Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Franklin, Indiana
70.6% Acceptance Rate
Franklin College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
70.6%Acceptance Rate
3.51Avg GPA
1119Avg SAT
24Avg ACT
$50,708Annual Cost
$55,376Grad Salary
38.5%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
70.6%
Avg GPA
3.51
Avg SAT
1119
Avg ACT
24
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
1020–1200
ACT Middle 50%
21–27
Need-Based Aid
38.5% receive Pell
Franklin College is a private, liberal arts institution in Indiana known for its emphasis on small class sizes, student-faculty collaboration, and active learning. With a strong tradition of academic excellence and personalized mentorship, the college provides a supportive and engaged campus environment. Its focus on critical thinking, professional preparation, and community service makes it a high-value path for students seeking a traditional and formative liberal arts education.
Franklin College Acceptance Rate
Franklin College is somewhat selective in its admission process. The acceptance rate of Franklin College is 70.6%. This means that 71 out of every 100 applicants get admitted.
Admissions Guidelines
- Broad Evaluation: Personal growth and vocational goals are considered alongside grades.
- Flexible Standards: Strengths in extracurriculars can often balance an average GPA.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 70.6% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.51 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.31 – 3.50
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.06
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Franklin College of Indiana GPA Requirement
The average GPA of the admitted students at Franklin College of Indiana is 3.51. Franklin College of Indiana is highly selective.
Mostly A's with a few B's will keep you competitive. Taking AP/IB courses related to your field will improve your chances.
Note: This is an unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale. Students with AP or IB courses will typically have a weighted GPA of 3.71-3.91 for this same academic profile.If your GPA is between 3.21 and 3.51, a strong SAT or ACT score is recommended.
Franklin College of Indiana GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Admissions at Franklin College of Indiana utilize a Holistic Review process. With an average admitted GPA of 3.51, the following table illustrates how your specific academic profile aligns with institutional expectations.
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.51 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.31 – 3.50
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.11 – 3.30
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.10
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Expert Insight: 2026 Evaluation Metrics
- Acceptance rate approximately 70% (BigFuture: 69.79%; Niche: 70%); ED deadline November 15 (binding, deposit by December 15); rolling RD; no application fee; test-optional; personal statement recommended but not required; scholarship range $2,500 to full tuition, notified by December 31 for students admitted before December 1; 98% of students receive some form of financial aid.
- Pulliam School of Journalism in Shirk Hall (1903, National Register of Historic Places); TheStatehouseFile.com is one of only 34 student statehouse reporting programs nationally ? a semester of credit-bearing coverage from the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis; The Franklin student newspaper; WFCI 89.5 FM student radio station.
- Two Immersive Terms required for graduation (January J-term each year: non-traditional courses, internships, or study abroad including past trips to Costa Rica, England, and Spain); Launch first-year program; 31-acre biology woodland on 207-acre campus; central campus area added to National Register of Historic Places 2024.
- Founded 1834; first institution in Indiana and seventh nationally to admit women; American Baptist affiliation (voluntary, not doctrinally enforced); 20 miles south of downtown Indianapolis with active employer internship pipeline; 50 undergraduate majors; student-faculty ratio 14:1; ~950 undergraduates; NCAA Division III, Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
- The Rigor Metric: At Franklin College of Indiana, a slightly lower GPA (e.g., 3.8) in a transcript featuring multiple AP or IB courses is often prioritized over a 4.0 in a standard curriculum.
- The Upward Trend: If your early high school grades were lower, an upward trajectory in 11th and 12th grade demonstrates Academic Resilience.
Data Source: Verified via IPEDS and latest Common Data Set (CDS). Reviewed by our academic board led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Franklin College of Indiana
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Franklin College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Franklin College (Franklin College of Indiana) Test Requirements
In this competitive environment, standardized scores are no longer elective; they serve as a critical standardized benchmark to validate high school GPA and course rigor. Applicants should aim for scores within or above the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class to remain viable in the Holistic Review process. At institutions that remain test-optional, submitting a high-percentile score is still the primary strategy for securing merit-based scholarships and distinguishing one's profile in a high-volume applicant pool.
Can I Get Into Franklin College of Indiana Without SAT or ACT?
Franklin College considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process but does not require them. Although it is not strictly a requirement, 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 2 to 3 times to improve their scores.
Franklin College Average SAT Score: 1119
The average SAT score of the admitted students at Franklin College is 1119 on the 1600 SAT scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1119 — Less Competitive
This score makes it less competitive for SAT test scores. You need to put average efforts to score 1119 on the SAT.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1200 SAT or 27 ACT) to stand out. If your scores are below average, consider retaking the test. Franklin College allows Score Choice for the SAT and Superscoring for the ACT, giving you flexibility to submit your best scores.
