virginia state university essay requirements

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Virginia State University Requirements for Admission

What are Virginia State University's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

GPA requirements
Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Virginia State University and build a strong application.

School location: Petersburg, VA

Admissions Rate: 94.5%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at Virginia State University is 94.5% . For every 100 applicants, 95 are admitted.

This means the school is a nearly open admissions school. They accept nearly all students, so for the most part, you just need to submit an application to get in. But if you don't meet all their application requirements, you'll be one of the very few people who gets rejected.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Virginia State University GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 2.85

The average GPA at Virginia State University is 2.85 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 2.85, Virginia State University accepts students with below-average GPAs . You might have a mix of B's and C's in your high school record. It's best to avoid D's and F's, since application readers might question your commitment to studying and ability to succeed in college.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

Virginia State University SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 920

The average SAT score composite at Virginia State University is a 920 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes Virginia State University Lightly Competitive for SAT test scores.

Virginia State University SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 820, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1010. In other words, a 820 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1010 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

Virginia State University ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, Virginia State University likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 17

The average ACT score at Virginia State University is 17. This score makes Virginia State University Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 15, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 19.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 15 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Virginia State University, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 15.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

Virginia State University considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require or recommend it.

Final Admissions Verdict

This school offers nearly open admissions, which means they give almost every student an offer of admission. To be safe, you should aim for a 820 SAT or a 15 ACT or higher . If you can achieve this, you're pretty much guaranteed a spot in the incoming class.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
50-80%: More likely than not getting in
20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Virginia State University here.

Application Requirements Overview

Common Application Not accepted
Electronic Application Available
Essay or Personal Statement Recommended for all freshmen
Letters of Recommendation 2
Interview Not required
Application Fee $25
Fee Waiver Available? Available
Other Notes

Testing Requirements

SAT or ACT Required
Scores Due in Office July 1

Coursework Requirements

Subject Required Years
Foreign Language
Social Studies

Deadlines and Early Admissions

Offered? Deadline Notification
Yes May 1 Rolling

Admissions Office Information

Address: 1 Petersburg, VA 23806-0001
Phone: (804) 524-5000
Fax: (804) 524-5055

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Virginia State University, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Virginia State University.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Virginia State University. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Virginia State University, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Virginia State University, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Virginia State University is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

1920 SAT Score Standings

Here's how you compare to other students and how many colleges you are competitive for:

Out of the 1.67 million test-takers, 181974 scored the same or higher than you.

You can apply to 1213 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.

If you apply to these schools, with this score, you have a very low chance of getting in.

Top Choice Colleges Chances

We've collected data from millions of students and thousands of colleges to figure out your chances at getting admitted with a 1920 SAT score. You'll also see how your chances improve with a higher SAT score.

To add a school to your list, type in part of the school name, choose from the dropdown, and click the button.

be competitive for 67 more schools in the country
raise your chances of getting into target schools from 64.15% to 67.69%

Check Out a Different Score

Curious about what your profile is with a different score? Choose any score from the entire SAT score range to see what you'd be able to do!

If You Liked Our Advice...

Our experts have written hundreds of useful articles on improving your SAT score and getting into college. You'll definitely find something useful here.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get FREE strategies and guides sent to your email. Learn how to ace the SAT with exclusive tips and insights that we share with our private newsletter subscribers.

You should definitely follow us on social media . You'll get updates on our latest articles right on your feed. Follow us on all of our social networks: