What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Duke University
Loading…
 UCLA
UCLA
Loading…
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

How to Get Into Penn State: Admissions Stats + Tips

Do you know how to improve your profile for college applications?

See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now — it only takes 3 minutes and it's 100% free.

Show me what areas I need to improve

What’s Covered:

 

Known particularly for its flagship University Park campus, Pennsylvania State University is home to 24 campuses in total, scattered throughout the state. It was founded in 1855, originally as Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania, and it is widely known as a prestigious public research university today.

 

So, how do you get into this “Public Ivy”?

 

How Hard Is It to Get Into Penn State?

 

In the 2020–2021 admissions cycle, 73,861 applied students applied to Penn State, and 40,031 were admitted, for an admissions rate of 54.2%.

 

Penn State is selective — one of the more competitive public universities — but your personal chances of admission vary according to your profile strength. To find out your real chances of admission, try our free admissions calculator. Not only will you find out your odds of acceptance, but you’ll also receive tips on how to improve your profile.

 

Average Academic Profile of Accepted Penn State Students

 

GPA

 

The average middle 50% GPA ranges for enrolled students are as follow:

  • University Park: 3.56-3.91 (unweighted) 
  • All other campuses: 3.06-3.65

 

SAT/ACT

SAT:

 

The average middle 50% standardized test scores for enrolled students are as follow:

  • University Park: 1280-1450 
  • All other campuses: 1090-1300 

 

ACT:

  • University Park: 29-33
  • All other campuses: 23-30

 

What is Penn State Looking for?

 

At Penn State, selectivity varies according to campus, with University Park being the most competitive campus for admission. Some special programs are also more difficult to get into.

 

Your academic record is the most important part of your application, especially since Penn State does not consider factors like your application essay, recommendations, and extracurricular activities, unlike many other universities.

 

Also, pay attention to the requirements for high school coursework. These vary according to the individual college or school to which you’re applying.

 

How Penn State Evaluates Applications

 

According to Penn State’s 2020–21 Common Data Set, this factor “very important” in the admissions process:

 

  • Academic GPA

 

This is “important”:

 

  • Rigor of secondary school record

 

These are “considered”:

 

  • Standardized test scores
  • Talent/ability
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • Geographical residence
  • State residency
  • Racial/ethnic status
  • Application essay (pre-med only)

 

These are “not considered”:

 

  • Class rank
  • Application essay
  • Recommendations
  • Interview
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Character/personal qualities
  • First generation
  • Religious affiliation/commitment
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
  • Level of applicant’s interest

 

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into Penn State

 

1. Achieve at least a 3.91 while taking the most challenging classes available

 

Many schools, especially large ones like Penn State, use the Academic Index, a metric combining academic factors, to evaluate applicants before considering other factors. Ensure you meet the minimum qualifications by attaining a high GPA.

 

Moreover, you should also challenge yourself by participating in the most rigorous curriculum available to you. If you have access to them, take several AP and honors courses each year. (Here’s some advice on how many APs students should aim for).

 

If your GPA is lower, and you’re earlier on in your high school career, check out our tips for increasing your GPA. If you’re a junior or senior, it will be harder to increase your GPA, so the easiest way to increase your Academic Index is to get a higher test score.

 

2. Aim for a 1450 SAT and 33 ACT

 

Try to aim for the upper end of the middle 50% standardized test range — 1450 SAT and 33 ACT (University Park). It’s fine if you fall within the accepted average range, though, especially in light of COVID-19 test-optional policies. If you do have the ability to take the tests safely, we recommend doing so and submitting your scores if they fall at or above the 25th percentile.

 

Get recommendations on applying test-optional using our free Chancing Engine

 

To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

 

 

3. Apply Early Action

 

Early Action at Penn State is a non-binding plan that will allow you to find out whether you’ve been admitted before Regular Decision applicants. “If you tend to stress out more than most and have been dreading the college admissions process, applying early action may be the best way to make your senior year of high school as enjoyable as possible,” Penn State says. 

 

While EA plans usually don’t offer the same advantage as Early Decision plans, they often do give you a slight bump.

 

4. Understand that different campuses and schools are more competitive than others

 

University Park is the most selective campus, and some special programs are more competitive than others. Review the requirements for individual programs and campuses, and consider alternatives, which may provide an alternate path for admission.

 

5. Consider Summer Session

 

If you are set on University Park, you can increase your chances of admission by indicating that you’re willing to start during summer session. Penn State will review your application and consider you for your first-choice semester initially, and if they are unable to offer you admission and you’ve indicated interest in summer session, they will consider you for this alternate start time.

 

How to Apply to Penn State

 

Deadlines

 

Application Timeline

Deadline

Early Action

November 1

Regular Decision

Rolling (apply by December 1 to hear back by January 31)

 

Application Requirements

 

  • Penn State application, Common App, or Coalition Application
  • Self-Reported Academic Record
  • Standardized test scores (currently optional)

 

Learn more about Penn State

 


Short Bio
Laura Berlinsky-Schine is a freelance writer and editor based in Brooklyn with her demigod/lab mix Hercules. She specializes in education, technology and career development. She also writes satire and humor, which has appeared in Slackjaw, Points in Case, Little Old Lady Comedy, Jane Austen’s Wastebasket, and Funny-ish. View her work and get in touch at: www.lauraberlinskyschine.com.