University of Oklahoma

OU admitted about 77.6% of applicants for Fall 2025, offering admission to roughly 22,700 of 29,200 applicants and enrolling about 6,200 first-years. It is accessible for a public flagship, though competitive majors and the Honors College hold a higher bar than the overall rate suggests.

No — out-of-state applicants are admitted at a slightly higher rate than Oklahoma residents. For Fall 2025, OU admitted about 80% of out-of-state applicants versus 76% of in-state applicants, with international admits near 48%. State residency is listed only as a 'considered' factor in OU's review, so where you live carries little weight at the point of admission.

Enrolled first-years average a 3.64 high school GPA, and academic GPA and the rigor of your course load both rank as very important factors. There is no published cutoff, but roughly 58% of admitted students who reported a class rank sat in the top quarter of their graduating class, so solid grades in a demanding schedule matter.

Yes, a 1300 is competitive at OU. It lands just below the 75th-percentile mark of 1310 for enrolled first-years, whose middle 50% scored 1160–1310 on the SAT and 23–28 on the ACT. A score in that band also helps you clear the thresholds for OU's automatic merit scholarships.

Yes. OU is test-optional, and on the application you choose whether your scores are considered. Only about 22% of enrolled first-years submitted the SAT and 43% the ACT. If you do submit, test scores are weighed as a very important factor and can qualify you for merit aid, so strong scores are worth sending.

Out-of-state tuition and required fees run about $28,301 a year, compared with $10,181 for Oklahoma residents. OU offsets the gap with large automatic merit scholarships for strong test scores and GPA, and about 39% of first-years receive need-based grant aid with an average package near $16,939.

Business and marketing is the largest field at about 30% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering and computing near 13%. Communication and journalism, the health and life sciences, psychology, and the social sciences round out the most-awarded areas.

Yes. OU rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review, alongside class rank and recommendations and just below GPA, course rigor, and test scores. With many applicants clustered around the same grades and scores, a specific, well-revised essay is a real way to stand out.

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