Villanova University is an American private research university located in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded as a Catholic university on August 1, 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. It is the oldest college in the United States still operating as a degree-granting institution.
In 2018, the acceptance rate for Villanova University was 90%.
Villanova University accepted only 10% of their applicants in 2018. This is a significant drop from the previous year, when Villanova accepted 93% of their applicants.
In 2018, 18,000 students applied to Villanova University and only 907 students were accepted.
Considering applying to Villanova? Here are the admissions acceptance rates and statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.
Villanova University Acceptance Rate
The Villanova University Admission acceptance rate is 29%. This means that Villanova is a very selective and Competitive University in the United States.
If you meet Villanova’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.
Villanova University Admission Requirements
The school requires either SAT or ACT scores, a high school GPA of 2.5 or higher, and completion for core classes required for admission.
The school has a highly selective application process, and acceptance rate is in the top 7% of all schools.
20% of applicants are admitted to the school. The average GPA of successful applicants is 3.86. In 2016, the overall acceptance rate was about 1.4%.
The school has a high selectivity rate, where 20% of the accepted students have an ACT score of 31 or higher. Of the accepted students, 9% are in the top 10% of their class. In 2016, of all undergraduates who enrolled at Villanova, 7% were in the top 10% of their graduating high school class. The average SAT score for accepted applicants is 1332. The average ACT score for accepted students is 30.
Villanova University Average GPA
The average GPA at Villanova is 3.86. With a GPA of 3.86, Villanova expects you to be close to the prime of your grade, and well aloft average. If your GPA is at or below the institute average of 3.86, you’ll be required an outstanding SAT or ACT score to compensate.
Villanova University SAT and ACT Requirements
The average SAT score composite at Villanova is a 1395 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes Villanova Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1330, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1460. In other words, a 1330 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1460 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 715 | 670 | 760 |
| Reading + Writing | 680 | 650 | 710 |
| Composite | 1395 | 1330 | 1460 |
The average ACT score at Villanova is 33. This score makes Villanova Strongly Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 31, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 34.
Even though Villanova likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 31 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 33 and above that a 31 will look academically weak.
Other admissions requirements:
Students who want to study abroad must have a completed application form, three letters of recommendation, and an essay in English. Applicants must also complete at least one of the following: a 1-year on-campus study program leading to a bachelor’s degree, an American college that enrolls fewer than 250 students or that operates under within-state tuition, or an American college with a regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Students are also required to write a one-page essay describing how their bachelor’s program will be different from their undergraduate and graduate programs.
Villanova University is located in a suburban neighborhood about 10 miles outside of Philadelphia, PA. The school has the most conservative Catholic affiliation of all Pennsylvania universities and colleges, not affiliated with any other religious group.
There are more than 30 undergraduate programs offered at Villanova University. The school has a large number of research clusters and centers such as the Slifka Center for Jewish Life, the Sport Law Institute, the Institute for Ethical Leadership, and the Center for Wrongful Convictions.
92% of graduates from Villanova University work or attend graduate school within six months after graduation. The median time to degree is 4 years.
The school has several research centers and institutes, and many of them are located on the campus. They include:
The University Honors Program at Villanova University has more than 200 students each year. To be admitted to the program, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and meet with an assistant preceptor from the honors program. The 3-year program consists of two undergraduate years and one year at the graduate level. Students must also complete 10 honors courses, which include a senior research seminar, a senior public speaking presentation, or an honors thesis. Villanova University also offers a human rights program with the Institute for Ethics and Social Policy (IESP) and a Women in Business program with Human Resources as their coordinator.
Villanova University is most well known for its 12 professional sports teams (Villanova Wildcats), which include NCAA Division I baseball, basketball, cross country running, crew and ice hockey teams. This is the only college with a national team and a professional team of the same name.
Other notable programs include the Villanova Leadership Center, which offers leadership training and service projects for students, and Villanova’s first Environmental Studies Program (ESP), which began in 2010.
The University is also well known for its musical theater program in Donovan Hohn’s book “Girls Who Bite Their Lip”. The University is also home to one of the oldest student-run school newspapers, “The Villanovan”.
In 1998, Villanova University admitted only 13% of applicants. Villanova’s acceptance rate is still in the top 10% of universities in the United States. The average SAT score for accepted applicants is 1332. The average ACT score for accepted students is 30.
The school has a very high entrance rate, where 20% of accepted students have an ACT score of 31 or higher. Of the accepted students, 9% are in the top 10% of their class. In 2016, 7% were in the top 10%. The average GPA of admitted students is 3.86.
The test scores and GPA of admitted applicants are about the same for all SAT and ACT score ranges for accepted applicants. The following statistics are for the class enrolling in 2016:
In 2016, 88% of admitted students enrolled as first-years, 6% as transfer students, and 5% as second-year students (from another school).
Students applying to Villanova University must have one year of foreign language study in a high school or college setting. All coursework must be completed by the end of their freshman year.
The University’s Foreign Language requirement is fulfilled by the completion of a year-long language study in one of six subjects:
Students entering Villanova University as freshmen are required to complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of approved electives. Students may choose from any subject area but no more than six hours from any single area.
