required nor recommended |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=153603 IPEDS survey data for Iowa State University.
