Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Villanova Admissions: The SAT, ACT Scores and GPA You Need to Get In

villanova admissions how to get into villanova sat scores villanova act scores -magoosh

When are you surrounded by nature but also in (well, near) a major city? It’s not a riddle…or if it is, it’s one every Villanova student can solve! The campus is on 250+ acres, has around 1,500 trees…and is only 12 miles from the center of Philadelphia. In addition, Greek life is huge, with almost a third of students taking part. If you’re a nature-loving future-Kappa-something or future-Sigma-something (or if you’re a big Jill Biden fan…she went here!), Villanova just might be your dream school. And if you’re wondering how to get into Villanova, look no further. Here’s the lowdown on what you need to know about Villanova admissions, including how to get into Villanova, Villanova SAT scores, Villanova ACT scores, and even more!

Here’s Villanova admissions in a nutshell.

Villanova at a Glance

Villanova SAT Scores (middle 50%) 1400-1500
Villanova ACT Scores (middle 50%) 32-34
Villanova admissions rate 27.7%
Villanova GPA average (weighted) 4.13-4.47

Villanova SAT Scores

Math 640-740
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 630-710

What can we learn from these scores? First of all, Villanova SAT scores are pretty darn competitive. A score of 1400 is in the 94th percentile of all test takers (meaning that only 6% of students score this high) and 1500 is in the 99th percentile (meaning that only 1% of students score this high). Should that discourage you if Villanova is your top-choice school and your scores aren’t this high? Definitely not! Should you prep and take the exam again? For a lot of students, this will be a good option.

Villanova ACT Scores

Villanova, like the vast majority of colleges, accepts ACT scores in addition to SAT scores. So let’s take a look at Villanova’s ACT scores.

English 30-35
Math 28-33
Reading N/A
Science N/A
Composite 32-34

Are Villanova’s ACT scores less competitive or more competitive than their SAT scores? They’re exactly the same! The middle 50% of Villanova ACT scores range from 32 (94th percentile, or top 6%) to 34 (99th percentile).

Villanova Acceptance Rate

Villanova’s acceptance rate was 27.7%. In other words, the school accepted fewer than a third of its applicants. How can you up your chances? If Villanova’s your dream school, apply early decision or early action: the school accepted more than 33% of students in this cohort.

However, do keep in mind that early decision students tend to be a self-selecting group. They know where they want to go early on and have already taken their standardized tests and gotten their application materials (including letters of recommendation, and essays) together early. Applying early may indeed give you a leg up—but your competition is also stiffer. If Villanova is your top choice, go for it! Otherwise, applying regular decision may be your better bet and leave you with more options.

Villanova GPA Average

Villanova’s GPA average for admitted students is 4.13-4.47 (middle 50%). You may look at that and think it can’t be right—how can students have a GPA higher than 4.0? This is due to the fact that some high schools weight grades for advanced courses like APs differently, out of 5.0 instead of 4.0. If you’re not sure how your school weights them, ask your guidance counselor (or check your last report card if you’re in those super hard classes).

Villanova Freshman Profile

In Villanova’s most recently admitted class, 65% of students ranked in the top 10% of their high school classes. An enormous 95% ranked in the top 20%. If your rank isn’t where you’d like it to be, keep in mind that 5% of Villanova students were not in this top 20%…but also keep in mind that you can’t know their situations (six campus buildings named after their family? World record holder in pole vault?).

Unfortunately, there are only certain aspects of your application you can control by the time you’re ready for college applications. Should you fret about your class rank, which is pretty much fixed by now? No! Instead, try to get the aspects of the application that you can control in top-notch shape: your essays, references (well, you can control whom you ask…don’t try to control what they write!), and test scores.

FAQ

Does Villanova have a wait list?

It does…but the odds aren’t great. Out of the several thousand students who accepted their wait-list placements in the last admissions cycle, about one in a hundred was eventually admitted. Again, if Villanova’s your dream school, stay on it! But if not, think about asking…

Does Villanova accept transfers?

Yes! If you’re worried about how to get into Villanova as a freshman, you may want to spend a year doing coursework at another institution and then consider transferring. Recently, Villanova’s acceptance rate for transfers was almost 31.6%, which is above its freshman admissions rate. Another year just might make all the difference to your future at the college!

How to Get Into Villanova

Villanova admissions may seem intimidating at first glance. The high Villanova SAT scores (and Villanova ACT scores) may be particularly off-putting, as they are nearly as competitive as some Ivy League schools’! However, stay strong. If getting into Villanova is your dream, make sure you have great application materials, do your best on standardized tests, and wait for that admissions email. Good luck!

Author

  • Rachel Kapelke-Dale

    Rachel is a Magoosh Content Creator. She writes and updates content on our High School and GRE Blogs to ensure students are equipped with the best information during their test prep journey. As a test-prep instructor for more than five years in there different countries, Rachel has helped students around the world prepare for various standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, and she is one of the authors of our Magoosh ACT Prep Book. Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Brown University, an MA in Cinematography from the Université de Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in Film Studies from University College London. For over a decade, Rachel has honed her craft as a fiction and memoir writer and public speaker. Her novel, THE BALLERINAS, is forthcoming in December 2021 from St. Martin’s Press, while her memoir, GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND, co-written with Jessica Pan, was published in 2014 by Penguin Random House. Her work has appeared in over a dozen online and print publications, including Vanity Fair Hollywood. When she isn’t strategically stringing words together at Magoosh, you can find Rachel riding horses or with her nose in a book. Join her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!

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