Chances of getting into Penn State Main Campus
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Very High | |
| Applicant Competition | Very Low |
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How hard is it to get into Penn State and can I get accepted? The school has a 76% acceptance rate ranking it #70 in Pennsylvania for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 72,880 out of 95,970 applicants were admitted making Penn State Main Campus 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 40 percent. Penn State Main Campus typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 22% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
Penn State SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
Applicants Submitting SAT
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 540 |
| SAT Math 25th | 530 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1070 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 640 |
| SAT Math 75th | 670 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1310 |
| Average SAT Score | 1190 |
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 typically requires applicants to be in the top 47 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1070 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 950. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1190 out of 1600. The school ranks #19 in Pennsylvania for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 74 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2019 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1310 and Above | Good | >84% |
| 1190 to 1310 | Avg + | 76%-84% |
| 1070 to 1190 | Avg - | 65%-76% |
| 950 to 1070 | Reach | 52%-65% |
| Less than 950 | Low | <52% |
Penn State ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
Applicants Submitting ACT
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 22 |
| ACT Math 25th | 23 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 23 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 30 |
| ACT Math 75th | 29 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 30 |
| Average ACT Score | 26 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Penn State?
Admission data indicates that Penn State regularly accepts students with ACT's of 23 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 32 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 20 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 26 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 30 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #15 in Pennsylvania for highest average ACT composite score. 22 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Penn State Main Campus.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2019 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 30 and Above | Good | >85% |
| 26 to 30 | Avg + | 76%-85% |
| 23 to 26 | Avg - | 67%-76% |
| 20 to 23 | Reach | 56%-67% |
| Less than 20 | Low | <56% |
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Penn State GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
Avg. High School GPA
Typical High School Grades
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 3.59 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #18 in Pennsylvania for highest average GPA. If your high school grades are above the average 3.59 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as Penn State accepts 76% of all applicants.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Competitiveness |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 34% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 31% | Avg + |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 23% | Avg - |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 8% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 3% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
GPA Data Source, Wintergreen Orchard House
Similar Requirements
High School Class Rank
84% of Penn State Main Campus 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 | 41% |
| Top 25% of class | 84% |
| Top 50% of class | 98% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 2% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 0% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 49,465 | 46,305 | 95,970 |
| Accepted | 37,053 | 35,689 | 72,880 |
| Acceptance Rate | 75% | 77% | 76% |
| Enrolled | 7,347 | 8,642 | 15,989 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 20% | 24% | 22% |
Fall 2021 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2021 has passed. Applications were due on Feb 1, 2021.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Penn State Main Campus and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | 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 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=214777 IPEDS survey data for Penn State Main Campus.
FAQs
Does Penn State Main Campus prefer SAT or ACT?
74% of students submit their SAT scores to Penn State. 22% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Penn State Main Campus?
76% 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 1070 and 1310. 74% 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 23 and 30. 22% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.