Southwestern University

It is very difficult to get into Southwestern University. The acceptance rate at Southwestern University is 45%. Last year, 5,557 students applied to Southwestern University and 2,489 were admitted.

If you are planning on applying to Southwestern University, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 2/1 and there is no application fee, which means it is free to apply.

Students who apply to Southwestern University for fall semester should hear back from Southwestern University by April 1.

Southwestern University Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Southwestern University's admissions stats.

Southwestern University 2023	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.5
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	25.5%
Mean SAT Score	1241
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	43%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	17%
Waitlist	Yes

Southwestern University Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Southwestern University.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 1
Early Decision II	–	–	–
Early Action	Yes	December 1	March 1
Regular Decision	Yes	2 1	April 1

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Want to Apply Early to Southwestern University?

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Southwestern University offers early decision and also offers early action. Early decision is binding, meaning you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 1.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is December 1. Southwestern University will release EA admissions decisions no later than March 1.

The early decision acceptance rate at Southwestern University is 34%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 45%.

Southwestern University accepts around 62% of early action applicants and 45% all applicants for all deadlines. Last year, Southwestern University admitted 22 of the 64 students who applied early decision. Last year, Southwestern University admitted 1,283 of the 2,61 who applied early action.

Some students apply to college early to help their chances of acceptance. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of admission, since it demonstrates your interest in a school.

➡️ Find a list of some selective colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Southwestern University Admissions

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How To Get Into Southwestern University

Southwestern University is a very difficult school to get into. Southwestern University evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2022, Southwestern University accepted 45% of students, approximately 2,489 of the 5,557 students who applied.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like Southwestern University, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.

Transferring to Southwestern University

It is very difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.

For Students Waitlisted to Southwestern University

In 2022, Southwestern University waitlisted 90 students and 16 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 9 eventually got off the waitlist.

What Does Southwestern University Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are they consider most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that prioritize the admissions factors where you shine.

Admissions Factors at Southwestern University

Wondering what factors are considered by Southwestern University during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Class Rank	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Standardized Test Scores	Very Important
Academic GPA	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Geographical Residence	Important
Interview	Important
Racial/Ethnic Status	Important
State Residency	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Volunteer Work	Important
First Generation	Important
Religious Affiliation/Commitment	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered

Make sure to check with Southwestern University for more information on admission factors.

Southwestern University Application Requirements

To apply to Southwestern University, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with Southwestern University's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Interview	–	√	–	–
Letter(s) of Recommendation	1	–	–	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–
Other Requirements	√	–	–	counselor recommendation
Transcript of High School Record	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Southwestern University?

Students admitted to Southwestern University have an average unweighted GPA of 3.5.

Out of all students that were admitted, 57.6% submitted a class rank. At Southwestern University 25.5% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 62.2% were in the top 25% and 88.2% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Southwestern University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	9.2%
3.75 and 3.99	25.9%
3.50 and 3.74	23.6%
3.25 and 3.49	18.4%
3.00 and 3.24	13.5%
2.50 and 2.9	9.2%
2.00 and 2.49	0.2%

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Southwestern University directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Southwestern University has a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 43% of Southwestern University's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 17% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Southwestern University?

To be competitive with other Southwestern University applicants, you should aim to earn between 1140 and 1320 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Southwestern University 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1320 and 25% of scored lower than 1140, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Southwestern University student is 1241.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Southwestern University students scored 670 or higher and 75% of students scored 570 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Southwestern University students scored 640 or higher, and 75% scored a 570 or higher.

To be most competitive at Southwestern University, you should strive to earn between 24 and 30 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 30 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Southwestern University's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 30, and three out of four students scored lower than 30 on the ACT.

A 24 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Southwestern University students. Only one out of every four students scored below 24.

More Information on Transferring to Southwestern University

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to Southwestern University.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is July 1. Applicants should hear back by July 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Southwestern University during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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Southwestern University Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Southwestern University?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Southwestern University.

Does Southwestern University accept transfer credits?

✅ Southwestern University accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Southwestern University accepts:

• CLEP subject tests • DSST/DANTES

Does Southwestern University accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Southwestern University accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Southwestern University?

❌ No, Southwestern University is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you may want to send them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Southwestern University's acceptance rate?

✅ Southwestern University has an acceptance rate of 45%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Southwestern University?

✅ Southwestern University's early decision acceptance rate was 34% in 2021.

What is the early action acceptance rate at Southwestern University?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at Southwestern University was 62% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Southwestern University?

To learn more about Southwestern University, choose from the options below:

Overview

Student Life

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