What are the Admission Requirements for Purdue University?

Hi all, currently a junior and really interested in Purdue University for engineering. Does anyone know what they require for admission in terms of GPA, SAT/ACT scores, etc.? Also, how much do they weigh extracurricular activities and personal essays?

Purdue University uses a holistic review process and weighs several factors in their admissions decisions, including academic performance, rigor of high school curriculum, and involvement in extracurricular activities.

For the academic side of things, while there's no absolute GPA requirement at Purdue, most successful applicants tend to have GPAs in the 3.6-4.0 range. A strong mix of honors, AP, or IB-level courses is also preferred to demonstrate your academic preparedness for college-level work.

Purdue University has reintroduced the SAT/ACT as a requirement from the 2024-2025 application cycle, so you would need to submit your SAT or ACT scores. While they don’t have a specified cutoff for these tests, looking at the middle 50% SAT scores for admitted students, they generally fall within the range of 1210-1450. For ACT scores, the middle 50% range is typically 27–34.

Although Purdue University places significant emphasis on your academic performance, they don't ignore the rest of your application. Your extracurricular activities, such as leadership roles in clubs or sports can also play a significant role in your admission chances. Purdue is particularly interested in students who display a commitment to their interests and hobbies over time, or those who have achieved a high level of distinction (like being a national or state-level performer in a particular field). So, highly-involved extracurricular activities can certainly give you an edge.

Additionally, Purdue requires applicants to submit an essay. The essay is your opportunity to showcase your individual personality, experiences, or perspectives that may not be reflected in the rest of your application. It's strongly suggested that you take the time to write a well-structured and insightful personal essay.

As at all colleges, strong letters of recommendation and a positive disciplinary history also help your application. Furthermore, Purdue's engineering programs often have additional requirements or recommendations, so be sure to check those on Purdue's engineering website.

As always, these are generalized expectations and the admissions process can vary from applicant to applicant. Remember, Purdue conducts a comprehensive review of every application, so even if you don't meet all the statistics mentioned above, don't be discouraged to apply. Best of luck!