Drake University was founded in 1881 in Des Moines, Iowa. It was established as a nonsectarian university by a group of prominent citizens, led by the Reverend George T. Carpenter. The founding of the university was inspired by the generous gift of $200,000 from businessman and philanthropist, Gardiner Greene Hubbard. This initial endowment enabled the university to open its doors to its first class of students in 1881.
Throughout its history, Drake University has grown and evolved, becoming one of the most respected universities in the Midwest region and beyond. In 1910, Drake established a law school that would go on to become one of the top-ranked law schools in the country. The School of Business and Public Administration opened its doors in 1948, followed by a College of Pharmacy in 1954 and an Institute for Biomedical Sciences in 2011. Drake is also home to a renowned School of Education and an internationally recognized Division I athletics program that competes at both the NCAA Division I level and MVC level. These achievements are just some examples that demonstrate how Drake has developed into an institution that is dedicated to providing students with unparalleled educational opportunities and experiences.
Drake University, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of Drake University. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about Drake University, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
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University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/du_drake-university.html
Admissions Stats
Drake University is a private university located in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1881, Drake has a total enrollment of 5,072 undergraduate students and 1,948 graduate students. The university offers over 70 undergraduate majors and more than 40 graduate programs. The most popular majors at Drake are business administration, psychology, finance, accounting, biology, and communication studies.
The acceptance rate for Drake University is 73%, meaning that out of every 100 applicants only 73 will be offered admission into the school. Of those accepted students, the average GPA is 3.5 and the average SAT score is 1190-1330. In addition to academic qualifications, Drake evaluates applicants on extracurricular activities as well as letters of recommendation from teachers or counselors. Additionally, Drake looks at applicants’ essays to assess their leadership skills and personal motivation for attending the university.
Drake University has a diverse student body that includes students from all 50 states and nearly 80 countries around the world. The student-to-faculty ratio at Drake is 11:1 so there are plenty of opportunities for personal interaction with faculty members throughout your college experience. Furthermore, the university provides numerous resources to help students succeed in their studies such as tutoring services and career services to help prepare students for life after graduation.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 65% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | N/A |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 65% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 5,848 |
| Female applicants | 3,344 |
| Male applicants | 2,504 |
| Applicants accepted | 3,802 |
| Female applicants accepted | 2,229 |
| Male applicants accepted | 1,573 |
| Freshman enrollment | 864 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 474 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 390 |
| Early decision applicants | N/A |
| Early decision applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Early action applicants | N/A |
| Early action applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early action applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action | N/A |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | Yes |
| Applicants placed on wait list | 233 |
| Students accepting place on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepted from wait list | 187 |
Fall 2022 High School Rank
| Freshman students submitting high school class standing | 77% |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 98% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.7 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | 3.5-4 |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 14% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 588 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 530-650 |
| SAT Math average score | 614 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 550-670 |
| SAT Writing average score | N/A |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 96% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 27 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 24-30 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 24-31 |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 24-30 |