How to Get Into Virginia Tech: Admissions Data and Strategies

The 45,214 high school seniors hoping to join the Virginia Tech Class of 2026 were part of a record-setting applicant pool, as the school broke their own all-time application high for the second straight year. For historical content, less than a decade ago, Virginia Tech received less than half as many applications per year. For further evidence of VT’s soaring desirability, the university dealt with a headline-grabbing case of over-enrollment a few years ago when 1,000 more admitted members of the Class of 2023 elected to enroll that the university expected. While it took some reconfiguring of dorms and even renting out a local Holiday Inn, the school was ultimately able to accommodate the unanticipated growth.

Clearly, it’s not hard to conclude that becoming a Hokie has never been a more common dream for high-achieving teens. To help you gain an edge in the admissions process, we will provide those considering applying to Virginia Tech:

1) An in-depth and realistic understanding of what you are up against.

2) More data on which to accurately assess your chances of admission.

3) Advice for how to get your Virginia Tech application to stand out, even against other qualified students.

To accomplish these goals we will touch on the following topics:

• Virginia Tech’s Class of 2025 ED acceptance rate
• Virginia Tech’s Class of 2025 acceptance rate
• SAT and ACT scores of enrolled Virginia Tech applicants
• Admissions trends from the Class of 2025
• Virginia Tech’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of Virginia Tech undergraduates
• The percent of accepted students that attend the university
• Tips for applying to Virginia Tech
• How to approach the Virginia Tech supplemental essay
• How to assess whether applying to Virginia Tech is even worth the $75 application fee (for you)

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

Virginia Tech Early Decision Acceptance Rate – Class of 2025

Virginia Tech gives applicants three options for submitting their application: the Early Decision deadline is 11/1, the early action deadline is 12/1, and the regular decision deadline is 1/15.

The most recent ED acceptance rate data available is from the Class of 2025 which saw 1,336 of the 2,305 applicants accepted for an acceptance rate of 58%. Note, this figure is actually lower than the regular decision percentage, a rarity among selective American universities. It is possible that many of the ED applicants possess borderline credentials (relative to VT’s standards) and, given their over-enrollment issues in recent year, the admissions committee has no need to “reach” in the ED round for less-than-stellar applicants.

Virginia Tech Acceptance Rate – Class of 2025

Out of 42,054 total applications submitted for a place in the 2021-22 freshman class; 56% were accepted. This is significantly lower than the 67% clip for the Class of 2024.

Interestingly, the out-of-state acceptance rate is typically higher than the in-state acceptance rate. State residents made up 72% of the Class of 2024. That year, the out-of-state acceptance rate was 76% compared to 63% for Virginia residents.

Virginia Tech Admissions – SAT and ACT Scores

The mid-50% Reading SAT score for members of the Class of 2025 (most recent data available) was 610-690 and the mid-50% SAT Math range was 600-720; the ACT range was 26-32.

Those aiming to study engineering or computer science need to bring even more impressive credentials to the table. The most recent stats available for the College of Engineering are from 2019, when the average first-year student possessed a 1351 SAT score and a 4.14 GPA. This is likely higher in 2022, given the more intense admissions environment.

Admissions Trends & Notes

• The 2021-22 freshman class saw a 93% increase in African American students and a 64% increase in Hispanic students from the arriving class in the fall of 2017.
• 47% of Class of 2025 applicants chose not to submit test scores as part of their application.
• The Class of 2026 saw a 20% increase in ED applications from the prior year.
• The average GPA for the Class of 2025 rose slightly from 3.97 to 3.98 since last year.
• 74% of the Class of 2025 possessed a GPA of 3.75 or better.

How Virginia Tech Rates Applicants

There are seven factors that Virginia Tech ranks as being “very important” to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, GPA, essays, first-generation, geographic residence, state residence, and racial/ethnic status.

Factors that are “considered” are: standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, legacy status, volunteer work, and work experience.

Straight from the VT admissions office: When your application is complete, it will be reviewed holistically within the context of your school. Factors that are considered include:

Academic Review:

• Rigor of academic program within context of school
• Grades in academic courses
• Standardized test scores (if applicable; test-optional for Fall 2022)
• Major requested on your application

Personal Review (in alphabetical order, not reflective of order of review):

• Activities outside of the classroom like jobs, clubs, sports, family responsibilities, service, research, etc.
• Disciplinary record
• First-generation college student status
• Interest in the Corps of Cadets
• Legacy of parents, guardians, grandparents, or siblings
• Participation in Virginia Tech pipeline programs
• Personal statements through the Ut Prosim Profile
• Race and/or ethnicity
• Residency
• Veteran status

Who Actually Gets Into Virginia Tech?

Let’s look at the demographics of the Class of 2025.

Geographically, the greatest number of incoming freshmen hailed from the following states (outside of Virginia which was #1):

1. Maryland
2. New Jersey
3. North Carolina
4. Pennsylvania
5. New York

Competition is harshest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you come from a less populated state like Alaska, North Dakota, or Montana, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown for current undergrads is as follows:

• White: 63%
• Asian: 11%
• Hispanic: 8%
• African American: 5%
• Two or more: 5%

The countries sending the greatest number of students into Virginia Tech undergraduate body are:

• China
• India
• South Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• Vietnam

The breakdown by gender is as follows:

• Male: 57%
• Female: 43%

With far fewer women entering the university, female applicants certainly have a significant edge over male applicants. Female Class of 2025 applicants enjoyed a 60% acceptance rate compared to 53% for their male counterparts.

Virginia Tech’s Yield Rate

Virginia Tech’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 33%. For comparison, other notable tech-centric public flagships sport the following yield rates: Georgia Tech (37%), Purdue (23%), and North Carolina State University (33%).

Tips for Applying to Virginia Tech

If you plan on joining the 45,000+ Hokie hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• Virginia Tech does not offer any type of in-person or alumni interviews for incoming freshmen.
• VT does not factor in recommendations in the admissions process.
• Virginia Tech does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit (in non-pandemic times), contacted an admissions officer, etc. Still, given the school’s lower yield rate (compared to some other elite schools), it is never a bad idea to reach out to admissions officer with a question, attend a virtual session, or engage with the school on social media.
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental UT Proism Profile section which includes the following short answer prompts:

1. Prompt 1:Virginia Tech’s motto is “Ut Prosim” which means ‘That I May Serve’. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. How long have you been involved? What have you learned and how would you like to share that with others at Virginia Tech? (120 words)
2. Prompt 2:Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and learn from a difficulty. Reflect on a time that you have exhibited resilience. What growth did you see in yourself after this experience? (120 words)
3. Prompt 3:Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time? (120 words)
4. Prompt 4: Describe a goal that you have set and the steps you will take to achieve it. What made you set this goal for yourself? What is your timeline to achieve this goal? Who do you seek encouragement or guidance from as you work on this goal? (120 words)

For detailed advice on how to approach each of these four essay prompts, take a look at our blog: Virginia Tech Essay Prompts and Tips.

Should I Apply to Virginia Tech?

Those that fare best in gaining acceptance to Virginia Tech will boast a transcript of mostly-A’s in an exceptionally rigorous selection of classes. Given their test-optional policy, students with sparkling transcripts can be successful even without SAT or ACT scores. Still, students (particularly those aiming for engineering or CS) need to develop a balanced college list consisting of multiple “safety” and “target” schools to go along with their “reach”/dream schools.