Lewis University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Lewis University is a private college in Illinois that admits most qualified applicants (around 71%), which puts it in the moderately selective range. A rate like this means it admits more applicants than it rejects; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Lewis University weighs, where it ranks among Illinois schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1150, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Lewis University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Lewis University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Lewis University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Lewis University?
At Lewis University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 71% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Lewis University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Lewis University hard to get into?
Lewis University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 71% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Lewis University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Lewis University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Lewis University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Lewis University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Lewis University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Lewis University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1090 SAT?
About 88% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1090 SAT, the middle of Lewis University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1210 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/lewis-university.
How to get into Lewis University
Built from Lewis University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Lewis University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Lewis University carries about a 3.22 core GPA and a 1160 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 960 to 1210 SAT (20 to 27 ACT). Submit a score at 1085 or higher; below 960, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Lewis University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Lewis University's exact dates at www.lewisu.edu.
How many students apply to Lewis University, and how many get in?
5,291 students applied to Lewis University for fall 2023; 3,848 were admitted (72.7%). 620 enrolled. Only about 16% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Lewis University enrolls about 4,015 undergraduates in total, 51% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Lewis University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Lewis University scored between 960 and 1210 on the SAT (average 1096). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 20 to 27. A score above 1210 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 960 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Lewis University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Lewis University looks for
What Lewis University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Lewis University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Lewis University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Lewis University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Lewis University cost after financial aid?
Lewis University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $47,313 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $39,200. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,028 a year, and it ranges from $10,382 for families earning under $30,000 to $25,035 for families earning over $110,000. 33% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Lewis University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Lewis University student who received federal aid earns $66,099 a year, up from $56,095 at six years. 67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 42% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Lewis University compares in Illinois
Lewis University ranks #20 most selective of 37 schools in Illinois in our database.
Among the 37 Illinois schools we track, Lewis University ranks #20 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Chicago (4%) and Northwestern University (8%) sit nearby, which makes Illinois a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Lewis University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Lewis University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: University of the Pacific, Caldwell University, and Calvin University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Lewis University's acceptance rate?
Lewis University admitted 3,848 of 5,291 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 72.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 16% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Lewis University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 960 to 1210 on the SAT and 20 to 27 on the ACT. A score above 1210 is in the top quarter of admits. Lewis University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Lewis University test-optional?
Yes. Lewis University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Lewis University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Lewis University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $17,028 a year against a sticker price of about $47,313. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $10,382 on average.
What do Lewis University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Lewis University are $66,099 a year among students who received federal aid, and 67% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Lewis University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Lewis University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Lewis University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Lewis University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Lewis University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Lewis University specifically.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.