University of Arkansas at Little Rock admits 57.7% of applicants, meaning approximately 3 in 5 applicants receive offers of admission. This places the university in the Moderately Selective range, making it more accessible than highly selective institutions while maintaining academic standards. The peer median admission rate of 84.6% highlights that University of Arkansas at Little Rock is more selective than typical four-year public institutions. This moderate selectivity creates opportunities for students with solid academic credentials who might face challenges at highly competitive schools. Students should view University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a target school if their academic profile aligns with enrolled student characteristics. The admission rate suggests that qualified applicants have reasonable chances of acceptance, but students should still present strong applications demonstrating academic preparation and institutional fit. For students building balanced college lists, this selectivity level provides a middle ground between reach schools and safety options, making it an important anchor institution for many applicants seeking quality education at an accessible level.
A directional estimate — not a prediction
Admitted students at University of Arkansas at Little Rock typically score between 890-1170 on the SAT, with the middle 50% falling within this range. The SAT median of 1049 indicates that most successful applicants demonstrate solid academic preparation across verbal and mathematical reasoning. SAT Math scores range from 440-600, while SAT Verbal scores span 440-570, showing relatively balanced expectations across both sections. ACT scores range from 18-23, with a median of 22, providing multiple pathways for standardized test submission. Compared to peer institutions with a median SAT of 1090, University of Arkansas at Little Rock enrolls students with test scores 41 points lower on average, reflecting the university's commitment to access alongside academic quality. These ranges indicate that students scoring in the upper 400s to low 600s on individual SAT sections are academically competitive for admission. Students scoring below the 25th percentile should expect to be at a competitive disadvantage but are not automatically excluded from consideration. The ranges represent enrolled students, not minimum requirements, so applicants across the spectrum may receive admission offers. Students should consider whether their academic profile aligns with these ranges when building their college application strategy.
Understanding institutional priorities and student support
University of Arkansas at Little Rock enrolls a diverse student body with 41.0% receiving Pell grants, indicating significant representation of students from lower-income families. First-generation college students comprise 39.1% of the student body, demonstrating the university's role in expanding educational access to families new to higher education. Transfer students represent a remarkable 66.0% of enrollment, making University of Arkansas at Little Rock primarily a destination for students completing degrees started elsewhere. This high transfer share indicates strong pathways from community colleges and other institutions, suggesting robust transfer credit policies and support systems. The student composition reflects the university's mission to serve working adults, career-changers, and non-traditional students seeking flexible degree completion options. Geographic and demographic diversity data indicate the university draws from regional populations seeking accessible higher education. First-generation students should know that more than one-third of enrolled students share their background, creating peer support networks and institutional understanding of their unique needs. Transfer applicants should expect well-developed processes for credit evaluation and degree planning, given the university's extensive experience with transfer students.
With a 57.7% acceptance rate, University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers moderate selectivity that makes admission achievable for qualified applicants while maintaining academic standards.
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University of Arkansas at Little Rock retains 71.5% of freshmen for sophomore year, compared to the peer median of 73.2%, indicating typical persistence rates for similar institutions. The university graduates 41.4% of students within six years, below the peer median of 49.3%, reflecting challenges common among institutions serving high transfer populations and non-traditional students. Pell-eligible students graduate at a rate of 30.8%, creating a 10.6 percentage point gap compared to the overall completion rate. This gap is larger than ideal but reflects national patterns where lower-income students face additional completion challenges. However, students who remain enrolled demonstrate strong academic progression, and the university's extensive transfer population may contribute to lower traditional completion metrics since many students complete degrees on non-traditional timelines. Students should expect academic support systems designed for diverse learning backgrounds, given the university's experience with first-generation and transfer populations. The completion data suggests that students who engage actively with academic resources and maintain consistent enrollment patterns have strong prospects for degree completion. Prospective students should plan for potential extended degree timelines and consider the university's support services when evaluating their likelihood of academic success.
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