Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
U. Massachusetts-Lowell admits about 8 in 10 applicants (83%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 38% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Men and women were admitted at similar rates (84% and 82%).
$70 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Yield
18% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 572 offered a place, 240 accepted, 45 admitted (19% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Restrictive early action (not binding): apply by Feb 5
Restrictive early action: applicants agree not to apply to other colleges' early plans, with exceptions the college sets.
Where you stand
How U. Massachusetts-Lowell reads a record
and GPA are both very important; tests are important. 48% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher. Scores are required. 27% of first-years sent an SAT and 2% an ACT. Most high schools no longer rank; this college doesn't lean on it. Recommends 4 years of science (3 required). See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Not considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Important | ||||
| Essay | Important | ||||
| Recommendations | Important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Not considered | ||||
| Talent or ability | Not considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Not considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Not considered | ||||
| Work experience | Not considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
84% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 83% of first-year applicants
1,647 applied · 1,384 admitted
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Minimum college GPA: 2.0
Minimum high school GPA: 3.0
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date August 15
- Spring entry: priority date January 7
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Recommended for some
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Recommended for some
- Interview
- Recommended for some
- Standardized test scores
- Recommended for some
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Recommended for some
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by June 1 for fall 2025.
- Priority date: November 5. Applying by then can matter for scholarships, programs, or housing.
- Decisions are sent on a rolling basis starting December 10.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1.
- Housing deposit, due May 5.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 4 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 3 / 3) | 3 | 4 |
| Foreign language | 2 | 2 |
| Social studies | 1 | 1 |
| History | 1 | 1 |
| Academic electives | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 17 | 18 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
Recent change: Requires the SAT or ACT again, for students entering in fall 2026.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2024 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.72
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.033%
- 3.75–3.9916%
- 3.50–3.7415%
- 3.25–3.4916%
- 3.00–3.2415%
- below 3.05%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.25–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 32.6% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 15.8% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 15.3% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 16.5% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 14.8% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 5.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.1% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
22% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 50% in the top quarter, of the 36% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1275 on the SAT, 105 points above the median for colleges that report scores. It requires SAT or ACT scores again from students entering in fall 2026.
Required
Send SAT or ACT scores: they're required to be considered. For students entering in fall 2026.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
These scores are from the class that entered in fall 2024, before the change.
Score bands
16% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1400 or higher.
18% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
22% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
Shares of the 27% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
Read with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;University of Massachusetts-Lowell Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)