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Minimum Admission Requirements: Freshman

High school students from standard, public high schools or accredited private high schools must:

  1. Graduate from a standard or accredited high school with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in all graded subjects.
  2. Take the SAT or ACT and have scores sent directly to Portland State University (our school code for SAT is 4610 and for ACT is 3492). Important: ACT scores must include the writing portion of the exam. Students who have not attended high school within the three years prior to the term they are applying for are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
  3. Complete 15 units of college preparatory coursework with grades of C- or better or meet Oregon Proficiency-based Admission Standards System (PASS) in the following areas:
    • English: 4 units
    • Mathematics: 3 units culminating in at least the Algebra II level
    • Science: 3 units (one year of laboratory science is recommended) effective 2012
    • Social Studies: 3 units
    • Second Language: 2 units of the same language. This requirement applies to anyone graduating from high school or obtaining a GED in 1997 or any year after. See Second Language Proficiency for more information.

Freshman applicants who do not meet the minimum 3.00 GPA are considered for admission based on the combination of GPA and test scores listed below. Using this matrix, applicants must have earned the minimum GPA and the minimum score on either exam to be regularly admitted to Portland State University.

SAT (CR & M)
 ACT HS GPA
SAT (CR & M)
 ACT HS GPA
1060 23
 2.99 1180 26 2.84
1070
 23
 2.98 1190 26 2.83
1080
 23
 2.97 1200 26 2.82
1080
 23
 2.96 1200 26 2.81
1090
 24
 2.95 1210 27 2.80
1100
 24
 2.94 1220 27 2.79
1110
 24
 2.93 1230 27 2.78
1120
 24
 2.92 1230 27 2.77
1120
 24
 2.91 1240 27 2.76
1130
 25
 2.90 1250 28 2.75
1140
 25
 2.89 1260 28 2.74
1150
 25
 2.88 1270 28 2.73
1160
 25
 2.87 1280 28 2.72
1160
 25
 2.86 1280 28 2.71
1170
 26
 2.85 1290 29 2.70

Admission for Those with Non-Standard High School Backgrounds

High school students from non-accredited or non-standard high schools or home schooled students:

Option One: Aptitude Tests

  • Earn a minimum combined score of 1540 or higher on the SAT Reasoning Test's Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing sections or 22 composite on the ACT. Important: ACT scores must include the writing portion of the exam.and
  • Take two SAT subject tests (Math level I or IIC and another test of the student's choice in an area other than math), earning a minimum score of 470 on each subject test. We recommend that the subject test other than math be in a second language to fulfill the second language proficiency requirement. and
  • Meet the second language proficiency requirement.

OR

Option Two: General Education Development (GED)

  • Earn a minimum overall average score of 580 and a minimum score of 410 on each subject test (or if you took the GED prior to January 1, 2002, an overall average score of 46 and a minimum score of 40 on each subject test) and
  • Meet the second language proficiency requirement.

OR

Option Three: Apply as a transfer student.

 

 

Applicants who did not graduate from high school may also be considered for admission:

Option One: General Education Development (GED)

  • Earn a minimum overall average score of 580 and a minimum score of 410 on each subject test (or if you took the GED prior to January 1, 2002, an overall average score of 46 and a minimum score of 40 on each subject test) and
  • Meet the second language proficiency requirement.

OR

Option Two: Apply as a transfer student.