Acceptance Rate at RISD and How to Get Accepted Easily

Have you considered applying to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) but are unsure about the process? Perhaps you worry about the acceptance rate at RISD and entrance standards. You’re certainly not alone in this.

While there are many components to a RISD application, you should concentrate on only these few key points. They include GPA requirements, testing requirements (SAT and ACT), and application criteria.

So, in this article, we’ll cover those critical factors you should focus on and other things you need (i.e., building a strong application) to get into RISD.

Overview of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a private, non-profit art and design school located on College Hill in Providence, Rhode Island. It was incorporated on March 22, 1877, as both a school and a museum. RISD has a 26% acceptance rate.

The Rhode Island School of Design has always been a bit of an outlier. RISD’s reputation for vision and leadership in advanced studio-based education began before 1930. That was before they actually started providing a complete bachelor’s degree program.

Students can apply to both the Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University to acquire a dual degree from both schools. RISD is a studio-based curriculum and provides bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 16 fields of study. Fine arts majors are the most common among undergraduates.

The Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art is located on campus and houses an amazing collection of over 100,000 pieces of art. The Fleet Library, founded in 1878, is also noteworthy, having approximately 155,000 books in its floating catalog.

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RISD Acceptance Rate: Admission Process

Despite the fact that the cost of attendance and entrance standards are both somewhat high, RISD graduates are outstanding for their work and popularity in several fields. Because it is a design school, the admissions procedure emphasizes the candidate’s creativity and logical abilities. Here is the admission process of RISD.

First-Year Admission Process

Students enrolled in the first-year admission program at RISD receive additional attention. Freshmen, according to the professors, are typically energetic and curious individuals who, when led down the correct path, may inspire the world with their inventiveness. When applying for the First-Year Admission Program, keep the following in mind:

• Admission to RISD is through the Common Application platform, where the college verifies the candidate’s profile, financial situation, and other details.
• You need a school transcript as well as ACT or SAT test scores. The SAT institution code number for RISD is 3726, while the ACT institution code number is 003812.
• RISD requires International English Proficiency Test Scores such as IELTS and TOEFL for international students going through this process. In the TOEFL and IELTS, you need a minimum of 93 points and 6.5 bands.
• The portfolio of your interest is crucial, and it should have 12–20 samples of your work. One of the rejection processes in the admissions process is the portfolio.
• A letter of recommendation from any mentor or professor is advantageous.
• Completion of the RISD assignment within the time frame specified.
• College Essay Submission
• The verification and review procedure might take many weeks.

Transfer Admission Process

RISD encourages students to switch disciplines and study areas in order to broaden their horizons. All of the aforementioned processes are the same for transfer students, and they are expected to meet all of the requirements with relative ease. Apart from these, a student undertaking transfer admission must also fulfill the following procedural criteria:

• For the fall semester, the candidate must complete at least 27 courses at any fashion college.
• For the spring semester, the candidate must have at least two years of experience in his or her field.
• A total of 42 Liberal Arts credits with grades ranging from A to C.
• The portfolio must be extraordinary for transfer admissions.
• Completion of studio courses and the Summer Experimental and Foundation Studies (SEFS) program.

Graduate Admission Process

The Graduate Admissions Process is very similar to the first-year admissions process, with minor differences.

• Details about the undergraduate course must be on the academic transcript.
• You need to send a CV as part of the application process.

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Acceptance Rate at RSID and Admission Statistics

Basically, the RISD acceptance rate for the academic year 2020–2021 is 27.12%. It involves a total of 4,001 students (998 men and 3,003 women) applying to RISD and 1,085 (363 men and 722 women) that got admission. Among them, 137 male students and 276 female students have enrolled at RISD, with an enrolment percentage of 38.06 percent. Consider the table of the admission data, including entrance metrics, acceptance rate, and yield below.

	Total	Men	Women
Applicants	4001	998	3003
Admitted	1085	363	722
Enrolled	413	137	276
Acceptance Rate	27.12%	36.37%	24.04%
Yield (Enrolment Rate)	38.06%	37.74%	38.23%

Last year, RISD admitted 1,085 out of 4,001 candidates as seen from the table, making it a highly competitive institution with a low acceptance rate for qualified students. Academically, it has exceptionally high entrance test score standards, often accepting students who score in the top 16%. The Rhode Island School of Design usually admits and attracts students with a “B+” average in high school though. However, only 38% of admitted students decided to attend the institution.

Admission Statistics

At RISD, women made up more than 70% of the applications. However, they only made up 64% of those who were accepted to the university. More than three times as many women as men applied for admission.

Despite the fact that 998 fewer males applied, they had a higher chance of acceptance, with a 36.37% acceptance rate compared to 24.04% for female candidates. 276 women eventually enrolled at the university.

Despite the fact that women outnumbered men as current students (37.74%), males had a higher percentage of accepted candidates who enrolled. Basically, this is referred to as admission yield, and it relates to the percentage of individuals who are accepted who actually attend.

Women were not far behind, with 38.23% of approved candidates enrolling at the university. Other surrounding institutions undoubtedly didn’t have such a low admission rate. RISD had a 61 percent acceptance rate, while Bryant University had a 76 percent acceptance rate.

