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Penn State Acceptance Rate
For the application year 2024, Pennsylvania State University has an overall acceptance rate of 60.5%, with 88,478 applicants and 53,579 accepted. The transfer acceptance rate is significantly higher at 69.8%, with 940 applicants and 656 admitted, reflecting a competitive but favorable pathway for transfer students. In terms of waitlist statistics, 1,818 students were offered a place on the waitlist, with 654 ultimately accepted, resulting in a 36% acceptance rate. SAT scores for admitted students fall between a 25th percentile of 1250 and a 75th percentile of 1410, while the ACT scores range from a 25th percentile of 27 to a 75th percentile of 32.
Overall Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 88,478
Accepted Applicants: 53,579
Regular Decision vs Early Action Acceptance Rates
Historical Acceptance Rates
Pennsylvania State University saw an acceptance rate of 60.5% for the 2024 application year, with 88,478 applicants and 53,579 accepted. This marked an increase from the 54.2% acceptance rate in 2023, when 85,957 students applied, and 46,605 were admitted. Notably, the acceptance rates exhibited significant variability over recent years, with figures ranging from a high of 75.9% in 2019 to lows of 51.3% in 2015 and 50.3% in 2017. The overall trend highlights a gradual decline in acceptance rates since 2019, reflecting a more competitive applicant pool.
Wait List Acceptance Rate
Pennsylvania State University had a wait list acceptance rate of 36% for the application year 2024, with 654 out of 1,818 wait listed applicants admitted. This marks a significant increase compared to the previous year (2023), which saw an acceptance rate of only 1.7% with 84 out of 4,903 applicants receiving offers. In 2021, the acceptance rate stood at 11%, indicating that the current acceptance rate is notably higher. Historical data suggests fluctuations in the wait list process, highlighting the unpredictability of admissions at the university.
1818
Offered a Place
654
Admitted
36%
Acceptance Rate
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Pennsylvania State University has a transfer acceptance rate of 69.8% for the application year 2024, with 940 applicants and 656 admissions, indicating a strong trend in welcoming transfers. This rate marks a notable increase from 56.8% in 2023 and 56.7% in 2022. Historically, the acceptance rate has varied, peaking at 69.8% in 2024 and previously dropping as low as 45.9% in 2020. The average GPA of admitted transfer students is 3.84, highlighting the strong academic profile of this year's transfer cohort.
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 940
Accepted Applicants: 656
Domestic vs International Acceptance Rates
Scores
GPA
3.84
SAT
1250-1410
Math: 620-720
Reading: 620-700
ACT
27-32
Math: 26-31
English: 26-33
Reading: 28-34
Science: 25-32
Acceptances by Race
| Race | Applicants |
|---|---|
| White | 62.56% |
| Asian American | 7.57% |
| Black/African American | 4.57% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 9.3% |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 0.12% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.07% |
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