Admissions Factors

What Iowa State Looks For

Iowa State rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.

How Iowa State rates each factor

Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.

Very important

Important

Standardized test scores

Considered

Not considered

The numbers behind the class

Overall admit rate

87.9%

21,652 of 24,625 applicants

Early decision admit rate

No early decision

Admitted from the waitlist

No waitlist

Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.76.

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Frequently asked questions

What does Iowa State look for in applicants?

Iowa State rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.

Does Iowa State consider legacy status?

Iowa State rates alumni relation as "not considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.

Does Iowa State track demonstrated interest?

Iowa State rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".

Source: Iowa State’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.