Amherst College Acceptance Rate and Admission Requirements

Amherst College is one of the leading universities in the USA. It is extremely competitive to gain admission to. The acceptance rate of Amherst College is 8.74%. This means that only 9 out of every 100 applicants get admitted.

With one of the lowest acceptance rates in the US, you need to excel in every aspect to be selected. Your GPA, IB, AP, SAT, and ACT scores should be in the top range to have a chance. We have listed all the requirements and score ranges you need to get into Amherst College so you can prepare yourself well in advance. Meeting their general GPA and test (SAT/ACT) requirements is crucial because without these, you won't proceed to the second round of admission processing. These requirements act as automatic filters, so failing to meet them makes your chance of getting in nearly zero.

Note that admission staff look beyond academic performance. Not only should your GPA and other scores be in the top range, but your personality, aptitude, and interpersonal communication skills also play an important role. Participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, community events, leadership activities, and your capacity to play leadership roles are also significant.

Amherst College Admission Requirements

Amherst College GPA Requirement

The average GPA of the admitted students at Amherst College is 4.1. It means that Amherst College is very selective in terms of GPA of the students. (Most schools report a weighted GPA, which is out of 4.0. However, some schools may use unweighted GPA. For exact information, contact the school admission staff).

With an average GPA of 4.1, Amherst College requires you to be near the top of your class. You need to score mostly A's in all classes to have good chances of admission. A couple of B's will not hurt you much, but more B's will put you in the lower category of the students. Additionally, you must take AP or IB courses to demonstrate your academic ability. More specifically, your AP and IB courses must be related to the area of your selected course of study. For example, if you are planning a career in engineering or IT, courses related to mathematics, calculus and physics will help you.

If your GPA is less than 4.1 and higher than 3.8 then you need higher SAT or ACT scores to compensate. You need to have a minimum of 3.7 GPA, to secure admission at Amherst College. Below this, chances of admission will be very slim.

Can I Get Into Amherst College Without SAT Or ACT?: Amherst College considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process, but does not require them. Although, it is not strictly a requirement, but the test scores are considered for admission decisions. Hence, it is advisable to prepare well for the test and submit the best scores. Normally, students may appear in the test for 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. Hence you are required to plan early and appear in upcoming SAT / ACT tests. Check the schedule of test and plan accordingly. It is advisable to appear multiple times in the test unless you score well above the average SAT / ACT score of the admitted students, as given below.

Amherst College SAT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for SAT and ACT testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them. The test score policy is already mentioned.

Amherst College Average SAT Score: 1469
The average SAT score of the admitted students at Amherst College is a 1469 on the 1600 SAT scale. This score makes it very Competitive for SAT test scores. You need to do very well to score 1469 on SAT
If your score is lower than 1370, you may appear again to improve your score to have better chances of admissions at Amherst College. It is not strange to appear multiple times for SAT to improve scores. Colleges don’t mind if you have appeared multiple times, but not more than 5 times.

SAT 25th Percentile: 1370
SAT 75th Percentile: 1550

It means that if you have scored less than 1370 then you are below the most of the admitted students at Amherst College and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1550 or more, then your chances of admissions are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer score than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of upper 25% of the students. View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1450

Can I get into Amherst College with a 1550 SAT?.

With 1550 SAT Score, your chances of admission at Amherst College are good but the admission staff at Amherst College tests your all round personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores and IP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you could not perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission. You need to show better performance in all areas. An equally high GPA, taking IB or AP Courses and your role in leadership activities will definitely increase your chances of admissions. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, then your chances of admissions are high.

Amherst College ACT Requirements

The average ACT Score at is 33. This score makes Amherst College very Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do very well to score 33 on ACT
ACT 25th Percentile: 32
ACT 75th Percentile: 34

Can I get into Amherst College with a 34 ACT?

With 34 ACT Score, your chances of admission at Amherst College are good but the admission staff does not check your ACT Score only. College Admission process tests your all round personality and your academics. your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores and IP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you could not perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission.

SAT Vs ACT: Which score to send

You can compare your scores in SAT and ACT to average SAT and ACT Scores of the admitted students at Amherst College. More importantly, comparing your scores with 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT and ACT scores will give you better understanding of where you stand. If your score in SAT is near to the 75th percentile SAT score, then you must send SAT score. If your ACT score is near to the 75th percentile, then you must send your ACT Score.

But there is more, if both of your scores are in same range, then it is better to send ACT Score, as in case of ACT, you can control which score to send as opposed to SAT.

Here it is how: When sending ACT Score, you can yourself decide which score you want to send to the colleges. You could take 8 ACT tests, and only send your highest one. This is not the case with SAT, where your score report mentions all of your attempts.

View list of all colleges with Average ACT score of 33.

Amherst College Profile

Name: Amherst College

City: Amherst

URL: www.amherst.edu/

State: Massachusetts

Type: Non-Profit Private

Zip: 01002-5000

Campus: Main

Accredited by: New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)

Does a degree from Amherst College Worth It?

Getting into Amherst College can be a great opportunity for many students. It is a prestigious institution known for its strong programs. However, whether it is worth it depends on your personal and academic goals, as well as your financial situation. Amherst College offers a rigorous academic environment and access to cutting-edge research, but it may not be the best fit for everyone. It's important to consider factors such as cost, location, and specific academic programs when making this decision. Please note that the average household income of the admitted students at Amherst College is USD: 82187.65 and unemployment rate is 3.27%.

How much a degree from Amherst College Cost?

The average annual cost of the degree at Amherst College is USD: 77411. As most of the students receive Pell grants and Federal Grant the average annual net price a student has to pay at Amherst College is much less than this.

How can I get a scholarship?

25.21% of the students are receiving Pell grants and 8.88 percent are receiving federal grants. So it is a better choice to go to Amherst College and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.

At Amherst College, you will have no problem in receiving any scholarship form federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist Amherst College as your choice in the form.

How much a Amherst College Graduate makes?

The average annual salary of the Amherst College graduate after 4-6 year of graduation is USD 81855. An average Amherst College graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4-6 years after graduation).

The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is USD: 36834

Degree Programs

Bachelor Programs

Full list of All degree programs offered by Amherst College.

Data on this page is sourced from IPEDS, College Scorecard, US Department of Education, Institute's official websites and printed material as well as additional publicly available sources.