Grinnell College vs William Penn University

Grinnell College is the more selective of the two at 15%, versus 52% at William Penn University. Here is how they compare on selectivity, test scores, and what they weigh, plus a free way to estimate your odds at each.

Grinnell College
Highly selective
15%
acceptance rate
SAT 75th pct: 1470
Private · Iowa
William Penn University
Moderately selective
52%
acceptance rate
SAT 75th pct: 1120
Private · Iowa

Grinnell College vs William Penn University: the differences that matter

How Grinnell College and William Penn University stack up on selectivity, scores, and what they value.

Grinnell College is meaningfully harder to get into, admitting about 15% of applicants versus 52% at William Penn University, a gap of roughly 37 percentage points. Treat Grinnell College as the bigger reach of the two when you build your list.

The two also read applications a little differently. Grinnell College leans more on application essay, recommendations, extracurricular activities, while William Penn University puts more weight on a similar mix of factors. The same profile can land differently at each, which is why a per-school estimate matters more than a single GPA.

On test scores, Grinnell College's admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1470 and William Penn University's is around 1120. Admitted students at Grinnell College post somewhat higher scores. Run your own numbers below to see where you stand at each.

What each school weighs

Factors either school weighs heavily, side by side.

FactorGrinnell CollegeWilliam Penn University
Rigor of secondary school recordvery importantvery important
Academic GPAvery importantvery important
Standardized test scoresimportantimportant
Application essayvery importantconsidered
Recommendationsvery importantconsidered
Extracurricular activitiesvery importantconsidered
Talent / abilityvery importantconsidered
Character / personal qualitiesvery importantconsidered
Calculate your chances at both →

Frequently asked questions

Is Grinnell College or William Penn University harder to get into?

Grinnell College is harder to get into, with a 15% acceptance rate versus 52% at William Penn University.

What's the difference in SAT scores between Grinnell College and William Penn University?

Grinnell College's admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1470, and William Penn University's is around 1120.

What are my chances at Grinnell College and William Penn University?

That depends on your full profile. CollegeCalcAI gives a free, personalized estimate for each school in a few minutes.