Macalester College

If you are planning on applying to Macalester College, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 15 and there is no application fee, which means it is free to apply.

Students who apply to Macalester College for fall semester should hear back from Macalester College by March 31.

Macalester College Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Macalester College's admissions stats.

Macalester College 2022	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	61%
Mean SAT Score	1356
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	35%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	39%
Waitlist	Yes

Macalester College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Macalester College.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 6
Early Decision II	Yes	January 1	January 31
Early Action	Yes	November 1	December 20
Regular Decision	Yes	January 15	March 31

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Want to Apply Early to Macalester College?

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Macalester College offers early decision and also offers 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 6.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 1. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before January 31.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1. Macalester College will release EA admissions decisions no later than December 20.

The early decision acceptance rate at Macalester College is 49%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 27%.

Macalester College accepts roughly 58% of early action applicants and 27% all applicants for all deadlines. In 2022, Macalester College admitted 148 of the 305 students who applied early decision. Last year, Macalester College admitted 1,61 of the 2,754 who applied early action.

Some students apply early in hopes that it will 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 being admitted, since it demonstrates your interest in a school.

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

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More on Macalester College Admissions

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Transferring to Macalester College

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

For Students Waitlisted to Macalester College

In 2022, Macalester College waitlisted 1,218 students and 535 accepted a place on the waitlist.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Macalester College?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are given the most weight in the admissions process. 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 stand out.

Admissions Factors at Macalester College

Curious about the factors that are considered by Macalester College 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
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Application Essay	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Class Rank	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Interview	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Talent/Ability	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered

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

Macalester College 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Macalester College, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with Macalester College'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	1
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 Macalester College?

Macalester College 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, 33% submitted a class rank. At Macalester College 61% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 87% were in the top 25% and 99% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Macalester 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 Macalester College directly.

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

Macalester College considers standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

Macalester College has a test optional admissions policy. 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 Macalester College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 39% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Macalester College?

To be competitive with other Macalester College applicants, you should strive to earn between 1360 and 1490 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Macalester College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1490 and 25% of scored lower than 1360, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Macalester College student is 1356.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Macalester College students scored 765 or higher and 75% of students scored 680 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Macalester College students scored 750 or higher, and 75% scored a 680 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Macalester College?

To be most competitive at Macalester College, you should strive to earn between 29 and 33 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 33 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Macalester College's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 33, and three out of four students scored lower than 33 on the ACT.

A 29 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Macalester College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 29.

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 Macalester College

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

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

• Fall Term

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Macalester College Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Macalester College?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Macalester College.

Does Macalester College accept transfer credits?

✅ Macalester College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

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

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

Do I have to submit test scores to Macalester College?

❌ No, Macalester College is test optional, so you can decide whether or not to include your test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you may want to send them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Macalester College's acceptance rate?

✅ Macalester College has an acceptance rate of 27%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Macalester College?

✅ Macalester College's early decision acceptance rate was 49% in 2021.

What is the early action acceptance rate at Macalester College?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at Macalester College was 58% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Macalester College?

To learn more about Macalester College, choose from the options below:

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