Test-optional, with exceptions for some programsEA

The Pennsylvania State University

PA · Public · Mid-Atlantic · National university · Top 100 tier · 42,479 undergraduates (large)

Admission rates

Latest admit rates

Overall admit rate55.3%
Early roundNot reported by roundEarly-round counts not in the CDS
Regular round†Not reported by roundEarly-round counts not in the CDS

† Not reported by round: this school publishes an overall admit rate but not applicant and admit counts for each round, so early and regular rates can’t be shown.

Trends, Fall 2019–Fall 2025

Admission rates

Overall
0%30%60%'19'20'21'22'23'24'2549.1%55.3%no datano datano datano datano data

Early plans

Fall 2027 applicants

Early Action, non-binding · School admissions page ↗What this means:

Testing

Testing policy

Fall 2027
Test-optional, with exceptions for some programsTest-optional for most; scores required for the Accelerated Premedical-Medical programSchool testing page ↗ · checked Nov 2026
Fall 2028
Fall 2028 policy not yet announced.School testing page ↗ · checked Nov 2026

Superscoring

What this means:

SAT
Does not superscore (highest single sitting)
ACT
Does not superscore (highest single sitting)

Source ↗ · checked Nov 3, 2026

Test-optional (required for Accelerated Premed-Med).

How to send scores

Self-report accepted; school doesn’t say when official scores are due

You can self-report or send official scores. The school’s page doesn’t say when official scores are required.

Self-report only via MyPennState (not STARS). The saved page does not say when official scores are required.

School’s words: “Applicants that have elected to have scores used in the evaluation of their application can self-report SAT or ACT exam scores via their MyPennState account after they have submitted an application for admission.”

Source ↗ · checked Nov 3, 2026

Students submitting scores

Est. % submitting scores‡33.6%SAT 28.6% + ACT 5%

‡ Est. % submitting scores adds the share of enrolled first-years who submitted the SAT to the share who submitted the ACT.

Submitted SAT28.6%
2,616 students
Submitted ACT5%
456 students

Score ranges (middle 50%)

Enrolled first-years who submitted scores, Fall 2025. A quarter scored below the range and a quarter above.

SAT composite
1280–1410 median 1340
10001600
SAT Reading & Writing
630–710 median 670
500800
SAT Math
630–720 median 670
500800
ACT composite
28–32 median 30
2036

Trends, Fall 2019–Fall 2025

Share of enrolled students submitting scores

SAT + ACT (est.)SATACT
0%50%100%'19'20'21'22'23'24'2594.8%33.6%77.63%28.6%17.22%4.98%no datano datano datano datano data

SAT composite, middle 50%

25th–75th percentile, enrolled students (labels show both values)
160014001200'19'20'21'22'23'24'25no datano datano datano datano datano data1280–141014101280

ACT composite, middle 50%

25th–75th percentile, enrolled students (labels show both values)
36322824'19'20'21'22'23'24'2525–303025no datano datano datano datano data28–323228

Waitlist admit rate

Share of students who stayed on the waitlist and were later admitted, by entering class.

  • 2025: 4%

What is a waitlist? How is it different from a deferral?

Test policy in each Common Data Set

History only. The current policy is under Testing above.

  1. Fall 2027 Not reported2025-26 CDS
  2. Fall 2026 CDS not available2024-25 CDS
  3. Fall 2025 CDS not available2023-24 CDS
  4. Fall 2024 CDS not available2022-23 CDS
  5. Fall 2023 CDS not available2021-22 CDS
  6. Fall 2022 CDS not available2020-21 CDS
  7. Fall 2021 Not reported2019-20 CDS

Sources