You long to become a member of the Wolfpack, but you don’t have the stellar grades and test scores to get admitted to NC State directly out of high school. No problem—all hope is not lost. While still a competitive process, this school extends offers to around 2,000 qualified transfer applicants each year. This blog will share the NC State transfer acceptance rate as well as other essential pieces of information like the NC State transfer deadline, the requirements/checklist for applicants, the NC State transfer decision date, and much more.

NC State Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available NC State transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2022, NC State received 4,444 applications and accepted 1,809 members of that group. This means that the NC State transfer acceptance rate is 40.7%.

For the previous year, the acceptance rate broken down by gender was:

  • Male transfer applicants: 51.0%
  • Female transfer applicants: 42.7%

When trying to get the complete picture of how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to also look at historical data. Many schools have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rate from year to year. Yet this is not the case here. As you can see, NCSU is pretty steadily in the 41%-51% range.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Year Acceptance Rate
2021 46.5%
2020 50.6%
2019 43.0%
2018 41.6%

 NC State Transfer Deadline

The university offers a fall, spring, and summer transfer option. The NC State transfer deadline for spring applicants is October 1. Fall applicants have a priority deadline of November 1. Summer transfers face a February 15 deadline.

NC State Transfer Requirements

The NC State transfer requirements are as follows:

  • NC State uses the Common App for Transfer
  • Final high school transcripts
  • Official college transcripts
  • SAT or ACT (required for under 24 completed credits)

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to NCSU have done the following:

  • Are in the process of completing at least 30 credits. The average for an enrolled student at NC State is 57 credits.
  • Have completed their major’s stated Recommendations for Competitive Applicants.
  • Earned stellar grades in their first year at a community college or other 4-year university.

NC State Transfer GPA

According to the university, the mid-50% GPA range for enrolled transfers was 3.25-3.79. In our experience, students with a 3.5 or above can make a very strong case for admission.

Essays

The first two prompts on the list below are required; all others are optional.

  • Explain why you selected the academic program above and why you are interested in studying this program at NC State.
  • NC State University is committed to building a just and inclusive community, one that does not tolerate unjust or inhumane treatment, and that denounces it, clearly and loudly. Please describe what those words mean to you and how you will contribute to a more diverse and inclusive NC State environment.
  • Who in your life is depending on you? What are they depending on you for?
  • How does continuing your education at a new institution help you achieve your future goals?

You can also submit a Common App essay. This allows students to select from the prompts outlined here.

Transfer Decision Date

NC State transfer decisions for fall applicants are made on a rolling basis beginning on April 15. For spring applicants, the notification period begins on November 15.

Final Thoughts – NC State University Transfer Acceptance Rate

Just over half of enrolled transfers hail from North Carolina community colleges. About 20% of the overall Wolfpack student body started at another school. The application fee is a fairly high $85.

Certain majors only take applications for fall admission. You can view those here.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to NCSU as a first-year student, you may find the following blog to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages/blogs:

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).