If your score is below 1020, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Franklin College of Indiana. Retaking the test multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants take the SAT two or three times to achieve their best score. There is no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 560 | 520 | 600 |
| SAT Reading | 550 | 500 | 600 |
| SAT Composite | 1119 | 1020 | 1200 |
It means that if you have scored less than 1020 then you are below most of the admitted students at Franklin College of Indiana and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1200 or more, your chances of admission are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer scores than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of the upper 25% of the students.
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1100
Can I get into Franklin College (Franklin College of Indiana) with a 1200 SAT?
With a 1200 SAT Score, your chances of admission at Franklin College (Franklin College of Indiana) are good but the admission staff at Franklin College of Indiana tests your all-around personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP 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 cannot 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 increase your chances of admission. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, your chances of admission are high.
Franklin College (Franklin College of Indiana) ACT Requirements
The average ACT Score at Franklin College of Indiana is 24.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 24 — Slightly Competitive
This score makes Franklin College slightly Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do well to score 24 on the ACT.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 23 | 25 |
| ACT English | 22 | 19 | 25 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 21 | 27 |
Can I get into Franklin College with a 27 ACT?
A 27 ACT places you at the 75th percentile of admitted students at Franklin College — meaning you score higher than 75% of students who were accepted. This is a strong position, but the ACT is just one dimension of your application. Admissions officers at Franklin College use the ACT as a benchmark to validate your academic readiness, not as a standalone admission ticket.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT measures four distinct subject areas — English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science — each scored on a 1–36 scale. If one of your section scores is significantly lower than the others, admissions staff will notice the imbalance. For example, a weak ACT Science score at a STEM-focused institution carries more weight than the same weakness at a liberal arts college. It is worth reviewing your section-level scores and addressing any outliers before applying.
One important advantage the ACT has over the SAT is that Franklin College — like most US universities — accepts Superscoring for the ACT, meaning they take your highest section scores across multiple test attempts and combine them into a new composite. If you have taken the ACT more than once, confirm whether Franklin College uses Superscoring, as this could meaningfully improve your effective composite beyond what any single sitting shows.
Beyond your score, what ultimately determines admission at this level is the strength of your overall profile. Your unweighted GPA, course rigor (AP, IB, or dual enrollment), extracurricular depth, letters of recommendation, and personal essays all carry significant weight. A 27 ACT gets your application through the first filter — but your essays and activities are what move it forward from there.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Franklin College of Indiana
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Franklin College of Indiana is accessible to students who show core competency. The focus should be on proving readiness for college-level work and securing financial aid.
The Pulliam School of Journalism and TheStatehouseFile.com Are the Institution's Most Distinctive Academic Features ? Journalism Students Should Know This Before Applying
Franklin College houses the Pulliam School of Journalism in historic Shirk Hall (1903), which also serves as the home of the Indiana High School Press Association, student radio station WFCI 89.5 FM, and The Franklin student newspaper. More distinctively, Franklin operates TheStatehouseFile.com ? one of only 34 student statehouse reporting programs in the United States ? where students spend a semester covering the Indiana state legislature from the Statehouse building in downtown Indianapolis. This is not a hypothetical opportunity or an internship students apply for independently: it is a structured semester-long academic course where students file real stories, cover real hearings, and have their work published for a public audience. For a journalism or communications student choosing between Franklin and a larger state university's journalism school, this is the single most concrete differentiator Franklin offers.
Two Immersive Terms Are Required for Graduation ? Plan Around Them from Freshman Orientation
Franklin College requires every student to complete two Immersive Terms before graduating ? one-month January experiences that can consist of a non-traditional course, a professional internship, or international study abroad. Past destinations have included Costa Rica, England, and Spain. Students can also complete an internship through the Immersive Term, which the college explicitly positions as a credit-bearing career development opportunity. The two-term requirement is a graduation condition, not an optional enrichment program, meaning students who arrive without accounting for it in their four-year academic plan risk scheduling complications in their junior or senior year. Students admitted before December 1 receive scholarship notification before December 31 ? the Early Decision deadline of November 15 is the fastest route to both an admissions decision and scholarship clarity before the winter break.
The Indianapolis Proximity Gives Franklin Students Unusual Internship Access for a Campus of Its Size
Franklin, Indiana sits 20 miles south of downtown Indianapolis ? close enough that students can maintain ongoing internship placements during the academic year, not just during summer or Immersive Term. Indianapolis is home to the headquarters of major pharmaceutical companies (Eli Lilly), healthcare systems (IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent), sports organizations (Indianapolis Colts, Pacers, and the NCAA headquarters), financial services, and a growing tech sector. Franklin's president has explicitly positioned the college's Indianapolis adjacency as a core academic asset, and the Office of Career and Professional Development actively maintains employer relationships in the metro. Students who proactively build internship timelines from their first year at Franklin arrive at graduation with a r?sum? depth that students at comparable rural Indiana colleges typically cannot match.
