More selective than 42% of Virginia colleges we cover. U.S. median 77%.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
37% of enrolled first-years sent SAT scores, 6% sent ACT scores.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Called “yield.” A high yield means many admitted students choose CNU over other offers.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Applicants, admits and enrollment
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class (first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates). Newer counts arrive with the next IPEDS release.
GPA and test scores of entering students
The middle 50% of first-time students who enrolled at CNU, as the state reports them, including high school GPA (federal data has no GPA). The source doesn't say whether GPAs are weighted; each college reports them as it records them.
| Entering | GPA | SAT | ACT | CLT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | 3.4–4.0 | 1110–1320 | 23–30 | — |
| Fall 2025 | 3.44–4.04 | 1070–1280 | 23–30 | — |
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), B10 Admissions: First Time Freshman Profile, 2026-27. Entering freshmen 967; reporting SAT 393, ACT 43, GPA 967 Entering freshmen 1164; reporting SAT 441, ACT 43, GPA 1164
CNU SAT and ACT scores
Scores of enrolled first-year students who submitted them, Fall 2024. A quarter scored below the 25th percentile and a quarter above the 75th. Enrolled ranges differ from admitted ranges above, because not every admitted student enrolls.
| Test | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550 | 660 |
| SAT math | 510 | 630 |
| ACT composite | 25 | 30 |
| SAT total (approx.) | 1060 | 1290 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class (reported to IPEDS). SAT total adds the two section scores, an approximation.
CNU admissions year over year
| Entering class | Acceptance | SAT reading | SAT math | ACT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | 86% | 550–660 | 510–630 | 25–30 | College Scorecard |
| Fall 2023 | 88% | 560–670 | 540–630 | 23–29 | IPEDS |
Score ranges are the 25th–75th percentiles. Each year is kept as published; we add a year with every federal release.
How selective is CNU compared with other Virginia colleges?
CNU has the 24th-lowest acceptance rate of 41 Virginia colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Acceptance | Graduation | Avg. net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Patrick Henry College | 77% | 74% | — |
| 21 | University of Mary Washington | 80% | 66% | $20,667 |
| 22 | Roanoke College | 83% | 67% | $24,503 |
| 23 | Emory & Henry University | 84% | 56% | $19,061 |
| 24 | Christopher Newport University | 86% | 72% | $23,015 |
| 25 | Randolph-Macon College | 87% | 70% | $27,866 |
| 26 | George Mason University | 87% | 68% | $17,915 |
| 27 | Norfolk State University | 88% | 39% | $15,282 |
| 28 | Virginia State University | 89% | 39% | $15,840 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class. All Virginia colleges →
Who enrolls at CNU
College Scorecard; IPEDS
CNU admissions questions
What is the CNU acceptance rate?
Christopher Newport University accepts 86% of applicants, most. For the Fall 2023 entering class, 6,212 of 7,062 applicants were admitted.
Does CNU require the SAT or ACT?
Christopher Newport University considers SAT or ACT scores but does not require them (test-optional), according to its federal admissions report for Fall 2023. 37% of enrolled first-year students submitted SAT scores and 6% submitted ACT scores.
What SAT score do you need for CNU?
The middle 50% of Christopher Newport University enrolled first-year students scored 1060–1290 on the SAT and 25–30 on the ACT. A score above the upper number puts you in the top quarter of enrolled students; below the lower number puts you in the bottom quarter.
How many admitted students enroll at CNU?
19% of admitted students enrolled in Fall 2023 (1,163 of 6,212).
Is CNU getting harder to get into?
Christopher Newport University accepted 86% of applicants for Fall 2024, compared with 88% for Fall 2023.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS Admissions; years shown with each figure. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Back to Christopher Newport University overview