Colorado School of Mines

Mines is moderately selective, admitting about 58% of applicants for its most recent first-year class (roughly 6,300 admits from about 10,900 applications). The bar is academic more than holistic: enrolled first-years carried an average high school GPA near 3.85, and rigor of coursework and GPA are the two factors Mines weighs as very important, so a strong record in advanced math and science is what matters most.

Admitted first-years average about a 3.85 high school GPA, and the middle 50% scored 1340–1460 on the SAT or 30–33 on the ACT. There is no fixed cutoff, but Mines treats the rigor of your course load and your GPA as very important, so a demanding schedule in math and science weighs more than any single number.

Yes. Mines is test-optional, so you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and submitted scores are considered rather than required. Among enrolled first-years who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1340–1460 on the SAT and 30–33 on the ACT.

Out-of-state students make up a large share of Mines: about half of first-years come from outside Colorado. Mines lists state residency only as a considered factor, well below academics, so non-residents are judged mainly on the same academic profile as everyone else (around a 3.85 GPA and a 1340–1460 SAT), against an overall admit rate near 58%.

Tuition and required fees run about $20,040 per year for Colorado residents and $42,120 for out-of-state students, with on-campus food and housing adding roughly $16,110. About 26% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, the average need-based package is near $17,211, and Mines meets about 67% of demonstrated need on average.

Mines is an engineering and applied-science university: about 78% of its bachelor's degrees are in engineering, with computer and information sciences another 17%. Mathematics, the physical sciences, and the geosciences round out a curriculum built around the earth, energy, and materials fields the school is known for.

Yes. Mines rates the application essay as an important factor in its review, above test scores, which are only considered. With grades and course rigor carrying the most weight, a focused, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways to add context to your record and show why engineering at Mines fits you.

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A 1450 is competitive at Mines: it sits in the upper half of enrolled students, just under the 75th-percentile mark of 1460. The middle 50% of first-years scored 1340–1460 on the SAT and 30–33 on the ACT, so a 1450 lines up with a typical admitted student. Because Mines is test-optional, a score in this range generally helps your application.