Valparaiso University has a rich and colorful history that dates back to the mid-19th century. Founded in 1859, Valparaiso University was originally named the Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute. It was established by Henry Baker Brown, a Methodist minister from Valparaiso, Indiana. The school was created to provide teacher training for northern Indiana’s rural communities. In addition to offering instruction in academic subjects such as math, science and language arts, the school also provided courses in business management and accounting. As the school grew in popularity and demand for its services increased, its name was changed to Valparaiso College in 1907.
Over the next few decades, Valparaiso College expanded its curriculum to include liberal arts courses and graduate programs. In 1925, it became known as Valparaiso University after being granted university status by the state of Indiana. During this period of expansion, the university also acquired several buildings including Old Main (built in 1879), Harre Union (built in 1954) and Christopher Center Library (built in 1961). The university also opened several new schools including an engineering school (1946), a nursing school (1953) and a law school (1966). Valparaiso University continued to grow over the years with new academic programs being added such as digital media studies (2008) and neuroscience (2016). Today it is recognized as one of the top universities in Indiana with students from around the world attending its undergraduate and graduate programs. Check top-engineering-schools for a list of engineering schools in Alabama.
Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso University. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about Valparaiso University, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
Official website: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/vu_valparaiso-university.html
Admissions Stats
Valparaiso University has an acceptance rate of 81%. This means that for every 100 students who apply, 81 are accepted. The average GPA for incoming freshman was 3.4 in the 2019-2020 academic year. The middle 50% of admitted students had an SAT score between 1130 and 1290 and ACT scores between 24 and 29. Valparaiso University also offers a range of merit scholarships to incoming freshman, ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 per year depending on academic performance. In addition to these scholarships, the university also offers need-based aid in the form of grants, loans and work-study programs. Valparaiso University is committed to helping all students finance their education through a combination of grants, loans and work-study opportunities. This commitment ensures that all students have access to a quality education regardless of their financial circumstances.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 85% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | N/A |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 85% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 3,506 |
| Female applicants | 1,880 |
| Male applicants | 1,626 |
| Applicants accepted | 2,964 |
| Female applicants accepted | 1,601 |
| Male applicants accepted | 1,363 |
| Freshman enrollment | 692 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 360 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 332 |
| 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 | 95% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.5 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | 3.2-3.9 |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 47% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 549 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 490-600 |
| SAT Math average score | 566 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 510-620 |
| SAT Writing average score | 533 |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | 480-590 |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 70% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 26 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 23-29 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 23-29 |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 22-29 |