What a friend would tell you
What ASU is looking for
ASU's 88% acceptance rate means getting in is the easy part. The application should focus on landing in a specific college: Barrett (the Honors College), Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, or the W.P. Carey School of Business. Barrett runs a separate, more selective admissions process, and getting in fundamentally changes the ASU experience. Strong GPA and test scores drive merit aid offers, so submit scores if they're competitive.
What students wish they'd known
With 71,000 students on the Tempe campus alone, ASU can feel like a city where nobody knows your name. The party reputation is earned, and navigating it requires discipline. Summer temperatures routinely hit 115 degrees, and walking campus in September is physically uncomfortable. The school's 'New American University' brand masks uneven quality across departments. The 59% four-year graduation rate means many students take longer or don't finish.
ASU might be a fit if...
- You want Barrett Honors College for a top-tier honors experience inside a massive research university
- You're targeting W.P. Carey business, Fulton engineering, or journalism and want Phoenix metro internship access
- You can self-motivate in a campus of 71,000 and build your own community instead of having one handed to you
ASU Admissions Strategy
Application Info
Plans: RD
Deadlines: RD Rolling (priority November 1)
Deadlines: RD Rolling (priority November 1)
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Not Tracked
Not tracked. Skip the info-session circuit and put those hours into the application itself.
Interview
Not offered
Yield Rate
32%
Only 32% of admits choose to enroll. The waitlist moves more than you'd think; if you land on it, make your interest loud.
Want the strongest possible application to ASU, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at ASU
$39,000
Sticker Price
$11,000
In-State Tuition
$2,500
Avg Merit Aid
Need-aware admissions. 65% receive financial aid.
What you get for it: ASU spends about $22,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, well above the $15K national average.
What ASU Graduates Get
$47,000
Avg Starting Salary
84%
Employed or in Grad School
59%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (68%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
ASU Campus & Culture
The Campus
ASU's Tempe campus sprawls across 661 acres adjacent to downtown Tempe and Tempe Town Lake, with a mix of mid-century brick, desert-modern glass, and recent construction. The Hayden Library, Old Main, and the Gammage Auditorium (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) are architectural highlights. Palm Walk cuts through the center of campus, lined with date palms. The Biodesign Institute buildings on the east end represent the school's research ambitions. Sun Devil Stadium sits in the mountain gap between campus and Papago Park.
The Social Scene
Large party scene, commuter-friendly, diverse student body
ASU Traditions & Trivia
Lantern Walk
On the Friday before homecoming, students, faculty, and alumni climb A Mountain together after dark carrying lanterns, lighting up Tempe Butte in a procession that has continued for nearly a century.
Whitewashing the A
At the start of each school year, students hike Tempe Butte to repaint the giant block letter white, a symbolic fresh start that also requires them to defend it from University of Arizona fans all season.
Academics at ASU
What ASU is known for
Size, online programs, Sun Devil spirit, engineering
Most popular majors at ASU
Standout programs
Engineering, business, computer science
How the curriculum works
School-based system with multiple campuses
Recommended high school courses
3 years English, 3 years Math, 2 years Science, 2 years Social Studies, 1 year Foreign Language
Notable ASU Alumni
Phil Mickelson
Three-time Masters champion, ASU golf legend, class of 1992
Jimmy Eat World
Formed the band while students at ASU
Reggie Jackson
Baseball Hall of Famer, attended ASU
David Spade
Comedian and SNL cast member, ASU class of 1986
Kate Spade
Fashion designer, ASU alumna (attended before transferring)
If you like ASU, also consider
University of Arizona
In-state rival with stronger optical sciences and a smaller Tucson setting
University of Texas at Austin
Bigger brand flagship with Austin's cultural scene
University of Colorado Boulder
Similar outdoor vibe with cooler mountain climate
University of Oregon
Pacific Northwest alternative with smaller campus and stronger college-town feel
University of Alabama
SEC flagship with comparable merit aid strategy and different culture