Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Colorado School of Mines's SAT midpoint is 70 points higher than Pennsylvania State's
SAT midpoint - 2
Colorado School of Mines's yield is 6 pts higher than Pennsylvania State's
Yield rate - 3
Pennsylvania State admits 61% vs. 61% at Colorado School of Mines
Acceptance rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- Colorado School of MinesVery selective
- Pennsylvania StateVery selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1100–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 23–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- Colorado School of MinesTest-optional
- Pennsylvania StateTest-optional
How they read a record
Colorado School of Mines
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. 76% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
Pennsylvania State
GPA and the high school record are required; a college-prep program is considered. 48% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher.
What they look at
| Factor | Colorado School of Mines | Pennsylvania State |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Required |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Considered |
| Recommendations | Important | Not considered |
| Essay | Considered | Considered |
| Legacy status | Considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Not considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why