These two stand in sharp contrast to RISD’s 24 percent, demonstrating the high level of competition among candidates and the restricted number of students accepted each year. Only 1085 of the 4001 applicants were accepted to RISD. Approximately half of those (38.06%) chose to attend university.

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RISD Acceptance Rate: Admission Requirements

High School GPA	Required
High School Rank	Neither required nor recommended
High School Transcript	Required
College Prep Courses	Required
SAT/ACT	Recommended
Recommendations	Recommended

RISD expects students to have excellent academic records. It has relatively high entrance exam score standards, often accepting students who score in the top 22%. The following are the general admissions requirements for RISD:

• The application form must be completed on the CommonApp official website, and the $60 application fee must be paid in advance.
• The SAT/ACT scores and average GPA must meet the university’s minimal aggregate requirements.
• The pupils must produce official high school transcripts.
• An additional English proficiency exam, such as the TOEFL or IELTS, for overseas students.
• When submitting papers for verification, provide proof of attendance in any pre-college courses.
• To submit, you’ll need a portfolio, a letter of recommendation, a college essay, and a college assignment.
• Proof of graduation is required for postgraduate studies.
• AP and Dual Credit courses.
• Both online and offline applications.

a) RISD GPA Requirements

Many colleges stipulate a minimum GPA requirement, but this is frequently the bare minimum to submit an application without being rejected right away.

The only GPA criterion that matters is the one you need to have a realistic chance of getting in. We do this by looking at the school’s current students’ average GPA.

The Rhode Island School of Design expects you to have a 3.6 GPA and be above average in your high school class. At least, you’ll need a mix of A’s and B’s, with more A’s than B’s. You can make up for a low GPA by taking more difficult subjects, such as AP or IB. This demonstrates that you can manage more challenging academics than the ordinary high school student.

If you’re a junior or senior, changing your GPA in time for college applications is difficult. You’ll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate if your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.6. This will enable you to compete successfully against applicants with better GPAs.

b) RISD SAT and ACT Requirements

The standards for standardized testing vary per school. The SAT or ACT is required by most schools, and many additionally need SAT subject assessments.

To apply to RISD, you must take either the SAT or the ACT. More significantly, you must do well in order to submit a solid application.

SAT Requirements

Many colleges claim that they do not have an SAT cutoff, but the fact is that they do. The average score for the school is used. On a 1600-point scale, the average SAT composite at the Rhode Island School of Design is 1310. For SAT test scores, this score definitely places Rhode Island School of Design in the moderately competitive category.

SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The new SAT score for the 25th percentile is 1180, while the 75th percentile is 1440. Thus, a score of 1180 on the new SAT puts you below average, and a score of 1440 puts you above average.

The following is a breakdown of the new SAT scores by section:

Section	Average	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
Math	665	580	750
Reading + Writing	645	600	690
Composite	1310	1180	1440

ACT Requirements

The Rhode Island School of Design, like the SAT, is unlikely to have a rigid ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will be rejected. At RISD, the average ACT score is 29. Basically, this score places the school in the moderately competitive category. The ACT score for the 25th percentile is 26, while the ACT score for the 75th percentile is 32.

Meanwhile, despite the fact that RISD presumably states that there is no minimum ACT score, if you apply with a 26 or lower, you will have a difficult time getting in unless you have something else particularly exceptional in your application. With so many candidates scoring 29 or higher, a 26 will appear intellectually inadequate.

Therefore, if your ACT score is now below 32, we highly advise you to prepare for the test and retake it. You have a high probability of improving your score, which will increase your chances of admission dramatically.

Application & Tuition Fees at RISD

Are there any application fees?

For both undergraduate and graduate programs, international candidates must pay a $60 application fee. This is a non-refundable application fee. A non-refundable fee of USD 10 is imposed for uploading an online portfolio using the official website’s SlideRoom service.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Is there any scholarship or financial aid available for international students?

Internal scholarships and financial aid for overseas students are presently unavailable at the Rhode Island School of Art & Design. International applicants can, however, apply for a number of external scholarships. Check out the university’s “funding your education” page for further information.

Related Article: University of South Carolina Acceptance Rate and How to get in Easily

Conclusion

In summary, the RISD has a 23.9% acceptance rate. That is, only 24 out of every 100 applications are accepted. Despite its reputation as one of the best design institutions in the world, admission to the Rhode Island School of Design is extremely competitive. Academically, the qualifying standards are kept deliberately high in order to admit deserving students.

According to a recent data analysis, just 1085 of 4001 candidates made it through the RISD’s subsequent admission procedure. A suitable applicant is a high school student with a minimum grade of “B+” and an average GPA of 3.5 or above. The average SAT/ACT exam results are also greater than those of other American institutions.

With this data, I believe you can still go ahead and apply to SIRD. I also wish you the best of luck in the exams. 

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions about Acceptance Rate at RISD and How to Get Accepted Easily

References

• Acceptancerate.com – Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
• Thoughtco.com – Rhode Island School of Design: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics
• Prepscholar.com – Rhode Island School of Design Requirements for Admission
• Collegesimply.com – Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Admission Requirements
• Risd.edu – RISD History and Tradition
• Studyabroad.shiksha.com -Rhode Island School of Design Admissions 2022: Requirements, Fee Details & FAQs