Amherst College is extremely difficult to get into. The acceptance rate at Amherst College is 7%. Out of 14,864 applications received in 2023, 1,079 students were offered admission.
If you want to apply to Amherst College, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 1/3 and the application fee costs $65.
Students who submit their applications to Amherst College for fall should hear back from Amherst College by April 1.
Here's an overiew of some of Amherst College's admissions stats.
Amherst College 2023 | Admissions Statistics |
---|---|
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 90% |
Mean SAT Score | 1497 |
Admissions Test Policy | Test Optional |
Applicants Who Submit SATs | 41% |
Applicants Who Submit ACTs | 22% |
Waitlist | Yes |
These are the application deadlines for Amherst College.
Application Type | Offered | Application Deadline | Notification Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Early Decision I | Yes | November 1 | December 15 |
Early Decision II | – | – | – |
Early Action | No | – | – |
Regular Decision | Yes | 1 3 | April 1 |
Amherst College offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, meaning you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.
🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.
The early decision acceptance rate at Amherst College is 32%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 7%. Last year, Amherst College admitted 220 of the 692 students who applied early decision.
Some students apply early to college to help their chances of being offering admission. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase the chance of admission, since it shows your interest in a school.
➡️ Explore a list of some selective colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
For more information on transferring to Amherst College, contact the school directly.
Amherst College has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.
Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are they consider most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that put the most emphasis on the admissions factors where you're strong.
Curious about the factors that are considered by Amherst College during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.
Admissions Factor | Level |
---|---|
Character/Personal Qualities | Very Important |
Application Essay | Very Important |
Extracurricular Activities | Very Important |
Recommendation(s) | Very Important |
Talent/Ability | Very Important |
Academic GPA | Very Important |
Rigor of Secondary School Record | Very Important |
Class Rank | Important |
Volunteer Work | Important |
Work Experience | Important |
First Generation | Important |
Alumni/ae Relations | Considered |
Geographical Residence | Considered |
Racial/Ethnic Status | Considered |
Standardized Test Scores | Considered |
Make sure to check with Amherst College for more information on admission factors.
To apply to Amherst College, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with Amherst College's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
Area | Required | Recommended | Required for Some | Details (If Any) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Transcript(S) of College Record | – | – | – | – |
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S) | – | – | – | – |
Letter(s) of Recommendation | 3 | – | – | – |
Written Essay or Personal Statement | √ | – | – | – |
Other Requirements | √ | – | – | Amherst College Writing Supplement |
Transcript of High School Record | √ | – | – | – |
Amherst College has not provided an information about GPAs of accepted students. Any questions regarding applicant expectations should be addressed directly with the school.
Out of all students that were admitted, 19% submitted a class rank. At Amherst College 90% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 96% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.
At Amherst College, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.
GPA | Percent of Students |
---|---|
4.0 GPA | – |
3.75 and 3.99 | – |
3.50 and 3.74 | – |
3.25 and 3.49 | – |
3.00 and 3.24 | – |
2.50 and 2.9 | – |
2.00 and 2.49 | – |
This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.
Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Amherst College directly.
About GPAs
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.
An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.
Amherst College is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
In 2022, 41% of Amherst College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 22% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.
To be competitive with other Amherst College applicants, you should aim to score between 1450 and 1550 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Amherst College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1550 and 25% of scored lower than 1450, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Amherst College student is 1497.
On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Amherst College students scored 790 or higher and 75% of students scored 710 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Amherst College students scored 770 or higher, and 75% scored a 710 or higher.
To be most competitive at Amherst College, you should strive to earn between 33 and 35 on the ACT.
An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Amherst College's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.
A 33 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Amherst College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 33.
For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by April 15.
Transfer students can enroll in Amherst College during the following terms:
• Fall Term
• Winter Term
• Spring Term
• Winter Term
• Summer Term
Can I defer my acceptance to Amherst College?
✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Amherst College.
Does Amherst College accept transfer credits?
✅ Amherst College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.
Does Amherst College accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
❌ Amherst College does not accept International Baccalaureate credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to Amherst College?
❌ No, Amherst College is test optional, so you can choose if you want to to include your test scores. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you probably want to include them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.
What is Amherst College's acceptance rate?
✅ Amherst College has an acceptance rate of 7%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Amherst College?
✅ Amherst College's early decision acceptance rate was 32% in 2021.
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Admission Difficulty
How hard is it to get into Amherst? Amherst is a selective institution. The Amherst acceptance rate is 7%. This means that the institution accepts 7 out of every 100 applicants.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Amherst is Jan 3.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Amherst is Mar 1.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
SAT Score
Estimated Chance
1550 and Above
1450 to 1550
1450 and Less
The median SAT score for Amherst students is 1497. Applicants with SAT scores of 1550 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Amherst, while applicants with SAT scores between 1450 to 1550 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1450 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Amherst.
Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)
Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
Total Enrollment
Campus Setting
Acceptance Rate
Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline
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