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Colleges / Amherst College

Amherst College

Amherst, MA 4-Year Private
Acceptance Rate9%
Acceptance Rate9%

Amherst Admissions

If you are planning on applying to Amherst, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 2 and the application fee is $65.

Students who apply to Amherst for the fall semester should anticipate a decision by April 1.

Amherst Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Amherst's admissions stats.

Amherst 2022 Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class 91%
Mean SAT Score 1470
Admissions Test Policy Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs 35%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs 31%
Waitlist Yes

Amherst College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Amherst College.

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

Want to Apply Early to Amherst?


Amherst 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 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Amherst is 24%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 9%. In 2022, Amherst admitted 213 of the 878 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early to college to help 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 admission, since it demonstrates your interest in a school.

➡️ See a list of some selective colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.


More on Amherst College Admissions


Transferring to Amherst College

For more information on transferring to Amherst College, contact the school directly.

For Students Waitlisted to Amherst

Amherst has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What Does Amherst Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are they consider most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating 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 admissions factors where you shine.

Admissions Factors at Amherst

What does Amherst 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
Recommendation(s) Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record Very Important
Talent/Ability Very Important
Class Rank Important
Work Experience Important
First Generation Important
Volunteer Work Important
Alumni/ae Relations Considered
Geographical Residence Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status Considered
Standardized Test Scores Considered

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

Amherst 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Amherst, all applicants must submit the following items. Make sure to check in with Amherst's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area Required Recommended Required for Some Details (If Any)
Interview
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)
Letter(s) of Recommendation 3
Written Essay or Personal Statement
Other Requirements Amherst College Writing Supplement
Transcript of High School Record

GPA and Testing


What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Amherst?

Amherst has not provided an information about GPAs of accepted students. Any questions regarding applicant expectations should be addressed directly with the school.

Out of all students that were admitted, 27% submitted a class rank. At Amherst 91% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 99% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Amherst College, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA Percent of Students
4.0 GPA ––
3.75 and 3.99 ––
3.50 and 3.74 ––
3.25 and 3.49 ––
3.00 and 3.24 ––
2.50 and 2.9 ––
2.00 and 2.49 ––

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Amherst directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights 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

Amherst considers standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

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

In 2022, 35% of Amherst's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 31% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Amherst?

To be competitive with other Amherst applicants, you should strive to earn between 1440 and 1540 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Amherst 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1540 and 25% of scored lower than 1440, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Amherst student is 1470.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Amherst students scored 790 or higher and 75% of students scored 720 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Amherst students scored 780 or higher, and 75% scored a 720 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Amherst?

To be most competitive at Amherst, you should strive to earn between 32 and 35 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Amherst's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.

A 32 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Amherst students. Only one out of every four students scored below 32.

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 Amherst College

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by April 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Amherst during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term


Amherst Admissions FAQs


Can I defer my acceptance to Amherst?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Amherst.

Does Amherst accept transfer credits?

✅ Amherst accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

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

❌ Amherst does not accept International Baccalaureate credits or Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Amherst?

❌ No, Amherst is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. 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 Amherst's acceptance rate?

✅ Amherst has an acceptance rate of 9%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Amherst?

✅ Amherst's early decision acceptance rate was 24% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Amherst?

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

Overview

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about Amherst

Explore other colleges in Massachusetts or use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting into some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S.

Amherst Admissions Requirements

Admission Difficulty

Selective

9%

How hard is it to get into Amherst? Amherst is a selective institution. The Amherst acceptance rate is 9%. This means that the institution accepts 8 out of every 100 applicants.

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Amherst Application Deadline

First-Year Applications are Due

Jan 2

Transfer Applications are Due

Mar 1

The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Amherst is Jan 2.

The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Amherst is Mar 1.

Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs

Amherst ACT Scores

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ACT Range

32 - 35

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

ACT Score

Estimated Chance

35 and Above

Good

32 to 35

Avg

32 and Less

Low

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ACT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

The median ACT score of an admitted student to Amherst is 34. Students with an ACT score of 35 and above have a good chance of getting into Amherst. Students with an ACT score that falls between 32 and 35 have an average chance of getting admitted, and students with an ACT score of 32 or below have a low chance of being offered admission.

Amherst SAT Scores

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Composite SAT Range

1440 - 1540

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Math SAT Range

720 - 790

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Reading SAT Range

720 - 780

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

SAT Score

Estimated Chance

1540 and Above

Good

1440 to 1540

Avg

1440 and Less

Low

SAT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

The median SAT score for Amherst students is 1470. Applicants with SAT scores of 1540 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Amherst, while applicants with SAT scores between 1440 to 1540 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1440 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Amherst.

Amherst GPA

Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)

Not available

Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved

Quick Facts

Total Enrollment

1,971

Campus Setting

Small Town

Acceptance Rate

9%

Tuition and Fees

In State

$64,100

Out-of-State

$64,100

Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline

Jan 2
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