What Does it Take to Get Into Stevens Institute of Technology?

Situated just outside New York City, in Hoboken, NJ, Stevens Institute of Technology is a mid-sized school with a deep commitment to research and the STEM fields. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest research institutions in the country and today it is home to nearly 7,000 undergraduates. The school offers 35 undergraduate majors, 22 Ph.D. programs, 58 master’s programs, and 122 certificate programs.

Stevens is well respected for the quality of its STEM education and the career outcomes of its graduates. Although US News and World Report ranks it at 70th for National Universities, it lands in the top 25 for Most Innovative Schools. Princeton Review recognizes it as a top 10 school for career placement, and Forbes ranks it in the top 10 for multiple categories, including Colleges with the Smallest Gender Gap in Earnings from Graduates and Colleges With Highest Salaries After Graduation.

There’s no doubt that a degree in the STEM fields can propel you to an exciting career with strong earning potential and a solid starting salary, but these are far from the only reasons to pursue an education at Stevens. Stevens is also a great choice for students planning to pursue fields like management or marketing, and more. To learn how to optimize your shot at acceptance, don’t miss this post.

Applying to Stevens Institute of Technology: A Quick Overview

Stevens Institute of Technology accepts only the Common Application. You can learn more about it in our Guide to the Common App.

Applicants can choose from three options for applying. Early Action I applications are due by November 15. Early Action II and Regular Decision applications are due January 15.

In addition to completing the Common Application, all applicants must submit:

• Official test scores from the ACT or SAT
• Official transcript
• At least one teacher recommendation
• One guidance counselor recommendation
• Personal statement

In addition, students can take advantage of the optional interview, however these are offered only after an initial review of a student’s application, and are not typically considered an especially important part of the admissions process by the admissions committee.  

Stevens Institute of Technology Acceptance Rate:  How Difficult Is It to Get In?

The Stevens Institute of Technology is a fairly selective school. This means that unfortunately, most applicants are not accepted.

In 2018, the acceptance rate at Stevens Institute of Technology was 41%.

This means that in order to get accepted, you will need to outshine more than half the applicant pool. Keep reading to learn more about the specifics that Stevens Institute of Technology looks for as they weigh admissions factors and choose the applicants who will ultimately be offered a coveted acceptance. 

So, How Does One Get Into Stevens Institute of Technology?

In order to be considered for admissions at Stevens, students must first meet minimum academic requirements. These include at least four units of English and math classes, and three units of science. In addition to these bare minimums, Stevens recommends that students take one additional year of science, two years of a foreign language, two years of social studies, two years of history, and four academic electives.

Stevens bases its admissions decisions primarily on academic performance, consequently the most important factors in its admissions process are standardized test scores, GPA, and the rigor of your secondary school classes. This means that your best shot at getting in is by excelling academically and acing your tests.

Particular talents and personal characteristics are also considered important by the admissions committee, so if you can highlight a specific hook in your application, especially if it relates to the STEM fields, you may be able to gain an edge. To learn more about what a hook is on your college application and how you can use one to your advantage, check out our post What Does it Mean to be a “Hooked” Applicant?.

The admissions committee also considers your essay, recommendations, interview, extracurriculars, volunteer work, and other factors in the admissions process, but none of these are considered of particular importance. If your application is borderline, these elements will become more important, but your best bet at earning an acceptance to Stevens is to prove your academic abilities through test scores and grades. Keep reading to learn exactly how to make your application stand out.

How to Make Your Application Stand Out

Ace your standardized tests. Successful Stevens applicants tend to do very well on their SATs and ACTs, which is not surprising given the weight that is placed on these scores during the application process. That being said, the scores you need to be competitive at Stevens are not unattainable for many high schoolers if they have access to the right resources. The mid-50th percentile of admitted students submitted SAT scores between 1330-1480 or ACT scores between 29-33. For help preparing for your SAT, consider the benefits of CollegeVine’s full service, customized SAT Tutoring Program, where the brightest and most qualified tutors in the industry guide students to an average score increase of 250 points.

Apply Early Action. Stevens is one school where applying through the non-binding Early Action program can pay off. While the overall acceptance rate hovers around 40%, you can improve your chances to 56% if you apply through the Early Action program. If you know that Stevens is among your top choices and you want every advantage possible, get that application in in time for the Early Action I deadline and maximize your chances.

Achieve a stellar GPA. Stevens wants students who are academically talented. One of the most important factors in admissions is your high school GPA. If you take challenging high school classes and do well in them, you’ll automatically stand out. The average GPA of accepted students at Stevens is 3.86, but if you can achieve a near perfect GPA, even better. Strive to achieve a balance by taking challenging and advanced coursework, especially in quantitative fields, while maintaining a strong record.

What If You Get Rejected?

First of all, don’t panic. If you got rejected, you are actually in good company. In fact, most students who apply to Stevens end up getting rejected. The good news is that you have plenty of other options available.

If you landed on the waitlist, there’s even more good news for you. While some colleges only end up accepting a fraction of a percent of the students who are waitlisted, Stevens actually uses their waitlist fairly regularly. In fact, of the 583 students who accepted a place on the waitlist in 2017, 90 were eventually admitted for a waitlist acceptance rate of more than 15%.

While Stevens Institute of Technology does accept transfer students, transfer admissions are not any easier than first-year admissions. In fact, transfer students are actually admitted at a lower acceptance rate than first-years, so if you plan to transfer, you’ll need to improve (not just maintain) your applicant profile by achieving higher grades before doing so.

That being said, your first priority should be finding another great school to attend where you’re just as likely to succeed. With thousands of options, there is a good fit out there for everyone. For help adjusting to a different dream school, read our post, Envisioning a New Future: Preparing for Life at Your Second-Choice (or Third, or Fourth) School.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to the Stevens Institute of Technology? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!