Scholarships Are Notified on a Rolling Basis After Admission ? Submit Your Application Early in the Cycle
Franklin College processes merit scholarship notifications on a rolling schedule tied directly to the date of admission: students admitted before December 1 receive scholarship notifications before December 31. Students admitted after December 1 receive notifications on a rolling basis afterward. With scholarship amounts ranging from $2,500 to full tuition, determined by academic records, test scores (if submitted), and leadership experience, earlier admission systematically positions students for larger scholarship consideration before the institutional aid pool is depleted. Applying by the November 15 Early Decision deadline is the most efficient path to both an admissions decision and scholarship clarity. The $200 enrollment deposit is refundable before May 1, so even ED admits can evaluate financial aid letters before committing funds irrevocably.
Expert Insight:
The most common failure pattern at Franklin College is students who select it primarily because of its Indianapolis proximity and treat the small campus as a temporary launching pad into the city, rather than engaging with Franklin as a distinct academic community. Franklin enrolls under 950 students, and its social life ? Greek life, NCAA Division III athletics, and campus organizations ? constitutes the vast majority of structured activity within walking distance of campus. Students who arrive without genuine engagement in the campus community and commute mentally to Indianapolis from day one consistently report isolation, not because the school lacks resources, but because those resources require campus presence to access. The journalism program, the Immersive Terms, and the Indianapolis internship pipeline all require active enrollment and engagement ? they are not passive ambient advantages that accrue simply by being admitted.
Franklin College of Indiana Profile
Full Name
Franklin College (Franklin College of Indiana)
City
Franklin
State
Indiana
ZIP Code
46131-2623
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Franklin College of Indiana Degree Worth It?
Getting into Franklin College of Indiana 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. Franklin College of Indiana 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 Franklin College of Indiana is $61,700 and the graduate unemployment rate is 2.91%.
How much does a degree from Franklin College of Indiana Cost?
The average annual cost of the degree at Franklin College is $50,708. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at Franklin College is much less than this.
38.5% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 61.3 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to Franklin College of Indiana and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.
At Franklin College, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist Franklin College of Indiana as your choice in the form.
How much does a Franklin College of Indiana Graduate earn?
The average annual salary of the graduate after 4–6 years of graduation is $55,376. An average Franklin College of Indiana 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 $40,595.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Franklin College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 1086 | 22 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
| University of the Ozarks | Clarksville, AR | 1088 | 21 |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA | 1093 | 22 |
| Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO | 1084 | 20 |
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, CO | 1070 | 23 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | 1077 | 22 |
| Central Connecticut State University | New Britain, CT | 1091 | 24 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Franklin College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, CA | 1116 | 22 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Franklin College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
Degree Programs at Franklin College of Indiana
Bachelor Degree Programs
Full list of all degree programs offered by Franklin College →
Frequently Asked Questions About Franklin College of Indiana Admissions
Graduates of this university typically earn a moderate salary, $55,376 annually, with some fluctuation based on the field.
The tuition fee at this university is quite high, approximately $50,708 or more per year, so it is important to consider additional funding options.
38.5% of students receive a Pell Grant at this institution. Your chances of need-based aid are moderate and depend primarily on your household income. Filing FAFSA early significantly improves your chances of receiving the maximum available grant amount.
The acceptance rate of Franklin College is 70.6% which is relatively high, above 20%, making it somewhat easier to gain admission compared to other top-tier universities.
The average GPA of admitted students is 3.51. This reflects the competitive academic profile expected from applicants.
While there is no single cutoff that guarantees a rejection, admission staff uses your GPA to determine if you are a best fit. If you have at least a 3.21, you are in the standard pool. If you are below a 3.21, we need to focus on your personal essay and letters of recommendation to explain the context behind your grades.
If your GPA is 3.11 or less, it may make admission difficult. However, your chances may improve if you have strong test scores, extracurricular activities, and essays. But this does not mean that you must not apply, or you do not have any chances. With additional AP courses, you can increase your chances even with this GPA.
While the average GPA of admitted students is 3.51, applicants with lower GPAs can still be considered if they have strong test scores, extracurriculars, and compelling personal essays that demonstrate resilience and potential.
Admission to Franklin College is based on SAT, and a strong SAT score is essential. Aim for scores above 1119 for the best chances, although the overall application strength also matters. Your SAT must be in the range of 1020–1200.
Yes, many students successfully transfer each year. Be prepared with your academic transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement to make your application competitive.
To improve your chances, focus on excelling academically, building a strong extracurricular profile, and submitting standout essays. High SAT/ACT scores are also crucial for competitive admissions.