UVA engineering acceptance rate Now you can improve your chances of getting accepted to UVA engineering! University of Virginia’s graduate programs in technology may be for you. Ranked by US news and world report as one of US top 10 public universities, UVA has top ranked schools like the Darden school of business, the McIntire school of commerce, the School of architecture, the School of engineering, and much more.
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UVA Engineering Requirements for Admission
UVA engineering is a relatively new department at the University of Virginia, although the engineering school is the oldest at UVA, with roots going back to 1850. UVA is one of handful of public universities with top ranked engineering programs in the USA. The engineering program offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the following disciplines: aeronautical/astronautical engineering, biological systems engineering, chemical engineering , civil engineering, environmental systems engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering.
What are UVA’s admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
In this guide we’ll cover what you need to get into UVA and build a strong application.
School location: Charlottesville, VA
This school is also known as: University of Virginia
Admissions Rate
27.4%
If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.
The UVA Engineering school pegs its acceptance rate at 27.4%. This is intended for students who wish to be admitted to UVA Engineering and who apply through the University’s undergraduate program. The acceptance rate at UVA is 27.4%. For every 100 applicants, 27 are admitted.
This means the school is very selective. If you meet UVA’s requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you’ll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.
UVA GPA Requirements
Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school’s average GPA for its current students.
Average GPA
4.32
The average GPA at UVA is 4.32.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 4.32, UVA requires you to be at the top of your class. You’ll need nearly straight A’s in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes – AP or IB courses – to show that college-level academics is a breeze.
If you’re currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.32, you’ll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.
SAT and ACT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to UVA. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
UVA SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school’s average score.
Average SAT
1430
The average SAT score composite at UVA is a 1430 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes UVA Strongly Competitive for SAT test scores.
UVA SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1340, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1500. In other words, a 1340 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1500 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
Math | 725 | 670 | 780 |
Reading + Writing | 705 | 670 | 740 |
Composite | 1430 | 1340 | 1500 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
UVA has the Score Choice policy of “Highest Section.”
This is also known as “superscoring.” This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit.
For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:
Section | R+W | Math | Composite |
Test 1 | 700 | 300 | 1000 |
Test 2 | 300 | 700 | 1000 |
Test 3 | 300 | 300 | 600 |
Superscore | 700 | 700 | 1400 |
Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, UVA will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example.
This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and UVA forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.
Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1500, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.
Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.
UVA ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, UVA likely doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
Average ACT
32
The average ACT score at UVA is 32. This score makes UVA Strongly Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 30, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 34.
Even though UVA likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 30 or below, you’ll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 32 and above that a 30 will look academically weak.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you’re taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school’s ACT requirement of 34 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you’re happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Superscore Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
We weren’t able to find the school’s exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to UVA, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 34.
SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements
Both the SAT and ACT have an optional essay section.
UVA requires you to take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section. They’ll use this as another factor in their admissions consideration.
SAT Subject Test Requirements
Schools vary in their SAT subject test requirements. Typically, selective schools tend to require them, while most schools in the country do not.
UVA has indicated that SAT subject tests are recommended. Typically this means that SAT subject tests are not required, but submitting them can showcase particular strengths. For example, if you’re applying to an engineering school, submitting science and math SAT subject tests will boost your application.
Typically, your SAT/ACT and GPA are far more heavily weighed than your SAT Subject Tests. If you have the choice between improving your SAT/ACT score or your SAT Subject Test scores, definitely choose to improve your SAT/ACT score.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you’re able to score a 1500 SAT or a 34 ACT or above, you’ll have a very strong chance at getting in.
For a school as selective as UVA, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. We’ll cover those details next.
But if you apply with a score below a 1500 SAT or a 34 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in. There are just too many other applicants with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.
Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
- 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
- 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
- 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
- 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
- 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
Application Requirements
Every school requires an application with the bare essentials – high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We’ll cover the exact requirements of UVA here.
Application Requirements Overview
- Common Application: Accepted
- Universal Application: Not accepted
- Electronic Application: Available
- Essay or Personal Statement: Required for all freshmen
- Letters of Recommendation: 2
- Interview: Not required
- Application Fee: $70
- Fee Waiver Available?: Available
- Other Notes
Testing Requirements
- SAT or ACT: Required
- SAT Essay or ACT Writing: Required
- SAT Subject Tests: Recommended
- Scores Due in Office: January 1
Coursework Requirements
- Subject Required Years
- English: 4
- Math: 4
- Science: 2
- Foreign Language: 2
- Social Studies: 1
- History
- Electives
Deadlines and Early Admissions
-
- Offered? Deadline Notification
- Regular Admission
- Yes January 1 April 1
- Early Action
- Yes November 1 January 31
- Early Decision
- No
Admissions Office Information
- Address:
Charlottesville, VA 22903 - Phone: (434) 982-3200
- Fax: (434) 924-3587
- Email: undergradadmission@virginia.edu
UVA Engineering Ranking
University of Virginia is ranked No. 38 (tie) in Best Engineering Schools. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
Other Schools For You
If you’re interested in UVA, you’ll probably be interested in these schools as well. We’ve divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to UVA.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than UVA. If you improve your SAT score, you’ll be competitive for these schools.
School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
---|---|---|---|
Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 1505 | 34 |
Columbia University | New York, NY | 1505 | 34 |
Rice University | Houston, TX | 1505 | 34 |
Stanford University | Stanford, CA | 1505 | 34 |
University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 1500 | 34 |
Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 1500 | 34 |
Brown University | Providence, RI | 1485 | 34 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you’re competitive for UVA, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
---|---|---|---|
New York University | New York, NY | 1440 | 32 |
University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 1440 | 32 |
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1435 | 33 |
Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 1420 | 33 |
Boston University | Boston, MA | 1420 | 32 |
University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 1415 | 31 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you’re currently competitive for UVA, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If UVA is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
---|---|---|---|
Binghamton University | Vestal, NY | 1375 | 30 |
University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 1355 | 29 |
University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | 1350 | 30 |
Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | 1335 | 29 |
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA | 1335 | 29 |
University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1315 | 29 |
University of California, Davis | Davis, CA | 1280 | 28 |