Claremont McKenna College - Admission Requirements, SAT, ACT, GPA and chance of acceptance

Your chances of getting into Claremont McKenna College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted

11.1%

Admission Difficulty for Claremont McKenna College
Measure	Difficulty
Admission Standards		Elite
Applicant Competition		Very High

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Claremont McKenna is 11.1%. Its admission rate is the 8th lowest in California and the 36th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Claremont McKenna and can you get accepted?

Claremont McKenna is a very highly competitive school to get into. You have a low chance of acceptance even if you meet the admission criteria. It's important that you meet their GPA requirements to get through the first round of consideration. Last year, only 645 out of the 5,799 who applied were admitted.

Claremont McKenna College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.89. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. 50% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Claremont McKenna?

11% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Claremont McKenna College you should:

Have a high school GPA of 3.89 or better
Earn A- grades in high school
Score 1510 on the SAT
Score 34 on the ACT
Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class

Claremont McKenna GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

3.89*

Typical High School Grades

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Claremont McKenna College?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Claremont McKenna are to have around a 3.89 high school GPA. You are required to have exceptionally good grades and you should be graduating near the top of your class.

Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough for you to gain admission as Claremont McKenna is a very selective school.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Claremont McKenna is 3.89 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn A- letter grades and regularly score around 90-92 percent on tests and assignments in high school. The school ranks #11 in California for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since Claremont McKenna is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.9 GPA range.

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.89 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

Calculate My Chances

Claremont McKenna SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Claremont McKenna College. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 29% of students submitted SAT scores and 16% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range

1450-1560

Applicants Submitting SAT

29%

SAT Scores for Claremont McKenna College
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	710
Math 25th Percentile	740
Composite 25th Percentile	1450

SAT Scores for Claremont McKenna College
SAT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	770
Math 75th Percentile	790
Composite 75th Percentile	1560
Average SAT Score	1510

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Claremont McKenna College?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Claremont McKenna is 1510 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1450-1560. Students who get into Claremont McKenna College score in the top 2 percent of all SAT test takers.. Claremont McKenna ranks #5 in the state of California and #27 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1510 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Claremont McKenna regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1450 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1450, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1390, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Claremont McKenna College is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1510 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1505, you have around a 11% chance of being admitted. A 1560 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 19% chance of getting in.

Claremont McKenna College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1560 and Above	Good	>19%
1505 to 1560	Avg +	11%-19%
1450 to 1505	Avg -	6%-11%
1395 to 1450	Reach	3%-6%
Less than 1395	Low	<3%

Calculate My Chances

Claremont McKenna ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

33-35

Applicants Submitting ACT

16%

ACT Scores for Claremont McKenna College
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	34
Math 25th Percentile	30
Composite 25th Percentile	33

ACT Scores for Claremont McKenna College
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	35
Math 75th Percentile	34
Composite 75th Percentile	35
Average ACT Score	34

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Claremont McKenna?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Claremont McKenna is 34, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 33 and 35. The school ranks #3 in California and #6 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 34. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 33 and score in the score in the top 2 percent nationally.

16 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Claremont McKenna College.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Claremont McKenna College is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Claremont McKenna for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 34 score has around 11% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 19% with a 35 ACT score.

Claremont McKenna College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
35 and Above	Good	>19%
34 to 35	Avg +	11%-19%
33 to 34	Avg -	6%-11%
32 to 33	Reach	3%-6%
Less than 32	Low	<3%

Calculate My Chances

High School Class Rank

61% of Claremont McKenna College freshman are in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class. For your application to be competitive, you need to graduate at the top of your class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Claremont McKenna College students
High School Class Rank	Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class	61%
Top 25% of class	96%
Top 50% of class	100%

Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Claremont McKenna College admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	2,913	2,585	5,799
Accepted	350	266	645
Acceptance Rate	12%	10%	11%
Enrolled	158	146	321
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	45%	55%	50%

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Fall 2025 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 5, 2025

Days left to Apply

None

The application deadline for Fall 2025 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 5, 2025.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Claremont McKenna College is $70.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Claremont McKenna College and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Claremont McKenna College Application Requirements
Test Scores	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
High School Class Rank	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Required to be considered for admission
Recommendations	Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies	Not considered for admission, even if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Claremont McKenna College
AP Credit	Yes
Dual Credit	No
Credit for Life Experiences	No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Claremont McKenna is very highly competitive, you have a low likelihood of acceptance. It is important that you earn at least a 3.89 GPA to have a good shot at getting in. Additionally, you need to score a 1510 on the SAT and optimally 1560 to place yourself in a strong position. For ACT scores, you need a 34 to have a competitive chance of getting in.