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Colleges / Colby College

Colby College

Waterville, ME 4-Year Private
Acceptance Rate9%
Acceptance Rate9%

Colby Admissions

If you are considering submitting an application to Colby, the regular decision application deadline is January 1 and there is no application fee, which means it is free to apply.

Students who apply to Colby for fall semester should receive an admissions decision no later than April 1.

Colby Admissions Stats at a Glance

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

Colby 2022 Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class 86%
Mean SAT Score 1465
Admissions Test Policy Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs 40%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs 28%
Waitlist Yes

Colby College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Colby College.

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

Applying Early to Colby?


Colby 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 15 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 1. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Colby is 42%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 9%. Last year, Colby admitted 332 of the 798 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early 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 the chance of acceptance, since it is a way to show your interest in a school.

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


More on Colby College Admissions


Transferring to Colby College

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

For Students Waitlisted to Colby

Colby has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What Does Colby 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 are 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 areas where you're strong.

Admissions Factors at Colby

Wondering what factors are considered by Colby 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
Recommendation(s) Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record Very Important
Class Rank Important
Extracurricular Activities Important
Application Essay Important
Racial/Ethnic Status Important
Talent/Ability Important
Alumni/ae Relations Considered
Geographical Residence Considered
Work Experience Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest Considered
First Generation Considered
Standardized Test Scores Considered
Volunteer Work Considered

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

Colby 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Colby, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with Colby's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area Required Recommended Required for Some Details (If Any)
Letter(s) of Recommendation 3
Written Essay or Personal Statement
Transcript of High School Record

GPA and Testing


What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Colby?

Colby 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, 20% submitted a class rank. At Colby 86% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 93% were in the top 25% and 99% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Colby 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 Colby 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

Colby considers ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.

Colby 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, 40% of Colby's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 28% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Colby?

To be competitive with other Colby applicants, you should strive to score between 1400 and 1530 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Colby 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1530 and 25% of scored lower than 1400, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Colby student is 1465.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Colby students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 690 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Colby students scored 750 or higher, and 75% scored a 690 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Colby?

To be most competitive at Colby, you should strive to earn between 32 and 34 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 34 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Colby'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 32 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Colby 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 Colby College

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

Transfer students can enroll in Colby during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term


Colby Admissions FAQs


Can I defer my acceptance to Colby?

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

Does Colby accept transfer credits?

✅ Colby accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

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

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

Do I have to submit test scores to Colby?

❌ No, Colby is test optional, so you can make the call whether to include your standardized test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you probably want to include them. If your scores are average or below average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is Colby's acceptance rate?

✅ Colby has an acceptance rate of 9%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Colby?

✅ Colby's early decision acceptance rate was 42% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Colby?

Choose one of the options below to find out more about about Colby:

Overview

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about Colby

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

Colby Admissions Requirements

Admission Difficulty

Unknown

9%

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Colby Application Deadline

First-Year Applications are Due

Jan 1

Transfer Applications are Due

Apr 1

The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Colby is Jan 1.

The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Colby is Apr 1.

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

Colby ACT Scores

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ACT Range

32 - 34

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

ACT Score

Estimated Chance

34 and Above

Good

32 to 34

Avg

32 and Less

Low

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ACT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

The median ACT score of an admitted student to Colby is 33. Students with an ACT score of 34 and above have a good chance of getting into Colby. Students with an ACT score that falls between 32 and 34 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.

Colby SAT Scores

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Composite SAT Range

1400 - 1530

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Math SAT Range

710 - 780

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Reading SAT Range

690 - 750

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

SAT Score

Estimated Chance

1530 and Above

Good

1400 to 1530

Avg

1400 and Less

Low

SAT Scores Needed to Get Accepted

The median SAT score for Colby students is 1465. Applicants with SAT scores of 1530 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Colby, while applicants with SAT scores between 1400 to 1530 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1400 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Colby.

Colby 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

2,262

Campus Setting

Small Town

Acceptance Rate

9%

Tuition and Fees

In State

$61,220

Out-of-State

$61,220

Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline

Jan 1
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