Ball State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Ball State University

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Ball State University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 77%. Located in Muncie, Indiana, about an hour from Indianapolis, Ball State's programs in business, education, communications, and nursing are popular with undergraduates. The Communication and Media Building is named after the school's most famous alumnus, David Letterman. In athletics, the Ball State Cardinals compete in the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference. Popular sports include basketball, soccer, football, and track and field.

Considering applying to Ball State University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Ball State University had an acceptance rate of 77%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 77 students were admitted, making Ball State's admissions process somewhat competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 23,305
Percent Admitted 77%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 23%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Ball State University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Ball State may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required for most applicants. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 68% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 540 620
Math 530 610
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Ball State's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Ball State scored between 540 and 620, while 25% scored below 540 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 610, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 610. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1230 or higher is competitive for Ball State.

Requirements

Ball State University does not require SAT scores for admission for most applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Ball State participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Ball State does not require the optional essay section of the SAT.

Note that homeschooled applicants as well students who attend a high school that does not provide grades must submit standardized test scores.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Ball State University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Ball State may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required for most applicants. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 32% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 19 24
Math 18 24
Composite 20 24

This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Ball State's admitted students fall within the top 48% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Ball State received a composite ACT score between 20 and 24, while 25% scored above 24 and 25% scored below 20.

Requirements

Note that Ball State does not require ACT scores for admission for most applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, Ball State participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. Ball State does not require the optional ACT writing section.

Note that homeschooled applicants as well students who attend a high school that does not provide grades must submit standardized test scores.

GPA

In 2019, the average GPA of Ball State University's incoming freshmen class was 3.48, and over 46% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.5 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Ball State have primarily high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

Ball State University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
Ball State University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Ball State University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Ball State University, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. Keep in mind that Ball State has test-optional admissions, so your grades are going to be much more important than your test scores (though home-schooled applicants and those attending schools that do not provide grades do need to submit test scores). However, Ball State's admissions process considers more than numerical data. The admissions office will be looking at the rigor of your high school courses, not just your grades. Ball State also likes to see involvement in meaningful extracurricular activities, and an upward trend in grades.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. Successful applicants typically have high school averages of "B-" or higher, combined SAT scores of about 1000 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 19 or better. Since Ball State has test-optional admissions, grades are much more important than test scores in the admissions process.

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All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Ball State University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "Ball State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/ball-state-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786371. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 28). Ball State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/ball-state-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786371 Grove, Allen. "Ball State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/ball-state-gpa-sat-and-act-data-786371 (accessed March 28, 2024).