College of the Holy Cross Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores

The College of the Holy Cross is a private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 38%. Founded by the Jesuits in 1843, and located in Worcester, Massachusetts, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England. Holy Cross has an impressive retention and  graduation rate, with well over 90% of entering students earning a degree within six years. The college was awarded a chapter of  Phi Beta Kappa  for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, and the schools 10-to-1  student/faculty ratio  means that students will have a lot of personal interaction with their professors. On the athletic front, the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders compete in the NCAA Division I  Patriot League. Considering applying to Holy Cross? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Holy Cross had an acceptance rate of 38%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 38 students were admitted, making Holy Cross admissions process competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 7,054 Percent Admitted 38% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 32% SAT Scores and Requirements Holy Cross has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Holy Cross may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required to do so. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 46% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 640 710 Math 640 710 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted test scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Holy Cross admitted students fall within the  top 20% nationally  on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Holy Cross scored between 640 and 710, while 25% scored below 640 and 25% scored above 710. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 640 and 710, while 25% scored below 640 and 25% scored above 710. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1420 or higher is competitive for Holy Cross. Requirements The College of the Holy Cross does not require SAT scores for admission. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Holy Cross participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Holy Cross does not require the essay section of the SAT. Subject tests are not required but will be considered if provided. ACT Scores and Requirements Holy Cross has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 27% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 29 34 Math 26 30 Composite 28 32 This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Holy Cross admitted students fall within the  top 11% nationally  on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Holy Cross received a composite ACT score between 28 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 28. Requirements Note that Holy Cross does not require ACT scores for admission. For students who choose to submit scores, Holy Cross participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. Holy Cross does not require the ACT writing section. GPA The College of Holy Cross does not provide data about admitted students high school GPAs. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph College of the Holy Cross Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to the College of the Holy Cross. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances Holy Cross, which accepts over a third of applicants, has a competitive admissions pool. However, Holy Cross also has a  holistic admissions  process and is test-optional, and admissions decisions are based on much more than numbers. A strong  application essay  and  glowing letters of recommendation  can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful  extracurricular activities  and a  rigorous course schedule. The college is looking for students who will contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways, not just students who show promise in the classroom. While not required, Holy Cross strongly recommends  interviews  for interested applicants. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and scores are outside of Holy Cross average range. In the scattergram above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. The majority of successful applicants had high school averages of A- or higher, combined SAT scores of 1200 or higher, and ACT composite scores of 26 or better. Since Holy Cross has test-optional admissions, grades are much more important than test scores. If You Like Holy Cross, You May Also Like These Schools Northeastern UniversityBoston CollegeTufts UniversityBrown UniversityDartmouth CollegeBowdoin CollegeBoston UniversityColgate University All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and College of the Holy Cross Undergraduate Admissions Office.