How to get into Iowa State
What 59 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 60 Iowa State results that students posted for the 2018 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Iowa State? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Iowa State admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.90
Middle half 3.73 to 3.98
Median SAT
1,510
Middle half 1,413 to 1,538
Median ACT
33
Middle half 30 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.39
Middle half 4.21 to 4.60
Results posted: 59 admitted, 1 rejected, 0 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Iowa State acceptance rate; the official rate is in Iowa State’s Common Data Set.
What Iowa State admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service56%
- Athletics53%
- STEM club/competition39%
- Tutoring/Teaching37%
- Music34%
- Work/Job34%
- Coding/Tech31%
- Debate/MUN/Speech31%
Held a leadership role
69%
Founded something
24%
National or intl. award
58%
Did research
24%
Intended majors of Iowa State admits
- Engineering54%
- Computer Science17%
- Business3%
- English/Writing3%
- Math3%
- Pre-med/Health3%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 10% first-generation, 12% low income, 22% underrepresented minority, 10% legacy, 3% recruited athlete and 17% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 0% chose Iowa State.
Three recent Iowa State admits
2026 cycle · EA · Engineering
Mechanical engineering applicant with math, running, and Eagle Scout leadership.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1520 · ACT 36 · Original post
2026 cycle · EA · Engineering
Mechanical engineering applicant with a taekwondo instructor background and a strong AP record.
GPA 3.90 UW · ACT 35 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
Robotics team member with FTC awards, a paid restaurant job, and a co-founded movie club; applied mostly to Big Ten schools.
GPA 3.88 UW · SAT 1490 · ACT 31 · Original post
Where else Iowa State admits got in
Iowa State admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Iowa State?
- Among 59 applicants who posted a Iowa State admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.90 and the middle half reported 3.73 to 3.98 (52 reported a GPA). Iowa State sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Iowa State?
- Among 59 applicants who posted a Iowa State admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,510 and the middle half scored 1,413 to 1,538 (38 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 33.
- What extracurriculars do Iowa State admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (56%), athletics (53%), stem club/competition (39%), tutoring/teaching (37%). 69% held at least one leadership role and 58% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Iowa State acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Iowa State in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Iowa State?
A Specialist who got into a school like Iowa State can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2018 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Iowa State. All colleges