Non-Profit Private
Accredited · New England Commission on Higher Education
Chicopee, Massachusetts
87.7% Acceptance Rate
College of Our Lady of the Elms — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
87.7%Acceptance Rate
3.42Avg GPA
1240Avg SAT
$53,145Annual Cost
$51,540Grad Salary
41.8%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
87.7%
Avg GPA
3.42
Avg SAT
1240
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1150–1320
Need-Based Aid
41.8% receive Pell
College of Our Lady of the Elms is a private, Catholic liberal arts college in Massachusetts dedicated to values-based education and professional preparation. Admissions evaluate students holistically, considering academic records, character, and motivation. The college seeks students who are ready to integrate their intellectual curiosity with a commitment to service, ethics, and a community-centered approach to personal and professional development.
College of Our Lady of the Elms Acceptance Rate
College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College) runs an open-access admission policy. With a 87.7% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 87.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.42 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.22 – 3.41
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.97
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
College of Our Lady of the Elms Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
College of Our Lady of the Elms follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Elms College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (February 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Elms College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Elms College is 3.42. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.12–3.42 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.62–3.82.Elms College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.42 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.22 – 3.41
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.02 – 3.21
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.01
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Elms' Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing requires a 3.2 GPA for candidates with a bachelor's or higher degree, or a 3.4 GPA for candidates entering with only an associate degree, and has rolling admission with no application fee or deadline.
- An RN-BSN-MSN combined pathway lets RNs earn both a BS and MSN using two embedded bridge courses within the BS curriculum.
- RN-BSN coursework is delivered on the Chicopee campus and through partnerships with four named Massachusetts community colleges and Berkshire Health Systems.
- Elms is the only Catholic college in Western Massachusetts and is currently extending admissions accommodations to students affected by Anna Maria College's announced closure.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Elms College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on College of Our Lady of the Elms'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.
College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Elms College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Elms College Without SAT or ACT?
Elms College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
College of Our Lady of the Elms Average SAT Score: 1240
The average SAT score of admitted students at College of Our Lady of the Elms is 1240 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1240 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1320 SAT) to stand out. Below average? College of Our Lady of the Elms allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1150, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Elms College. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 605 | 560 | 650 |
| SAT Reading | 630 | 590 | 670 |
| SAT Composite | 1240 | 1150 | 1320 |
Below 1150, you're behind most admitted students; at 1320 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1250
Can I get into College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College) with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of Elms College's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Elms College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Elms College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Know your GPA bar depends on which degree you already hold
Elms' Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing sets a minimum GPA of 3.2 for candidates who already hold a baccalaureate or higher degree, but a higher 3.4 GPA for candidates entering with only an associate degree - a real, degree-specific distinction most applicants wouldn't expect. If your GPA falls between 3.2 and 3.4 and you hold only an associate degree, consider completing additional coursework to strengthen your GPA before applying, since the bar is genuinely higher for your specific entry point.
Use the RN-BSN-MSN combined pathway to earn two degrees with built-in bridge courses
Elms' RN-BSN program includes an articulated RN-BSN-MSN track with two dedicated bridge courses embedded in the bachelor's curriculum, allowing RNs to complete graduate-level nursing coursework while still enrolled in the RN-BS program and ultimately earn both a BS and an MSN. If you're an RN considering graduate study eventually, ask specifically about this combined track when you enroll in RN-BSN, since starting on this pathway from day one is more efficient than pursuing the degrees sequentially and separately later.
Take advantage of off-campus RN-BSN partnerships if you're not near Chicopee
Elms delivers its RN-BSN program not just on the Chicopee main campus but through partnerships with Mount Wachusett Community College, Quinsigamond Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and Berkshire Health Systems. If you live near one of these specific partner locations, ask about attending through that site rather than assuming you need to commute to or relocate near the main Chicopee campus.
Know that a prior nursing program dismissal is a hard exclusion for the Accelerated program
Applicants are explicitly ineligible for Elms' Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing program if they have been dismissed for academic or clinical reasons - or withdrawn pending such dismissal - from another nursing program, regardless of how much time has passed or how they've since improved academically. If this applies to you, direct your inquiry to a different nursing pathway (such as starting fresh with prerequisites through a different entry point) rather than the Accelerated Second Degree track specifically, since this exclusion appears to be a hard policy rather than a case-by-case review.
Expert Insight:
A specific and permanent exclusion at Elms is that any applicant previously dismissed for academic or clinical reasons from another nursing program - or who withdrew while facing such dismissal - is ineligible for the Accelerated Second Degree in Nursing program, with no stated path to reconsideration; a student in this situation should not spend time preparing an application for this specific track and should instead ask admissions about alternative entry points into nursing.
Elms College Profile
Full Name
College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College)
City
Chicopee
State
Massachusetts
ZIP Code
1013
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
Is a Elms College Degree Worth It?
Whether Elms College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $59,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.29%.
How much does a degree from Elms College Cost?
The sticker price is $53,145/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
41.8% of students receive a Pell Grant and 70.9% take federal loans at Elms College. File your FAFSA early and list Elms College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Elms College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $51,540. That's about 27% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than College of Our Lady of the Elms. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as College of Our Lady of the Elms. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1235 | 27 |
| Oglethorpe University | Atlanta, GA | 1230 | 27 |
| Bradley University | Peoria, IL | 1237 | 28 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1242 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than College of Our Lady of the Elms. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1318 | 28 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1313 | 29 |
Degree Programs at Elms College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Elms College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at College of Our Lady of the Elms run about $51,540 a year.
At about $53,145 a year, College of Our Lady of the Elms's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
About 41.8% receive a Pell Grant at College of Our Lady of the Elms. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 87.7%, College of Our Lady of the Elms's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at College of Our Lady of the Elms average a 3.42 GPA.
College of Our Lady of the Elms doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.12 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.02, College of Our Lady of the Elms becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at College of Our Lady of the Elms — aim above 1240, ideally within the 1150–1320 range admitted students typically fall in.
College of Our Lady of the Elms follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is February 1, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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