Chances of getting into Rhode Island School of Design
Acceptance Rate
How hard is it to get into RISD and can I get accepted?
The acceptance rate at RISD is 19%. It ranks #2 in Rhode Island and #64 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. RISD is a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Last year, 886 out of 4,742 applicants were admitted.
The school has extremely high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 12 percent on standardized admission tests. Rhode Island School of Design typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.71. Of those applicants who were admitted, 56% enrolled. With over half of admitted students enrolling, acceptance by Rhode Island School of Design is a prized outcome for many students.
The RISD application fee is $60 and applications are due by Feb 1.
Admission Requirements in Brief
To have the best chance of getting into to Rhode Island School of Design you should:
- Have a high school GPA of 3.71 or better
- Earn A- grades in high school
- Score 1400 on the SAT
- Score 31 on the ACT
- Submit letters of recommendation from your teachers
Test Optional
Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Rhode Island School of Design. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 31% of students submitted SAT scores and 7% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..
RISD SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 630 |
| SAT Math 25th | 680 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1310 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 710 |
| SAT Math 75th | 770 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1480 |
| Average SAT Score | 1400
|
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Rhode Island School of Design?
Rhode Island School of Design 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 Rhode Island School of Design score in the top 11 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1310-1480.
Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
RISD ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 27 |
| ACT Math 25th | 26 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 28 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 35 |
| ACT Math 75th | 32 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 34 |
| Average ACT Score | 31
|
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into RISD?
Rhode Island School of Design is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".
RISD regularly accepts students who score 28 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 12 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 28-34.
Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
Explore Rhode Island School of Design
RISD GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
What GPA do you need to get into Rhode Island School of Design?
Applicants require very good grades in high school to get into RISD. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Rhode Island School of Design was 3.71 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #2 in Rhode Island for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as RISD is a very selective school.
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. 3.71 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 3,597 | 1,145 | 4,742 |
| Accepted | 605 | 281 | 886 |
| Acceptance Rate | 17% | 25% | 19% |
| Enrolled | 335 | 161 | 496 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 55% | 57% | 56% |
Fall 2023 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Feb 1, 2023.
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to Rhode Island School of Design is $60.
Application Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Rhode Island School of Design 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 | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Required |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Other Colleges to Consider
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217493 IPEDS survey data for Rhode Island School of Design.
FAQs
Does Rhode Island School of Design prefer SAT or ACT?
31% of students submit their SAT scores to RISD. 7% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Rhode Island School of Design?
19% of those who apply are granted admission to RISD. Admission competition is very high and the college has exceptional admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for Rhode Island School of Design?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1310 and 1480. 31% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Rhode Island School of Design?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 28 and 34. 7% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.