Chances of getting into Penn State Main Campus
Acceptance Rate
How hard is it to get into Penn State and can I get accepted?
The acceptance rate at Penn State is 92%. It ranks #90 in Pennsylvania for lowest rate of acceptance. Penn State Main Campus is an easy school to get into with a very good chance of acceptance if you meet the admission requirements. Last year, 89,207 out of 96,686 applicants were admitted.
The school has very high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 28 percent on standardized admission tests. Penn State Main Campus typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.68. 18% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
Admission Requirements in Brief
To have the best chance of getting into to Penn State Main Campus you should:
- Have a high school GPA of 3.68 or better
- Earn B+ grades in high school
- Score 1250 on the SAT
- Score 28 on the ACT
Test Optional
Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Penn State Main Campus. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 32% of students submitted SAT scores and 6% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..
Penn State SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 570 |
| SAT Math 25th | 570 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1140 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 670 |
| SAT Math 75th | 690 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1360 |
| Average SAT Score | 1250
|
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Penn State Main Campus?
Penn State Main Campus is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "considered but not required".
Students who get into Penn State Main Campus score in the top 34 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1140-1360.
Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
Penn State ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 24 |
| ACT Math 25th | 24 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 25 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 32 |
| ACT Math 75th | 30 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 31 |
| Average ACT Score | 28
|
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Penn State?
Penn State Main Campus is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".
Penn State regularly accepts students who score 25 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 22 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 25-31.
Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
Explore Penn State Main Campus
Penn State GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
What GPA do you need to get into Penn State Main Campus?
Applicants require very good grades in high school to get into Penn State. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Penn State Main Campus was 3.68 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #16 in Pennsylvania for highest average GPA. If your high school grades are above the average 3.68 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as Penn State accepts 92% of all applicants.
Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements
*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.68 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 52,371 | 44,182 | 96,686 |
| Accepted | 48,159 | 40,936 | 89,207 |
| Acceptance Rate | 92% | 93% | 92% |
| Enrolled | 7,443 | 8,578 | 16,049 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 15% | 21% | 18% |
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to Penn State Main Campus is $65.
Application Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Penn State Main Campus and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Considered but not required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| Recommendations | Neither required nor recommended |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | Yes |
Other Colleges to Consider
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=495767 IPEDS survey data for Penn State Main Campus.
FAQs
Does Penn State Main Campus prefer SAT or ACT?
32% of students submit their SAT scores to Penn State. 6% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Penn State Main Campus?
92% of those who apply are granted admission to Penn State. Admission competition is and the college has very high admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for Penn State Main Campus?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1140 and 1360. 32% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Penn State Main Campus?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 25 and 31. 6% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.