What are Penn State's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into Penn State. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.
Location: University Park, PA
This school is also known as: Penn State University Park, PSU, Penn State
Penn State Admissions Statistics
There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. All these combine to tell you what you scores are required to get into Penn State University Park.
Average SAT: 1265
The average SAT score composite at Penn State is a 1265.
Penn State SAT Score Analysis
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1220, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1380.
In other words, a 1220 places you below average, while a 1380 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at Penn State, but they really want to see at least a 1220 to have a chance at being considered.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 640 | 610 | 710 |
| Reading + Writing | 625 | 600 | 680 |
| Composite | 1265 | 1220 | 1380 |
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Average GPA: 3.68
The average GPA at Penn State is 3.68. This makes Penn State Strongly Competitive for GPAs.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.68, Penn Staterequires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need a mix of A's and B's, with a leaning toward A's. If you took some AP or IB classes, this will help boost your weighted GPA and show your ability to take college classes.
If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.68, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.
Admissions Rate: 55.2%
The acceptance rate at Penn State is 55.2%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, 55 are admitted.
This means the school issomewhat selective. You should prepare your academic scores well, but you have an excellent chance if you impress them.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission. Scoring at a 1265 SAT or above will already give you a great shot at getting in. Scoring a 1380 will nearly guarantee you admission, given that your GPA is roughly the average of 3.68.
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Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at Penn State University Park?
Chances of admission with these scores:
Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
Pick your test:SATACT
SAT Score
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Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
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Other Schools For You
If you're interested in Penn State, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Penn State.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Penn State. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA | 1358 | 30 |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 1355 | 29 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, NY | 1352 | 31 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | 1331 | 30 |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1315 | 29 |
| Seton Hall University | South Orange, NJ | 1310 | 30 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | 1310 | 29 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for Penn State, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Davis | Davis, CA | 1280 | 28 |
| College Station, TX | 1275 | 29 | |
| University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1270 | 29 |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | 1270 | 28 |
| University of Oregon | Eugene, OR | 1253 | 27 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead, NY | 1246 | 27 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1245 | 25 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for Penn State, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Penn State is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1225 | 26 |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | 1223 | 26 |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, CT | 1175 | 25 |
| Ohio University | Athens, OH | 1174 | 25 |
| Pace University | New York, NY | 1173 | 26 |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | 1160 | 23 |
| California State University Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | 1145 | 23 |
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
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