How to Get Into the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities: Admissions Data and Strategies

March 18, 2022

The University of Minnesota—Twin Cities presently has an undergraduate enrollment of over 36,000 talented students. Last year, they received roughly 12,600 applications from residents and over 20,000 from out-of-staters and international students, demonstrating the wide pull of a U of MN education. Considering that the school overall ranks in the 30 public institutions in the country (according to U.S. News) and even higher in the popular disciplines of business, nursing, computer science, and engineering, it’s no wonder that the Twin Cities campus has become a coveted landing spot for college applicants from Duluth to Denmark.

With so many high quality students hoping to become Golden Gophers, it’s important for applicants to possess a full understanding of what they are up against. To help, the College Transitions team will present:

University of Minnesota’s Class of 2025 acceptance rate
SAT, ACT, class rank, and GPAs of U of MN applicants
University of Minnesota’s admissions data by college
Admissions trends from the Class of 2025
The demographics of current Twin Cities undergraduates
University of Minnesota’s yield rate
How University of Minnesota admissions officers evaluate candidates
Tips for applying to the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities.
How to assess whether applying to the U of MN is even worth the $55 application fee (for you)

Many students applying to University of Minnesota may also find the following blogs to be of interest:

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.

University of Minnesota–Twin Cities: Acceptance Rate – Class of 2025

The acceptance rate for the 2021-22 incoming first-year class has yet to be released by the U of MN. Looking back to the Class of 2024, the admit rate was an unusually generous 70% as 26,628 of the 38,237 applicants were accepted. However, the previous year, the acceptance rate was a far stingier 57%.

University of Minnesota Admissions – SAT, ACT, GPA, and Class Rank

Among those admitted (different than enrolled) to the Class of 2025, the mid-50% unweighted GPA was 3.56-3.95, the SAT range was 1330-1480, and the ACT range was 28-33. The mid-50% class rank fell between the 78th percentile and the 95th percentile of their graduating high school class.

The most recent numbers for enrolled students come from the Class of 2024. For that cohort, the median SAT was 1350 and the median ACT was 28. In terms of class rank, 49% placed in the top decile of their class and 81% were in the top quartile.

University of Minnesota Twin Cities – Admissions Data by College

It is important to note that the academic standards for gaining acceptance into various colleges within the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities varies by college/program. Note that these figures are the averages for “admitted” students which are higher than those for “enrolled” students:

Carlson School of Management

Unweighted GPA: 3.81
Class rank percentile: 9
SAT: 1396
ACT: 30

College of Biological Sciences

Unweighted GPA: 3.88
Class rank percentile: 92
SAT: 1413
ACT: 31

College of Design

Unweighted GPA: 3.62
Class rank percentile: 81
SAT: 1342
ACT: 28

College of Education and Human Development

Unweighted GPA: 3.61
Class rank percentile: 79
SAT: 1302
ACT: 27

College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Unweighted GPA: 3.57
Class rank percentile: 79
SAT: 1346
ACT: 28

College of Liberal Arts

Unweighted GPA: 3.65
Class rank percentile: 81
SAT: 1375
ACT: 29

College of Science and Engineering

Unweighted GPA: 3.83
Class rank percentile: 89
SAT: 1431
ACT: 32

School of Nursing

Unweighted GPA: 3.92
Class rank percentile: 92
SAT: 1378
ACT: 30

Admissions Trends & Notes

Students applying for Fall 2023 entrance are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
The acceptance rate spiked to 70% for the Class of 2024, but was just 57% and 52% the previous two years. We expect numbers closer to the latter two figures in the coming cycle.
The acceptance rate for in-state applicants was 76% compared to 69% for non-residents.
In the year 2000, the school received just 14,467 applications; they received close to three times as many two decades later.

Who Gets Into the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities?

Let’s look at the demographics of University of Minnesota undergraduates:

The majority of University of Minnesota Class of 2024 members hailed from Minnesota and paid in-state tuition. The breakdown was as follows:

In State: 70%
Out-of-State/International: 30%

Looking at ethnic identity among Golden Gopher undergrads, the breakdown is as follows:

Asian American: 11%
Hispanic: 5%
African American: 6%
International: 7%
White: 64%

International students hail from 91 countries with the greatest representation from the following nations:

China
South Korea
India
Vietnam
Oman

The breakdown by gender of the undergraduate student body shows more men than women presently on campus:

Male: 47%
Female: 53%

University of Minnesota’s Yield Rate

University of Minnesota’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted was a relatively low 22%. To compare this school to other flagship public institutions, UT-Austin has a 46% yield, UGA comes in at 45%, and Ohio State’s is 30%.

How University of Minnesota Rates Applicants

Three factors are rated by the University of Minnesota as being “very important” to their admissions process and those are: an applicant’s GPA, class rank, and the rigor of one’s secondary school record.

Every other factor that the U of MN factors into admissions decisions is merely “considered”. This includes: standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, geographical residence, legacy status, and first-generation status.

In the admissions office’s own words:

“The strongest consideration in the decision is given to a student’s high school record. We know that COVID-19 might have changed your school’s course offerings and grading systems. Our promise to you is that we will look at the overall trend of your high school performance to understand your academic preparation.”
“Individual circumstances are also considered as part of the overall assessment of each application. Enrolling a diverse student body—with students bringing differing experiences, talents, and perspectives to their scholarly community—is essential to achieving the development outcomes of a University of Minnesota education.”

Tips for Applying to the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities

If you plan on joining the 38,000+ University of Minnesota hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

The University of Minnesota does not offer interviews. Therefore, the best way to personalize the admissions process is through your essays.
U of MN also does not consider “demonstrated interest” in the admissions process. This means you will not gain an advantage by visiting campus, connecting through social media, emailing an admissions officer, etc.
You can apply by November 1 to meet the Early Action I Deadline and by December 1 to meet the Early Action II deadline. The Regular Decision deadline is January 1.
Students can apply via the Common App or through the Golden Gopher platform.
There are two supplemental essays required by the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities. The 2021-22 prompts were as follows:

Prompt 1: The University values diversity, broadly defined to include diversity of experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and talents. Enrolling a diverse community of scholars interested in learning with and from each other fosters discussion and discovery inside and outside of the classroom. Please share briefly how you might contribute to, or benefit from, our community of scholars. (150 words)

Prompt 2: Please include an explanation of why you would like to study the major(s) you have selected. You may also use this space to indicate your interest in other major(s) in the colleges listed above. (150 words)

Should I Apply to the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities?

University of Minnesota students generally sport A-/B+ averages and possess average standardized test scores above the 90th percentile of all test-takers. If you fall below these numbers, there is still a good chance that you could gain acceptance to one of the University of Minnesota’s four other branch campuses—Crookston, Duluth, Morris, or Rochester.

All college-bound high school students should formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of “target” and “safety” schools. This can be done in collaboration with an admissions professional who is aware of the latest trends and strategies associated with your prospective colleges.

bookmark

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).