Oberlin Admission Requirements
Chances of getting into Oberlin College
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Exceptional | |
| Applicant Competition | High |
How hard is it to get into Oberlin and can I get accepted? The school has a 36% acceptance rate ranking it #6 in Ohio for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 2,725 out of 7,525 applicants were admitted making Oberlin a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has extremely high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 12 percent. Oberlin College typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 30% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
Can you get in?
Find out which students are getting accepted at Oberlin, which are not, and how your GPA, SAT, or ACT scores compare.
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Oberlin SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
Applicants Submitting SAT
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 650 |
| SAT Math 25th | 630 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1280 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 740 |
| SAT Math 75th | 750 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1490 |
| Average SAT Score | 1390 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Oberlin College?
Oberlin College typically requires applicants to be in the top 14 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1280 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 1170. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1390 out of 1600. The school ranks #2 in Ohio for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 62 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2018 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1490 and Above | Good | >49% |
| 1385 to 1490 | Avg + | 36%-49% |
| 1280 to 1385 | Avg - | 25%-36% |
| 1175 to 1280 | Reach | 16%-25% |
| Less than 1175 | Low | <16% |
Oberlin ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
Applicants Submitting ACT
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 30 |
| ACT Math 25th | 26 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 29 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 34 |
| ACT Math 75th | 28 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 31 |
| Average ACT Score | 30 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Oberlin?
Admission data indicates that Oberlin regularly accepts students with ACT's of 29 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 9 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 28 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 30 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 31 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #3 in Ohio for highest average ACT composite score. 47 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Oberlin College.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2018 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 31 and Above | Good | >49% |
| 30 to 31 | Avg + | 36%-49% |
| 29 to 30 | Avg - | 25%-36% |
| 28 to 29 | Reach | 16%-25% |
| Less than 28 | Low | <16% |
Explore Oberlin College
Oberlin GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
Avg. High School GPA
Typical High School Grades
You will need very good grades in high school to get into Oberlin College. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Oberlin College was 3.57 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #12 in Ohio for highest average GPA. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to Oberlin will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Competitiveness |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 34% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 28% | Avg + |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 23% | Avg - |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 11% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 4% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
GPA Data Source, Wintergreen Orchard House
High School Class Rank
64% of Oberlin 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 | 64% |
| Top 25% of class | 86% |
| Top 50% of class | 98% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 2% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 0% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 4,378 | 3,147 | 7,525 |
| Accepted | 1,664 | 1,061 | 2,725 |
| Acceptance Rate | 38% | 34% | 36% |
| Enrolled | 466 | 339 | 805 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 28% | 32% | 30% |
Fall 2020 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2020 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 15, 2020.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Oberlin College and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor 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 |
Other Colleges to Consider
| Subject | Percent of Class |
|---|---|
| C |
Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, Ohio |
| K |
Kenyon CollegeGambier, Ohio |
| R |
University of RochesterRochester, New York |
| W |
Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, Virginia |
| R |
Rose Hulman Institute of TechnologyTerre Haute, Indiana |
| G |
Georgetown UniversityWashington, District Of Columbia |
| G |
George Washington UniversityWashington, District Of Columbia |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=204501 IPEDS survey data for Oberlin College.
FAQs
Does Oberlin College prefer SAT or ACT?
62% of students submit their SAT scores to Oberlin. 47% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Oberlin College?
36% of those who apply are granted admission to Oberlin. Admission competition is high and the college has exceptional admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for Oberlin College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1280 and 1490. 62% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Oberlin College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 29 and 31. 47% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.
