Portland State University
Portland, OR
What are your chances of getting into Portland State University?
Portland State University is a large public research university in the heart of downtown Portland, with a strongly urban, commuter-friendly feel and a campus that extends across just 50 acres. It offers 209 degree programs and is especially known for applied, city-connected work in computer science, engineering, business, social work, public health, urban planning, and the arts. The school leans practical and community-facing, with many opportunities tied to local employers, civic organizations, and community-based learning. Student life is active but not purely residential, since many students commute and the campus serves a mix of traditional, transfer, and graduate students. People who thrive here usually want a diverse environment, value flexibility and real-world experience, and like being in a city where internships, public service, and professional networking are part of daily life. It is a relatively accessible university academically, so students who are motivated and self-directed often do especially well.
Calculate your chances at Portland State University
Enter your GPA and test scores, add other schools, and see where you stand instantly.
Your Academic Profile
Estimates based on admitted-student data. Real decisions also weigh essays, recommendations, and course rigor.
Your results
Enter your GPA to see your academic score.
Your chances map appears here once you enter a GPA and add colleges.
Strengths
- Strong urban location with direct access to internships, employers, and civic partnerships in Portland
- Broad menu of 209 degree programs, including well-regarded applied majors in engineering, computer science, business, social work, public health, and urban planning
- Diverse student body and a mix of commuter, transfer, and graduate students that creates a flexible campus culture
- Good fit for students who want hands-on learning, community engagement, and practical career preparation
Things to weigh
- Large, urban, and partly commuter-oriented, so it can feel less traditional or residential than a classic campus college
- Admission is relatively accessible, which can mean a wide range of academic preparation in the classroom and less day-to-day structure
- Downtown location is exciting but can also mean more noise, traffic, and a busier environment than a suburban campus
- Students who want a tightly knit, highly selective, residential experience may find the culture less intimate
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into Portland State University?+
Portland State University admits about 91% of applicants, and the middle 50% of admitted students score between 1000 and 1250 on the SAT. Enter your GPA and test scores above and this calculator estimates your personal chances in seconds, and tells you whether Portland State University is a safety, match, or reach for your profile.
Is this the most accurate college admissions calculator?+
Counselly's chances calculator runs on real, current admissions data, the actual admit rates and SAT/ACT ranges colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education, not averages scraped from forums. Our algorithm weighs your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular strength against each school's admitted-student profile the way an admissions reader would begin, which makes it one of the most reliable free tools for seeing where you'll get into college.
How does the calculator predict my chances of getting in?+
It compares your academic profile to each college's real admitted class. We look at where your GPA and test scores fall within a school's 25th to 75th percentile range, combine that with the school's overall admit rate, and factor in your extracurricular strength, then translate it into a clear percentage and a Safety, Match, or Reach label. Everything recalculates instantly as you add schools or adjust your stats.
What counts as a good chance of getting into a college?+
Roughly above 60% is a Safety, you're comfortably ahead of the typical admitted student. Around 30 to 60% is a Match, realistic and worth prioritizing. Below 30% is a Reach, still absolutely worth applying to if it's a dream school. The strongest college lists balance all three, and Counselly helps you build exactly that kind of list.
Which colleges can I check my admission chances for?+
Hundreds of US colleges and universities, from Ivy League schools to large public flagships to smaller private colleges. Just start typing, MIT, UCLA, NYU, Michigan, and pick from the suggestions. We're continuously expanding our data, and your free assessment goes even further, matching you to programs across the country based on your full profile.
Can a calculator really tell me where I will get accepted?+
No tool can promise an outcome, and you should be cautious of any that claims to. What Counselly does exceptionally well is show you, honestly and instantly, exactly where you stand academically at each college, so you can build a smart, balanced list instead of guessing. Your essays, recommendations, and story do the rest, and your free assessment is built to help you strengthen all of them.
Is the college chances calculator free?+
Completely free, and no signup is required to use it. When you're ready to go further, your full assessment, the complete list of colleges where you're a strong fit plus a step-by-step plan to raise your odds, is also free to unlock with an account.
