Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Worcester Polytechnic Institute admits about 6 in 10 applicants (60%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 76% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
No application fee
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 58%, women at 65%.
Where applicants live
Massachusetts applicants were admitted at 60%, applicants from other states at 65%, and international applicants at 41%.
All applicants in the same class: 60%
Of those admitted, 26% from Massachusetts enrolled, against 15% from other states and 10% from abroad.
Counted by where applicants lived when they applied, which can differ from who qualifies for in-state tuition. A group's rate reflects who applies from there as well as how the college chooses.
Yield
18% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 2,475 offered a place, 1,111 accepted, 392 admitted (35% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 76% admitted
211 of 279 early applicants
Apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 5; decisions by Feb 15
Early decision is binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll. Recruited athletes and other applicants with an edge often apply early, so the early rate overstates the gain for a typical applicant.
Early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Feb 1
Where you stand
How Worcester Polytechnic Institute reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank is important; tests are considered. 80% 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. Scores aren't read. Of the 30% whose high school reported a rank, 56% were in the top tenth. Requires 4 years of English, 4 of math, and 2 of science. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Important | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Considered | ||||
| Recommendations | Important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
65% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 60% of first-year applicants
289 applied · 187 admitted · 76 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date June 10, apply by July 10, decisions on a rolling basis
- Spring entry: priority date November 1, apply by December 3, decisions on a rolling basis
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by February 1 for fall 2025.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 1 week if admitted later.
- 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 |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2) | 2 |
| Total | 10* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. Worcester Polytechnic Institute doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
Fall 2024 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.90
From the 84% of first-years who reported a GPA.
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)
- 4.063%
- 3.75–3.9917%
- 3.50–3.7414%
- 3.25–3.494%
- 3.00–3.242%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.75–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 63.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 17.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 14.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 4.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 2.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
56% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 85% in the top quarter, of the 30% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Worcester Polytechnic Institute Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
Not considered
Scores aren't considered, even if you send them. For students entering in fall 2026.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Worcester Polytechnic Institute Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;Worcester Polytechnic Institute Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Worcester Polytechnic Institute Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;Worcester Polytechnic Institute Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)