Colorado State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

With an acceptance rate of 81%, Colorado State University is a largely accessible school. Students interested in Colorado State can apply on the Common Application or on the school's website.

Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Fort Collins, Colorado State University enrolls students from all 50 states and 85 countries. The university has a 17-to-1 student/faculty ratio, and high achieving students who want small classes with plenty of faculty interaction should look into the Honors Program. CSU's strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned the school a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. In athletics, the Colorado State University Rams compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference, and the university made the list of top equestrian colleges.

Considering applying to Colorado State University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Colorado State University had an acceptance rate of 81%. That means that for every 100 students who applied, 81 students were admitted, making Colorado State's admissions process somewhat less competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Colorado State requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 80% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Colorado State University's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Colorado State scored between 540 and 650, while 25% scored below 540 and 25% scored above 650. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 640, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 640. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1290 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Colorado State University.

Requirements

Colorado State does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Colorado State participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Colorado State does not require SAT Subject tests.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Colorado State University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 43% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Colorado State's admitted students fall within the top 31% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Colorado State received a composite ACT between 23 and 29, while 25% scored above 29 and 25% scored below 23.

Requirements

Unlike many universities, Colorado State superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered. Colorado State does not require the ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of Colorado State University's incoming freshmen class was 3.69, and over 46% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Colorado State have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Colorado State University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Colorado State University, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a slightly selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. As seen in the graph above, most accepted students had an average high school GPA of 3.0 or higher, a combined SAT score of 1050 or higher, and an ACT composite score of 21 or higher.

Colorado State University has holistic admissions and considers each application individually. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous high school curriculum. If your grades aren't quite where they should be, CSU will be much more impressed by an upward rather than downward trend in your GPA.

Students for whom English is not their first language will need to demonstrate English language proficiency. The university prefers to see TOEFL scores of 80 on the internet-based exam or 550 on the paper exam, PTE Academic scores of 58 or higher, or an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 or better.

All admissions data had been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Colorado State University Undergraduate Admissions Office.