Chances of getting into Amherst College
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Very High |
How hard is it to get into Amherst and can I get accepted? The school has a 12% acceptance rate ranking it #3 in Massachusetts for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 1,254 out of 10,603 applicants were admitted making Amherst 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 3 percent. Amherst College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students. Only 35% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
Test Optional
Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Amherst College. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 47% of students submitted SAT scores and 54% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..
Amherst SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
Applicants Submitting SAT
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 710 |
| SAT Math 25th | 720 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1430 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 770 |
| SAT Math 75th | 790 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1560 |
| Average SAT Score | 1500 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Amherst College?
Amherst College typically prefers applicants to be in the top 3 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1430 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 1360. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1500 out of 1600. The school ranks #4 in Massachusetts for highest average SAT composite score. 47 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1560 and Above | Good | >19% |
| 1495 to 1560 | Avg + | 12%-19% |
| 1430 to 1495 | Avg - | 7%-12% |
| 1365 to 1430 | Reach | 5%-7% |
| Less than 1365 | Low | <5% |
Amherst ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
Applicants Submitting ACT
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 33 |
| ACT Math 25th | 29 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 32 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 36 |
| ACT Math 75th | 34 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 35 |
| Average ACT Score | 33 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Amherst?
Admission data indicates that Amherst regularly accepts students with ACT's of 32 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 3 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 34 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #5 in Massachusetts for highest average ACT composite score. 54 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Amherst College.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 35 and Above | Good | >22% |
| 33 to 35 | Avg + | 12%-22% |
| 32 to 33 | Avg - | 9%-12% |
| 31 to 32 | Reach | 6%-9% |
| Less than 31 | Low | <6% |
Explore Amherst College
Amherst GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
Avg. High School GPA
Typical High School Grades
What GPA do you need to get into Amherst College?
Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Amherst. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Amherst College was 3.91 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #6 in Massachusetts for highest average GPA. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as Amherst 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. 3.91 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
Similar Requirements
High School Class Rank
85% of Amherst 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 | 85% |
| Top 25% of class | 96% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| Lower 50% of class | 0% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 5,785 | 4,815 | 10,603 |
| Accepted | 687 | 566 | 1,254 |
| Acceptance Rate | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Enrolled | 219 | 215 | 434 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 32% | 38% | 35% |
Fall 2022 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2022 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2022.
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to Amherst College is $60.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Amherst College and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Considered but not required |
| High School GPA | Considered but not required |
| High School Class Rank | Recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Considered but not required |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | No |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=164465 IPEDS survey data for Amherst College.
FAQs
Does Amherst College prefer SAT or ACT?
47% of students submit their SAT scores to Amherst. 54% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Amherst College?
12% of those who apply are granted admission to Amherst. 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 Amherst College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1430 and 1560. 47% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Amherst College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 32 and 35. 54% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.