Brigham Young University

BYU is moderately selective by acceptance rate, admitting about 68.6% of applicants, but the academic bar is high. Enrolled first-years average a 3.89 GPA, and the middle 50% scored 28–32 on the ACT (1290–1430 SAT). Every applicant also clears a non-academic gate: an ecclesiastical endorsement and a commitment to the Honor Code, both weighed heavily in BYU's review.

Enrolled first-years at BYU average a 3.89 high school GPA, putting the typical admit near straight A's. There is no hard cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are both rated very important, so a strong transcript is the clearest way to be competitive.

No, you do not have to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but every applicant, regardless of faith, must obtain an ecclesiastical endorsement and commit to the Honor Code to enroll. BYU rates religious affiliation and commitment as a very important admission factor, something almost every other university marks not considered.

No. BYU is test-optional, so you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored 28–32 on the ACT and 1290–1430 on the SAT, and the ACT is the more commonly submitted test at BYU.

A 30 sits right in the heart of BYU's admitted range. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 28–32 on the ACT (median 30) and 1290–1430 on the SAT. Because BYU is test-optional, a score in that band helps but works best alongside a near-4.0 GPA, which carries more weight in the review.

Yes. Annual tuition runs about $7,096 for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and roughly $14,192 for non-members, with $0 in required fees either way. Food and housing on campus add about $11,200, which still leaves BYU among the lowest-priced private universities in the country.

Business and marketing is the single most popular field at about 16% of bachelor's degrees, followed by the biological and life sciences at roughly 12%. Engineering, computer and information sciences, the health professions, and the social sciences round out the most-conferred areas.

Yes. BYU rates the application essay as a very important factor, the same tier it gives GPA, rigor, and test scores. With a holistic, test-optional review and a near-4.0 average GPA across the pool, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways to separate yourself.

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