P
#7 Best Private Colleges in Washington

PLU Admission Requirements

Tacoma, Washington

 3 Reviews

Chances of getting into Pacific Lutheran University

Acceptance Rate

Admitted 
88%
Admission Difficulty for Pacific Lutheran University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Difficult 
Applicant Competition Very Low 
How hard is it to get into PLU and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at PLU is 88%.  It ranks #15 in Washington for lowest rate of acceptance. Pacific Lutheran University is an easy school to get into with a very good chance of acceptance if you meet the admission requirements. Last year, 2,846 out of 3,220 applicants were admitted.

The school has difficult admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 34 percent on standardized admission tests. Pacific Lutheran University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.71. 18% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

The PLU application fee is $0 and applications are due by Jul 1.

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Pacific Lutheran University. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 11% of students submitted SAT scores and 6% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

PLU SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 
1150-1376
Applicants Submitting SAT 
11%
SAT Scores for Pacific Lutheran University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 570
SAT Math 25th 580
SAT Composite 25th 1150
SAT Scores for Pacific Lutheran University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 693
SAT Math 75th 683
SAT Composite 75th 1376
Average SAT Score 1260

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Pacific Lutheran University?

Pacific Lutheran University 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 Pacific Lutheran University score in the top 32 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1150-1376.

Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Pacific Lutheran University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1376 and Above Good >93%
1263 to 1376 Avg + 88%-93%
1150 to 1263 Avg - 79%-88%
1037 to 1150 Reach 67%-79%
Less than 1037 Low <67%
Calculate My Chances 
Connect with PLU

Engage with counselors on a personal level to demonstrate your interest in their school and get answers to all of your admissions-related questions.

Sponsored by CollegeVine

PLU ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 
22-28 
Applicants Submitting ACT 
6%
ACT Scores for Pacific Lutheran University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 21
ACT Math 25th 21
ACT Composite 25th 22
ACT Scores for Pacific Lutheran University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 28
ACT Math 75th 27
ACT Composite 75th 28
Average ACT Score 25

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into PLU?

Pacific Lutheran University is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

PLU regularly accepts students who score 22 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 37 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 22-28.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Pacific Lutheran University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
28 and Above Good >93%
25 to 28 Avg + 88%-93%
22 to 25 Avg - 79%-88%
19 to 22 Reach 67%-79%
Less than 19 Low <67%
Calculate My Chances 

PLU GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 
3.71
Typical High School Grades 
A-

What GPA do you need to get into Pacific Lutheran University?

Applicants require very good grades in high school to get into PLU. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Pacific Lutheran University was 3.71 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #3 in Washington for highest average GPA. If your high school grades are above the average 3.71 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as PLU accepts 88% of all applicants.

 What do these ratings mean?

Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements

High School GPA's for admitted Pacific Lutheran University students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness 
4.0 26.0% Good
3.75 to 3.99 29.4% Avg
3.50 to 3.74 20.3% Avg -
3.25 to 3.49 17.2% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 5.7% Reach
2.50 to 2.99 1.4% Low
2.00 to 2.49 0% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

GPA Data Source, Peterson's Data 2022

Applying

Admission Statistics

Pacific Lutheran University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 1,929 1,290 3,220
Accepted 1,744 1,101 2,846
Acceptance Rate 90% 85% 88%
Enrolled 330 179 510
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 19% 16% 18%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications are Due
Jul 1, 2023
Days left to Apply
91

Applicants have 91 days left until the Fall 2023 term applications are due on Jul 1, 2023.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Pacific Lutheran University is $0. The school is free to apply to.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Pacific Lutheran University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Pacific Lutheran University Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Required
High School Class Rank Considered but not required
Completion of College Preparatory Program Recommended
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Neither required nor recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Pacific Lutheran University
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=236230 IPEDS survey data for Pacific Lutheran University.

FAQs

Does Pacific Lutheran University prefer SAT or ACT?

11% of students submit their SAT scores to PLU. 6% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Pacific Lutheran University?

88% of those who apply are granted admission to PLU. 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 Pacific Lutheran University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1150 and 1376. 11% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Pacific Lutheran University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 22 and 28. 6% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.