St. John's University-New York Acceptance Rate & Admissions Statistics

Located in the Queen borough of New York City, St. John's University is a private Catholic institution with an acceptance rate of 73%. The school was founded by the Vincentian Community in 1870. The university has a diverse student population, and among undergraduates, many of the pre-professional programs are quite popular (business, education, pre-law). St. John's has branch campuses in Staten Island, Manhattan, Oakdale, Rome (Italy), and a new campus in Paris, France. In athletics, the St. John's Red Storm competes in the NCAA Division I Big East Conference.

Acceptance Rate

For students who entered St. John's University in the 2018-19 academic year, the school had an acceptance rate of 73%. This tells us that for every 100 students who applied, 27 receive rejection letters. Admitted students do tend to be strong academically, and the university has a selective admissions process.

SAT Scores and Requirements

St. John's University in New York has test-optional admissions for most applicants, so if your SAT scores aren't going to impress anyone, you don't need to submit them. There are some exceptions to this rule as outlined below. The SAT is more popular than the ACT at St. John's, and for students who entered the school in the 2018-19 academic year, 76% chose to submit SAT scores.

When we look at national SAT score data, we can see that the great majority of St. John's University students scored among the top half of all test-takers. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to St. John's scored between a 540 and a 630. This tells us that the bottom 25% of students scored a 540 or lower, and the upper quartile scored a 630 or higher. Math scores were similar. The middle 50% scored between a 530 and 640. This means 25% scored a 530 or lower while another 25% scored a 640 or higher. A combined score of 1270 will be highly competitive and rank in the top 25% of all applicants.

Requirements

St. John's University in New York does not require any students to take the optional SAT essay exam, nor does the school require subject tests. The university will superscore the exam if you took it more than once. Note that while the university is test-optional, students who want to qualify for a full-tuition scholarship will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores, as will students applying to certain academic programs including computer science, philosophy, and mathematics.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Most students who apply to St. John's University in New York are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Of those who do, the ACT is not very popular. For students who entered the university in the 2018-19 academic year, only 13% chose to submit ACT scores.

These numbers tell us that 50% of St. John's University students had a composite ACT score between 23 and 29. 25% of students scored a 23 or lower, and at the upper end, 24% scored a 29 or higher. When we compare these numbers to national ACT data, we can see that most St. John's students fall within the top third of all test-takers.

Requirements

St. John's University in New York does not require the optional ACT writing section, nor does the school require SAT subject tests. Most students don't need to submit scores at all because of the university's test-optional policy, but keep in mind that scores are required for home-schooled students, student athletes, international applicants, and any student who wants to be considered for the full-tuition Presidential Scholarship. You'll also find that a few programs at St. John's have additional application requirements including the submission of test scores.

GPA

Grades will be the most important part of your university application. For students who entered the university in the 2017-18 academic year, the average high school GPA was a 3.50. 26% of students had a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and over 80% of students had a GPA of 3.0 or better. When it comes to class rank, 26% of all students were in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.

Graph of Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Data

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to St. John's University in New York. 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

To get in to St. John's University, you're going to need solid high school grades, and above average standardized test scores can also help your application (the university is now test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required). A significant portion of admitted students had averages up in the "A" range.

Keep in mind that grades and standardized test scores aren't the only factors considered for admission to St. John's University. This explains why there's some overlap between the rejected and accepted students in the center of the graph. Some students who are potentially on target for admission to St. John's do not get in, while others who are a bit below the norm are admitted.

The university's application also includes information on your extracurricular activities, a list of honors, and a personal essay of 650 words or fewer. Whether you use the Common Application or the St. John's Application, the essay is not required, but it is recommended. Applicants with marginal grades and/or test scores would be wise to write an essay—it helps the admissions staff get to know you better, and it gives you an opportunity to tell them something about yourself that my not be obvious from other parts of your application. For students who choose not to submit SAT or ACT scores, the essay is even more important for helping demonstrate your interests, passions, and college readiness.

Data Sources: Graph courtesy of Cappex; all other data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the St. John's University admissions website.