Stony Brook University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Stony Brook University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 44%. Founded in 1957, Stony Brook is among the top research universities in the country. Because of the university's strengths in research and instruction, it was awarded membership in the Association of American Universities. The 1,100-acre campus sits on Long Island's north shore about 60 miles from New York City. Stony Brook University offers 119 majors and minors for undergraduate students to choose from, and the biological and health sciences are particularly strong. The Stony Brook Seawolves compete in the America East Conference.

Considering applying to Stony Brook 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, Stony Brook University had an acceptance rate of 44%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 44 students were admitted, making Stony Brook's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Stony Brook requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 86% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Stony Brook's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Stony Brook scored between 590 and 690, while 25% scored below 590 and 25% scored above 690. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 640 and 750, while 25% scored below 640 and 25% scored above 750. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1440 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Stony Brook.

Requirements

Stony Brook University does not require the SAT writing section or SAT Subject tests. Note that Stony Brook 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.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Stony Brook requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 20% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Stony Brook's admitted students fall within the top 18% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Stony Brook received a composite ACT score between 26 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 26.

Requirements

Note that Stony Brook does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. Stony Brook does not require the ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA for incoming Stony Brook University freshman was 3.84, and over 60% of admitted students had average GPAs above 3.75. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Stony Brook have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Stony Brook 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

Stony Brook University is one of the most selective schools in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Most admitted students have grades and standardized test scores that are well above average. However, Stony Brook has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. The Stony Brook admissions folks will be looking at the rigor of your high school courses, and not simply your grades. Success in challenging college preparatory classes such as International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and Honors can strengthen an application significantly. At a minimum, Stony Brook applicants should have completed a core curriculum that includes adequate science, math, English, foreign language, and social science classes. Stony Brook will also be interested in seeing an upward trend in your grades during high school.

The university accepts the Common Application, SUNY Application, and Coalition Application. Whichever application you choose to apply, you'll need to write a strong application essay. The university is also interested in learning about your extracurricular activities, particularly leadership and talent related to non-academic pursuits. Finally, all applicants must submit a letter of recommendation. Keep in mind that applicants to the Honors College and a few other specialized programs will have additional application requirements.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. The majority of successful applicants had a high school average of "B+" or better, combined SAT scores of 1150 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 24 or better. An "A" average and an SAT score over 1200 gives you an excellent chance of receiving an acceptance letter from Stony Brook. Note that there are some red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue in the middle of the graph. Some students with grades and test scores that were on target for Stony Brook University did not gain admission. On the flip side, note that a few students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm. This is because Stony Brook's admissions process is based on more than numerical data.

All admissions data was sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Stony Brook University's Undergraduate Admissions Office.