What a friend would tell you
What Drexel is looking for
Drexel's co-op program is the entire pitch. Applications should show that you understand the alternating six-month work/study model and are ready to start working by sophomore year. Name specific co-op employers (Comcast, Johnson & Johnson, or the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) or explain what industry you want your three co-op rotations in. Academic stats matter less than career focus.
What students wish they'd known
The five-year co-op model means paying an extra year of tuition (or four years compressed, which is brutal). West Philadelphia has safety concerns, especially after dark. Drexel's academic reputation sits below Penn and other Philly peers, and the co-op schedule means you're often out of sync with friends at other schools. Campus culture can feel transactional and career-obsessed.
Drexel might be a fit if...
- You want to graduate with 18 months of paid work experience in engineering, health sciences, or business
- You'd rather spend college in a major city than a self-contained campus
- You're practical enough to accept a five-year model because the career payoff justifies the extra year
Drexel Admissions Strategy
1.2x
Early Decision Advantage
Early Decision admits at 1.2x the RD rate. The trade: ED is binding. Apply only if you'd say yes on the spot.
Early Decision: the numbers
Drexel's Early Decision acceptance rate is 95.5% vs 79% overall. ED is binding. If you are admitted, you are committing to enroll. This signals strong commitment and gives a meaningful admissions advantage.
Deadlines: ED November 15 · RD January 15
Deadlines: ED November 15 · RD January 15
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
Considered
Considered, not formally logged. A specific 'Why us' is the lever that matters.
Interview
Optional on campus or virtual
Yield Rate
35%
Only 35% 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 Drexel, 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 Drexel
$84,000
Sticker Price
$11,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-aware admissions. 82% receive financial aid.
What you get for it: Drexel spends about $48,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, roughly 3x the $15K national average. You see it in class sizes, faculty access, and research budgets.
What Drexel Graduates Get
$56,000
Avg Starting Salary
94%
Employed or in Grad School
30%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (78%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
Drexel Campus & Culture
The Campus
Drexel's 96-acre campus occupies University City in West Philadelphia, sharing the neighborhood with Penn and adjacent to 30th Street Station. The Main Building (1891) is a Second Empire stone structure with a mansard roof, but the campus leans modern: the URBN Center (a converted factory for design programs), the LeBow College of Business, and Daskalakis Athletic Center cluster along Market and Chestnut Streets. It feels urban and connected, not enclosed.
The Social Scene
Career-focused, co-op network, Philadelphia access
Drexel Traditions & Trivia
Dragon Day
Every year, first-year architecture students design and build a giant papier-mache dragon from scratch, then parade it across campus in a show of school spirit and creative muscle.
Winter Homecoming Bonfire
Instead of a fall homecoming, Drexel welcomes students back in January with a bonfire on campus, where everyone roasts s'mores and huddles over hot chocolate in the middle of the Philadelphia winter.
Academics at Drexel
What Drexel is known for
Co-op program, engineering, career preparation
Most popular majors at Drexel
Standout programs
Engineering, health sciences, computer science
How the curriculum works
School-based with mandatory co-op program
Recommended high school courses
4 years English, 4 years Math, 4 years Science, 3 years Social Studies, 2 years Foreign Language
Notable Drexel Alumni
Raj Gupta
Former CEO of Rohm and Haas, Drexel MBA
Robert Brady
Philadelphia Congressman, Drexel alumnus
Paul Baran
Internet pioneer who developed packet switching, studied at Drexel
Noam Bramson
Mayor of New Rochelle and policy leader, Drexel connection
If you like Drexel, also consider
Northeastern University
Stronger co-op brand with Boston location and higher selectivity
Stevens Institute of Technology
Smaller co-op engineering school across the river in Hoboken
University of Pennsylvania
Next door, dramatically more selective, no co-op but Penn's brand opens doors
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Engineering with co-op options in upstate New York
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
Project-based engineering with seven-week terms and industry partnerships