Chances of getting into Grinnell College
Acceptance Rate
How hard is it to get into Grinnell and can I get accepted?
The acceptance rate at Grinnell is 19%. It ranks #1 in Iowa and #50 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. Grinnell is a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Last year, 1,566 out of 8,137 applicants were admitted.
The school has exceptionally high admission requirements for SAT and ACT scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 7 percent (SAT 1353/1538 ACT 30/34). Grinnell 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. 23% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
The Grinnell application fee is $0 and applications are due by Jan 15.
Testing Requirements
You are required to submit admission test scores with your application. Grinnell College is not a test optional school. Note: Please consult the school directly to confirm the most up to date testing requirements.
Grinnell SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 670 |
| SAT Math 25th | 683 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1353 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 750 |
| SAT Math 75th | 788 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1538 |
| Average SAT Score | 1450
|
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Grinnell College?
Grinnell College typically prefers applicants to be in the top 100 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1353 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 1260. The average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1450 out of 1600. Grinnell ranks #1 in Iowa and #33 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score. 48 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
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Grinnell ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 30 |
| ACT Math 25th | 27 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 30 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 35 |
| ACT Math 75th | 33 |
| 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 Grinnell?
Admission data indicates that Grinnell regularly accepts students with ACT's of 30 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 7 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 28 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 #1 in Iowa and #38 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score. 52 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Grinnell College.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
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Grinnell GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
What GPA do you need to get into Grinnell College?
Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Grinnell. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Grinnell College was 3.89 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #1 in Iowa for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as Grinnell is a very selective school.
Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements
*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.
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High School Class Rank
72% of Grinnell 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 | 72% |
| Top 25% of class | 94% |
| Top 50% of class | 98% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 4,203 | 3,934 | 8,137 |
| Accepted | 850 | 716 | 1,566 |
| Acceptance Rate | 20% | 18% | 19% |
| Enrolled | 178 | 187 | 365 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 21% | 26% | 23% |
Fall 2022 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2022 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 15, 2023.
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to Grinnell College is $0. The school is free to apply to.
Application Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Grinnell 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 | Recommended |
| 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=153384 IPEDS survey data for Grinnell College.
FAQs
Does Grinnell College prefer SAT or ACT?
48% of students submit their SAT scores to Grinnell. 52% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Grinnell College?
19% of those who apply are granted admission to Grinnell. 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 Grinnell College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1353 and 1538. 48% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Grinnell College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 30 and 34. 52% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.