What are University of Pennsylvania's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into University of Pennsylvania. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.
Location: Philadelphia, PA
This school is also known as: Penn
University of Pennsylvania 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 University of Pennsylvania.
Average SAT: 1500
The average SAT score composite at University of Pennsylvania is a 1500.
University of Pennsylvania SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1440, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1560.
In other words, a 1440 places you below average, while a 1560 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at University of Pennsylvania, but they really want to see at least a 1440 to have a chance at being considered.
Here's the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
Math | 770 | 740 | 800 |
Reading + Writing | 730 | 700 | 760 |
Composite | 1500 | 1440 | 1560 |
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Average GPA: 3.9
The average GPA at University of Pennsylvania is 3.9. This makes University of Pennsylvania Extremely Competitive for GPAs.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.9, University of Pennsylvania requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. You should also have taken plenty of AP or IB classes to show your ability to excel in academic challenge.
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 3.9, 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: 8.4%
The acceptance rate at University of Pennsylvania is 8.4%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, only 8 are admitted.
This means the school is very selective. Scores are vital to getting past their first round of filters. After that, you will need to impress them beyond just your academic scores.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is extremely selective, getting a high SAT score and GPA is vital to having a chance at getting in. If you don't pass their SAT and GPA requirements, they'll likely reject you without much consideration.
To be safe, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1560 SAT and a 3.9 GPA or higher to be above average.
This is only part of the challenge - after this, you'll need to impress them beyond your academic scores, with your accomplishments and extracurriculars. But if you apply with a 1500 SAT or below, you unfortunately have a small chance of getting in.
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Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at University of Pennsylvania?
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: New SAT ACT
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:
- 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
- 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
- 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
- 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
- 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in
Other Schools For You
If you're interested in University of Pennsylvania, 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 University of Pennsylvania.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than University of Pennsylvania. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
Yale University | New Haven, CT | 1515 | 34 |
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 1510 | 34 |
Columbia University | New York, NY | 1505 | 34 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for University of Pennsylvania, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 1505 | 34 |
Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 1500 | 34 |
Brown University | Providence, RI | 1485 | 34 |
New York University | New York, NY | 1440 | 32 |
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1435 | 33 |
Boston University | Boston, MA | 1420 | 32 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for University of Pennsylvania, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If University of Pennsylvania is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 1420 | 33 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 1409 | 31 |
University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 1355 | 29 |
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