Ottawa University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Ottawa University is a private college in Kansas that admits most qualified applicants (around 83%), which puts it in the accessible range. A rate like this means it admits most qualified applicants; 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 Ottawa University weighs, where it ranks among Kansas schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1120, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Ottawa 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 Ottawa University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Ottawa University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Ottawa University?
At Ottawa University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 83% 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 Ottawa University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Ottawa University hard to get into?
Ottawa University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 83% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Ottawa University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Ottawa University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Ottawa University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Ottawa University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Ottawa 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 Ottawa University with a 3.1 GPA and a 880 SAT?
About 89% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 880 SAT, the middle of Ottawa University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1000 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/ottawa-university.
How to get into Ottawa University
Built from Ottawa 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 Ottawa University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Ottawa University carries about a 3.09 core GPA and a 950 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 750 to 1000 SAT (16 to 22 ACT). Submit a score at 875 or higher; below 750, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Ottawa University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank 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 Ottawa University's exact dates at www.ottawa.edu.
How many students apply to Ottawa University, and how many get in?
3,600 students applied to Ottawa University for fall 2023; 2,881 were admitted (80%). 293 enrolled. Only about 10% 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. Ottawa University enrolls about 870 undergraduates in total, 38% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Ottawa University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Ottawa University scored between 750 and 1000 on the SAT (average 1000). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 16 to 22. A score above 1000 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 750 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Ottawa 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 Ottawa University looks for
What Ottawa University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Ottawa University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa University cost after financial aid?
Ottawa University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $51,856 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $35,880. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $27,963 a year, and it ranges from $22,449 for families earning under $30,000 to $30,771 for families earning over $110,000. 37% 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 Ottawa University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Ottawa University student who received federal aid earns $55,552 a year, up from $49,139 at six years. 28% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 58% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 76% 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 Ottawa University compares in Kansas
Ottawa University ranks #15 most selective of 25 schools in Kansas in our database.
Among the 25 Kansas schools we track, Ottawa University ranks #15 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Sterling College (48%) and Central Christian College (53%) sit nearby, which makes Kansas a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Ottawa University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Ottawa University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: St. John's University, Assumption University, and Bridgeport 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 Ottawa University's acceptance rate?
Ottawa University admitted 2,881 of 3,600 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 80% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 10% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Ottawa University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 750 to 1000 on the SAT and 16 to 22 on the ACT. A score above 1000 is in the top quarter of admits. Ottawa University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Ottawa University test-optional?
Yes. Ottawa 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 Ottawa University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Ottawa University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $27,963 a year against a sticker price of about $51,856. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $22,449 on average.
What do Ottawa University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Ottawa University are $55,552 a year among students who received federal aid, and 28% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Ottawa University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Ottawa University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Ottawa University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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.