Villanova University: the complete school report for parents

What does Villanova University actually weigh in admissions?

Villanova University rates 3 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Villanova University's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

73% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.87 on a 4 scale, reported for 16% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

What is the Villanova University waitlist really like?

Villanova University offered a place on its waiting list to 5,449 applicants and 2,205 accepted one. 28 were ultimately admitted. That is 1.3% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Villanova University admitted 56.7% of 575 transfer applicants, against 28.1% of first-year applicants. For a student who does not get in at eighteen, the transfer route is a genuinely wider door and worth planning for deliberately. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 59.8% of ED applicants were admitted against 28.1% overall, a gap of 32 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Villanova University requires 21 academic units and recommends 22. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Villanova University actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $43,756 a year at Villanova University after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $72,990. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 83.5% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 119 merit awards averaging $38,439 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

45% of Villanova University graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $43,841 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $274 a month in repayment. Villanova University’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Villanova University pay off?

Graduates earn a median $100,423 ten years after entering, and $84,905 at six years. 94% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 90% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$149,830 to $70,587, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Villanova University:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

95% of first-years return for a second year. 89% graduate within four years and 93% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 93.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 92.8% of everyone else, a gap of -0.2 points.

How big are the classes?

46% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 10:1, and 63% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at Villanova University like?

6,935 undergraduates, 78.4% of first-years from out of state. 99% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 82% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 17% of men join a fraternity and 39% of women a sorority. 13% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $90,091.

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Villanova University recommends 22 academic units.
• 73% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.87. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• Early Decision is worth 32 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 28 of 2,205 who waited were admitted, about 1%.
• If the first-year answer is no, the transfer route is genuinely wider here and worth planning for from the first semester of college.
• Its highest-earning major returns $149,830 five years out against $70,587 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Villanova University

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