Oklahoma State University

OSU admitted about 73.7% of applicants for Fall 2025, offering admission to roughly 20,600 of 28,000 applicants and enrolling about 5,200 first-years. It is accessible for a public flagship, and applicants who meet the assured-admission benchmarks have a strong shot, though some majors and the Honors College set a higher bar than the overall rate.

No. Out-of-state applicants are admitted at a slightly higher rate than Oklahoma residents. For Fall 2025, OSU admitted about 79% of out-of-state applicants versus 74% of in-state applicants, while international admits ran near 18%. State residency is listed as a 'not considered' factor in OSU's review, so where you live carries no weight at the point of admission.

Enrolled first-years average a 3.76 high school GPA, and academic GPA, class rank, and your essay all factor into OSU's holistic review. There is no single cutoff, but applicants with a 3.0 GPA and a top-third class rank generally clear the assured-admission threshold, so solid grades give you a strong position.

Yes, a 1200 is competitive at OSU. It sits in the upper half of enrolled first-years, whose middle 50% scored 1060–1250 on the SAT and 20–27 on the ACT. A score in that range also helps you qualify for OSU's automatic merit scholarships, which reward higher test scores and GPAs.

Yes. OSU lets you apply without SAT or ACT scores, and you indicate on the application whether you want to be reviewed test-optional. Only about 17% of enrolled first-years submitted the SAT and 63% the ACT. Strong scores still pay off, because most university scholarships require an official ACT or SAT result to be considered.

Out-of-state tuition and required fees run about $24,764 a year, compared with $9,243 for Oklahoma residents. OSU narrows that gap with large automatic merit scholarships tied to GPA and test scores, and about 43% of students receive need-based aid with an average package near $18,220.

Business and marketing is the largest field at about 25% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering near 13% and agriculture around 10%, a signature strength of this land-grant university. The biological and life sciences, psychology, and computer and information sciences round out the most-awarded areas.

Yes. OSU weighs the application essay alongside GPA, class rank, test scores, and recommendations in its holistic review, and it matters most for applicants applying under the alternative-admission path rather than assured admission. A specific, well-revised essay gives reviewers the context behind your grades and is a real way to strengthen a borderline application.

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