The University of Southern Maine (USM) was established in 1878 as the Gorham Normal School, a teacher training college. It was founded by the state of Maine to prepare teachers for public schools. In 1950, the school became part of the University of Maine System and changed its name to Gorham State Teachers College. The school continued to expand its offerings and in 1970, it was renamed the University of Southern Maine. The university now offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in fields such as business, nursing, education, engineering, social sciences and humanities. USM has four campuses: Portland/Gorham, Lewiston/Auburn, Farmington and Presque Isle/Fort Kent. In addition to its academic programs, USM is home to several research centers and institutes dedicated to advancing knowledge in areas such as sustainability studies and public policy. USM’s mission is “to create an environment that fosters learning through inquiry, creativity and collaboration; promote academic excellence; encourage global engagement; develop ethical leaders; engage with diverse communities; foster economic development; and advance knowledge through research.” Check top-engineering-schools for a list of engineering schools in Rhode Island.
University of Southern Maine, 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 University of Southern Maine. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about University of Southern Maine, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/usm_university-of-southern-maine.html
Admissions Stats
The University of Southern Maine is a public university located in Portland, Maine, and is part of the University of Maine system. With over 10,000 students enrolled, USM is the state’s third-largest university. In 2019, USM received 8,099 applications for admission and accepted 6,255 freshmen. The average incoming freshman had a GPA of 3.5 and an average SAT score of 1120. The acceptance rate for freshman applicants was 77%, which shows that the school is competitive but not overly selective in its admissions process. Additionally, 32% of the freshman class were first-generation college students and 9% were international students. USM also offers a range of scholarships and financial aid packages to help make college more affordable for all students.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | less selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 78% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | N/A |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 78% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 4,321 |
| Female applicants | 2,434 |
| Male applicants | 1,887 |
| Applicants accepted | 3,379 |
| Female applicants accepted | 1,919 |
| Male applicants accepted | 1,460 |
| Freshman enrollment | 847 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 442 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 405 |
| 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 | No |
| Applicants placed on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepting place on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepted from wait list | N/A |
Fall 2022 High School Rank
| Freshman students submitting high school class standing | 73% |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | N/A |
| Average high school GPA | N/A |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 92% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | N/A |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 440-550 |
| SAT Math average score | N/A |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 440-550 |
| SAT Writing average score | N/A |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | 440-520 |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 6% |
| Average ACT Composite score | N/A |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 19-22 |
| ACT Composite score breakdown | N/A |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |