Chances of getting into Claremont McKenna College
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Very High |
Will you get accepted?
Find out how likely you are to get accepted at Claremont McKenna based on your GPA, test scores, and even extracurricular activities. Then, get custom recommendations for how to improve your odds - completely for free.
Calculate My ChancesSponsored by CollegeVine
How hard is it to get into Claremont McKenna and can I get accepted? The school has a 10% acceptance rate ranking it #4 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 625 out of 6,066 applicants were admitted making Claremont McKenna a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 6 percent. Claremont McKenna College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students. Of those applicants who were admitted, 52% enrolled. With over half of admitted students enrolling, acceptance by Claremont McKenna College is a prized outcome for many students. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
Test Requirements
You must submit admission test scores with your application. Claremont McKenna College is not a test optional school. Note: Please consult the school directly to determine if testing requirements are temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Claremont McKenna SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
Applicants Submitting SAT
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 670 |
| SAT Math 25th | 690 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1360 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 730 |
| SAT Math 75th | 780 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1510 |
| Average SAT Score | 1440 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Claremont McKenna College?
Claremont McKenna College typically prefers applicants to be in the top 7 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1360 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1280. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1440 out of 1600. The school ranks #6 in California for highest average SAT composite score. 51 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2019 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1510 and Above | Good | >16% |
| 1435 to 1510 | Avg + | 10%-16% |
| 1360 to 1435 | Avg - | 6%-10% |
| 1285 to 1360 | Reach | 4%-6% |
| Less than 1285 | Low | <4% |
Claremont McKenna ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
Applicants Submitting ACT
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 32 |
| ACT Math 25th | 29 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 31 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 35 |
| ACT Math 75th | 34 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 34 |
| Average ACT Score | 32 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Claremont McKenna?
Admission data indicates that Claremont McKenna regularly accepts students with ACT's of 31 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 5 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 32 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 34 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #7 in California for highest average ACT composite score. 56 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Claremont McKenna College.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2019 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 34 and Above | Good | >18% |
| 32 to 34 | Avg + | 10%-18% |
| 31 to 32 | Avg - | 7%-10% |
| 30 to 31 | Reach | 5%-7% |
| Less than 30 | Low | <5% |
Explore Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
Avg. High School GPA
Typical High School Grades
What GPA do you need to get into Claremont McKenna College?
Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Claremont McKenna. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Claremont McKenna College was 3.89 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #9 in California for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as Claremont McKenna is a very selective school.
*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.89 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
Similar Requirements
High School Class Rank
74% of Claremont McKenna College freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 74% |
| Top 25% of class | 96% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 0% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 0% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 3,194 | 2,872 | 6,066 |
| Accepted | 334 | 291 | 625 |
| Acceptance Rate | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Enrolled | 173 | 155 | 328 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 52% | 53% | 52% |
Fall 2022 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2022 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 2, 2022.
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to Claremont McKenna College is $70.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Claremont McKenna College and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Recommended |
| High School Class Rank | Recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=112260 IPEDS survey data for Claremont McKenna College.
FAQs
Does Claremont McKenna College prefer SAT or ACT?
51% of students submit their SAT scores to Claremont McKenna. 56% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Claremont McKenna College?
10% of those who apply are granted admission to Claremont McKenna. Admission competition is very high and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for Claremont McKenna College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1360 and 1510. 51% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Claremont McKenna College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 31 and 34. 56% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.