Hillsdale College

If you are applying to Hillsdale College, the regular decision application deadline is March 15 and there is no application fee, which means it is free to apply.

Hillsdale College Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of Hillsdale College's admissions stats.

Hillsdale College 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.9
Mean SAT Score	1421
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	22%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	38%
Waitlist	Yes

Hillsdale College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Hillsdale College.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 1
Early Decision II	––	––	––
Early Action	No	––	––
Regular Decision	Yes	March 15	––

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Considering Applying Early to Hillsdale College?

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Hillsdale College offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, meaning you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 1.

The early decision acceptance rate at Hillsdale College is 38%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 24%. In 2022, Hillsdale College admitted 122 of the 322 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply to college early because they believe it will increase their chances of being offering admission. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of acceptance, since it is a way to show that you are very interested in a school.

➡️ Discover a list of some competetive colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Hillsdale College Admissions

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How Hard Is It To Get Admitted to Hillsdale College?

Hillsdale College is an extremely difficult school to get into. Hillsdale College evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2021, Hillsdale College accepted 24% of all applicants, about 709 from the 2,994 applicants.

Schools that are extremely difficult to get into, like Hillsdale College, accept fewer than 30% of all applicants. At least 75% of admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT or over 29 on the ACT.

Transferring to Hillsdale College

Transfer student admissions is extremely difficult.

For Students Waitlisted to Hillsdale College

In 2022, Hillsdale College waitlisted 196 students and 93 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 5 eventually got off the waitlist.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Hillsdale College?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are given the most weight in the admissions process. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that put the most emphasis on the areas where you stand out.

Admissions Factors at Hillsdale College

What does Hillsdale College consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Work Experience	Important
Level of Applicant's Interest	Important
Interview	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Volunteer Work	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Talent/Ability	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered

Make sure to check with Hillsdale College for more information on admission factors.

Hillsdale College 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Hillsdale College, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with Hillsdale College's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Minimum High School GPA (On 4.0 Scale)		3.5
Interview		√
Other Requirements		√		campus visit, college prep courses
Letter(s) of Recommendation	2
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√
Transcript of High School Record	√

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Hillsdale College?

Students admitted to Hillsdale College have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Hillsdale College considers standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

Hillsdale College is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 22% of Hillsdale College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 38% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Hillsdale College?

To be competitive with other Hillsdale College applicants, you should strive to earn between 1340 and 1495 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Hillsdale College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1495 and 25% of scored lower than 1340, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Hillsdale College student is 1421.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Hillsdale College students scored 750 or higher and 75% of students scored 680 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Hillsdale College students scored 760 or higher, and 75% scored a 680 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Hillsdale College?

To be most competitive at Hillsdale College, you should strive to earn between 30 and 34 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 34 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Hillsdale College's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 34, and three out of four students scored lower than 34 on the ACT.

A 30 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Hillsdale College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 30.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to Hillsdale College

For transfer students, it is extremely difficult to get admitted to Hillsdale College.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Hillsdale College during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

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Hillsdale College Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Hillsdale College?

❌ Students who are admitted to Hillsdale College must attend in the term they start. Deferring admissions is not encouraged. If you have a unusual circumstance, contact the admissions department.

Does Hillsdale College accept transfer credits?

✅ Hillsdale College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Hillsdale College accepts:

• CLEP subject tests

Does Hillsdale College accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Hillsdale College accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Hillsdale College?

❌ No, Hillsdale College is test optional, so you can choose whether or not to include your ACT or SAT scores. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you should strongly consider submitting them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is Hillsdale College's acceptance rate?

✅ Hillsdale College's acceptance rate is 24%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Hillsdale College?

✅ Hillsdale College's early decision acceptance rate was 38% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Hillsdale College?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Overview

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