Admissions Factors
What Penn State Looks For
Penn State rates 1 factor as very important: academic GPA.
How Penn State rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Very important
Important
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
55.3%
58,952 of 106,547 applicants
Early decision admit rate
No early decision
Admitted from the waitlist
4%
46 of 1,153 who stayed on it
Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 3.67. 37% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does Penn State look for in applicants?
Penn State rates 1 factor as very important: academic GPA.
Does Penn State consider legacy status?
Penn State rates alumni relation as "not considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does Penn State track demonstrated interest?
Penn State rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".
What is Penn State's waitlist acceptance rate?
1,153 students stayed on the waitlist and 46 were admitted, a rate of 4%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.
Source: Penn 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.
