USD Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Average | |
| Applicant Competition | Very Low |
Can I get into USD? The school has a 87% acceptance rate. Last year, 3,359 out of 3,865 applicants were admitted making University of South Dakota an easy school to get into with a very good chance of acceptance assuming you meet the requirements. Academically, it has average requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 46 percent. University of South Dakota typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 40% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top half of their high school class.
87% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 560 |
| SAT Math 25th | 530 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1090 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 640 |
| SAT Math 75th | 660 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1300 |
| Estimated Average SAT | 1200 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to University of South Dakota?
University of South Dakota typically requires applicants to be in the top 43 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1090 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 980. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1200 out of 1600. 3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1300 and Above | Good | >92% |
| 1195 to 1300 | Avg + | 87%-92% |
| 1090 to 1195 | Avg - | 80%-87% |
| 985 to 1090 | Reach | 70%-80% |
| Less than 985 | Low | <70% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 19 |
| ACT Math 25th | 18 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 20 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 25 |
| ACT Math 75th | 25 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 25 |
| Estimated Average ACT | 22 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into USD?
Admission data indicates that USD regularly accepts students with ACT's of 20 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 49 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 18 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 22 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 25 and above have very competitive chances. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 93 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to University of South Dakota.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 25 and Above | Good | >93% |
| 22 to 25 | Avg + | 87%-93% |
| 20 to 22 | Avg - | 81%-87% |
| 18 to 20 | Reach | 74%-81% |
| Less than 18 | Low | <74% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need above average high school grades to get into University of South Dakota. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at University of South Dakota was 3.36 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. If your high school grades are above the average 3.36 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as USD accepts 87% of all applicants.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 28% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 18% | Avg + |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 16% | Avg + |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 15% | Avg - |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 17% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | 4% | Reach |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | 2% | Reach |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
High School Class Rank
73% of University of South Dakota freshman were in the top half of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 15% |
| Top 25% of class | 38% |
| Top 50% of class | 73% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 27% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 7% |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 2,395 | 1,470 | 3,865 |
| Accepted | 2,116 | 1,243 | 3,359 |
| Acceptance Rate | 88% | 85% | 87% |
| Enrolled | 844 | 497 | 1,341 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 40% | 40% | 40% |
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to University of South Dakota and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Required |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| Recommendations | 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=219471 IPEDS survey data for University of South Dakota.
