The University of Iowa

If you are considering submitting an application to Iowa, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is May 1 and the fee for the application costs $40.

Students who submit their applications to Iowa for fall semester should hear back from Iowa by August 1.

Iowa Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Iowa's admissions stats.

Iowa 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.8
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	33%
Mean SAT Score	1235
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	18%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	65%
Waitlist	Yes

The University of Iowa Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for The University of Iowa.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Info Not Available	––	––
Early Decision II	––	––	––
Early Action	No	––	––
Regular Decision	Yes	May 15	August 1

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Considering Applying Early to Iowa?

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The University of Iowa may or may not offer early admission, however the school has not provided any application information. Check with Iowa directly for more information about early applications.

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

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More on The University of Iowa Admissions

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How Challenging Is It To Get Admitted to Iowa?

Getting into Iowa is moderately difficult.

In 2021, Iowa accepted 86% of students, about 19,340 of the 22,434 students who applied.

Schools that are moderately difficult to get into, like Iowa, accept fewer than 85% of all applicants. At least 75% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 50% of their high school class and scored over 1010 on the SAT or over 18 on the ACT.

Transferring to The University of Iowa

For more information on transferring to The University of Iowa, contact the school directly.

For Students Waitlisted to Iowa

In 2022, Iowa waitlisted 252 students and 252 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 62 eventually received an admissions offer.

What Does Iowa Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are given the most weight when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that prioritize the areas where you stand out.

Admissions Factors at Iowa

What does Iowa consider 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
Academic GPA	Very Important
Class Rank	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Standardized Test Scores	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Considered
Recommendation(s)	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Talent/Ability	Considered

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

Iowa Application Requirements

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

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Written Essay or Personal Statement
Interview
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)
Other Requirements	√			minimum Regent Admission Index (RAI) requirement of 245 for residents, 255 for nonresidents
Transcript of High School Record	√

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Iowa?

Students admitted to Iowa have an average unweighted GPA of 3.8.

Out of all students that were admitted, 37.69% submitted a class rank. At Iowa 33% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 63.91% were in the top 25% and 92.31% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At The University of Iowa, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	33.24%
3.75 and 3.99	27.81%
3.50 and 3.74	18.71%
3.25 and 3.49	11.31%
3.00 and 3.24	6.39%
2.50 and 2.9	2.48%
2.00 and 2.49	0.04%

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 Iowa directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights 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

Iowa looks at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

Iowa 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, 18% of Iowa's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 65% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Iowa?

To be competitive with other Iowa applicants, you should aim to score between 1140 and 1330 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Iowa 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1330 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 Iowa student is 1235.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Iowa 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 Iowa students scored 680 or higher, and 75% scored a 570 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Iowa?

To be most competitive at Iowa, you should strive to earn between 22 and 29 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 29 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Iowa's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 29, and three out of four students scored lower than 29 on the ACT.

A 22 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Iowa students. Only one out of every four students scored below 22.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to The University of Iowa

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is July 15. Transfer applications are processed on a on a rolling basis as they are received.

Transfer students can enroll in Iowa during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

• Summer Term

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Iowa Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Iowa?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Iowa.

Does Iowa accept transfer credits?

✅ Iowa accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Iowa accepts:

• CLEP subject tests • DSST/DANTES

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

✅ Iowa accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Iowa?

❌ No, Iowa is test optional, so you can decide if you want to to submit your test scores. 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 Iowa's acceptance rate?

✅ The acceptance rate for Iowa is 86%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Iowa?

🟨 Iowa may or may not offer early decision. The school has not provided any information on early decision including ED acceptance rates.

Want To Learn More About Iowa?

To learn more about Iowa, choose from the options below:

Overview

Student Life

Academics

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