Amherst College

Amherst College is extremely difficult to get into. The acceptance rate at Amherst College is 7%. Out of 14,864 applications received in 2023, 1,079 students were offered admission.

If you want to apply to Amherst College, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 1/3 and the application fee costs $65.

Students who submit their applications to Amherst College for fall should hear back from Amherst College by April 1.

Amherst College Admissions Stats at a Glance

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

Amherst College 2023	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	90%
Mean SAT Score	1497
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	41%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	22%
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	1 3	April 1

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Considering Applying Early to Amherst College?

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Amherst 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 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Amherst College is 32%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 7%. Last year, Amherst College admitted 220 of the 692 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 the chance of admission, since it shows your interest in a school.

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

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More on Amherst College Admissions

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Transferring to Amherst College

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

For Students Waitlisted to Amherst College

Amherst College has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Amherst College?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining 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're strong.

Admissions Factors at Amherst College

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

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

Amherst College 2022-2023 Application Requirements

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

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
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	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Amherst College?

Amherst 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, 19% submitted a class rank. At Amherst College 90% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 96% 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 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

Amherst 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, 41% of Amherst College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 22% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Amherst College?

To be competitive with other Amherst College applicants, you should aim to score between 1450 and 1550 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Amherst College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1550 and 25% of scored lower than 1450, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Amherst College student is 1497.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Amherst College students scored 790 or higher and 75% of students scored 710 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Amherst College students scored 770 or higher, and 75% scored a 710 or higher.

To be most competitive at Amherst College, you should strive to earn between 33 and 35 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Amherst College'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 33 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Amherst College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 33.

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 College during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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Amherst College Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Amherst College?

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

Does Amherst College accept transfer credits?

✅ Amherst College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

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

❌ Amherst College does not accept International Baccalaureate credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Amherst College?

❌ No, Amherst College is test optional, so you can choose if you want to to include your test scores. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you probably want to include them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Amherst College's acceptance rate?

✅ Amherst College has an acceptance rate of 7%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Amherst College?

✅ Amherst College's early decision acceptance rate was 32% in 2021.

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