Penn State Altoona - Admission Requirements, SAT, ACT, GPA and chance of acceptance

Your chances of getting into Penn State Altoona

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted

95.8%

Admission Difficulty for Penn State Altoona
Measure	Difficulty
Admission Standards		Average
Applicant Competition		Very Low

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Penn State Altoona is 95.8%. Its admission rate is the 117th lowest in Pennsylvania.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Penn State Altoona and can you get accepted?

Penn State Altoona is an easy school to get into and you have a very good chance of acceptance if you meet the admission criteria. Last year, 7,204 out of the 7,523 who applied were admitted.

Penn State Altoona typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.4. 13% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Penn State Altoona?

96% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Penn State Altoona you should:

Have a high school GPA of 3.4 or better
Earn B+ grades in high school
Score 1150 on the SAT
Score 24 on the ACT

Penn State Altoona GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

3.4*

Typical High School Grades

B+

What GPA do you need to get into Penn State Altoona?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Penn State Altoona are to have around a 3.4 high school GPA. You are required to have above average high school grades.

If your high school grades are above the average 3.4 GPA, you have a very good chance of being admitted as Penn State Altoona accepts 96% of applicants.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Penn State Altoona is 3.4 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn B+ letter grades and regularly score around 87-89 percent on tests and assignments in high school. The school ranks #70 in Pennsylvania for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since Penn State Altoona is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.4 GPA range.

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.4 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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Penn State Altoona SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Penn State Altoona. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 31% of students submitted SAT scores and 3% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range

1050-1250

Applicants Submitting SAT

31%

SAT Scores for Penn State Altoona
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	530
Math 25th Percentile	520
Composite 25th Percentile	1050

SAT Scores for Penn State Altoona
SAT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	630
Math 75th Percentile	620
Composite 75th Percentile	1250
Average SAT Score	1150

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Penn State Altoona?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona is 1150 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1050-1250. Students who get into Penn State Altoona score in the top 51 percent of all SAT test takers.. Penn State Altoona ranks #53 in the state of Pennsylvania for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1150 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Penn State Altoona regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1050 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1050, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 950, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Penn State Altoona is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1150 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1150, you have around a 96% chance of being admitted. A 1250 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 98% chance of getting in.

Penn State Altoona admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1250 and Above	Good	>98%
1150 to 1250	Avg +	96%-98%
1050 to 1150	Avg -	93%-96%
950 to 1050	Reach	87%-93%
Less than 950	Low	<87%

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Penn State Altoona ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

21-28

Applicants Submitting ACT

ACT Scores for Penn State Altoona
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	20
Math 25th Percentile	19
Composite 25th Percentile	21

ACT Scores for Penn State Altoona
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	28
Math 75th Percentile	26
Composite 75th Percentile	28
Average ACT Score	24

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Penn State Altoona?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Penn State Altoona is 24, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 21 and 28. The school ranks #47 in Pennsylvania for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 24. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 21 and score in the score in the top 43 percent nationally. The lowest ACT score likely to be admitted is a 18.

3 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Penn State Altoona.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Penn State Altoona is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Penn State Altoona for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 24 score has around 96% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 98% with a 28 ACT score.

Penn State Altoona admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
28 and Above	Good	>98%
24 to 28	Avg +	96%-98%
21 to 24	Avg -	93%-96%
18 to 21	Reach	89%-93%
Less than 18	Low	<89%

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Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Penn State Altoona admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	4,338	3,158	7,523
Accepted	4,143	3,036	7,204
Acceptance Rate	96%	96%	96%
Enrolled	410	482	905
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	10%	16%	13%

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Penn State Altoona is $65.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Penn State Altoona and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Penn State Altoona Application Requirements
Test Scores	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA	Required to be considered for admission
High School Class Rank	Not considered for admission, even if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Recommendations	Not considered for admission, even if submitted
Demonstration of Competencies	Not considered for admission, even if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Penn State Altoona
AP Credit	Yes
Dual Credit	Yes
Credit for Life Experiences	No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Penn State Altoona is lightly competitive to get into, you have a very good chance of acceptance with the right GPA and test scores. If you have a 3.4 GPA, you are almost certain to getting in. Combining this with an SAT score of 1150 and ACT of 24 will almost guarantee your admission.