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 78%. It ranks #56 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, 74,604 out of 95,321 applicants were admitted.
The school has difficult admission requirements for SAT and ACT scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 37 percent (SAT 1070/1300 ACT 24/29). Penn State Main Campus typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.68. 21% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
Testing Requirements
You are required to submit admission test scores with your application. Penn State Main Campus is not a test optional school. Note: Please consult the school directly to confirm the most up to date testing requirements.
Penn State SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 530 |
| SAT Math 25th | 540 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1070 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 640 |
| SAT Math 75th | 660 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1300 |
| 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 prefers 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 average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1190 out of 1600. Penn State 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.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 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 | 23 |
| ACT Math 25th | 23 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 24 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 30 |
| ACT Math 75th | 29 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 29 |
| 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 24 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 27 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 22 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 29 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #17 in Pennsylvania for highest average ACT composite score. 22 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Penn State Main Campus.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 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 #17 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 78% 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.
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Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 49,725 | 45,596 | 95,321 |
| Accepted | 38,683 | 35,921 | 74,604 |
| Acceptance Rate | 78% | 79% | 78% |
| Enrolled | 7,334 | 8,280 | 15,614 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 19% | 23% | 21% |
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 | 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 |
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?
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?
78% of those who apply are granted admission to Penn State. Admission competition is and the college has difficult 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 1300. 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 24 and 29. 22% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.