Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Duluth, Minnesota
93.8% Acceptance Rate
The College of Saint Scholastica — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
93.8%Acceptance Rate
3.5Avg GPA
1190Avg SAT
24Avg ACT
$53,069Annual Cost
$65,934Grad Salary
23.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
93.8%
Avg GPA
3.5
Avg SAT
1190
Avg ACT
24
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
1150–1220
ACT Middle 50%
21–27
Need-Based Aid
23.2% receive Pell
The College of Saint Scholastica is a private, Catholic, Benedictine institution in Minnesota that emphasizes community, service, and professional preparation. Admissions are holistic, evaluating students on their academic potential, personal character, and their readiness to thrive in an environment that prioritizes mentorship. The college seeks individuals who are ready to engage in a supportive environment that integrates their professional goals with a strong moral and ethical foundation.
Successful applicants often demonstrate significant involvement in service-oriented activities, reflecting the college's commitment to social responsibility. A personal statement that discusses how the student's personal values align with the college's mission and how they intend to contribute to its diverse campus culture is strongly encouraged. The admissions team looks for students who are not only academically prepared for university-level study but who are also committed to becoming leaders who serve their communities with integrity.
The College of Saint Scholastica Acceptance Rate
The College of Saint Scholastica runs an open-access admission policy. With a 93.8% 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 — 93.8% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.50 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.30 – 3.49
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.05
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
The College of Saint Scholastica Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The College of Saint Scholastica 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
The College of Saint Scholastica 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 (December 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.
The College of Saint Scholastica GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at The College of Saint Scholastica is 3.5. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.20 and 3.5? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
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 3.70–3.90.The College of Saint Scholastica 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
3.50 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.30 – 3.49
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.10 – 3.29
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.09
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- General first-year admission requires a 2.5+ GPA; test scores are optional. Students below standard criteria can pursue an Admission Appeal requiring an essay, two recommendations, and an interview.
- A criminal background check is not part of OT admission decisions but becomes mandatory before clinical fieldwork, covering the past five years; a felony conviction can affect NBCOT certification or state licensure eligibility.
- An entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program admitted its first cohort in Summer 2026, operating alongside/transitioning from the existing MS OT program.
- St. Scholastica maintains branch locations in St. Paul, Brainerd, St. Cloud, and Rochester in addition to the main Duluth campus, with programmatic accreditation across OT, PT, PA, and Athletic Training.
- 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 The College of Saint Scholastica
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on The College of Saint Scholastica'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.
The College of Saint Scholastica Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if The College of Saint Scholastica is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into The College of Saint Scholastica Without SAT or ACT?
The College of Saint Scholastica considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
The College of Saint Scholastica Average SAT Score: 1190
The average SAT score of admitted students at The College of Saint Scholastica is 1190 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1190 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1220 SAT or 27 ACT) to stand out. Below average? The College of Saint Scholastica 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 The College of Saint Scholastica. 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 | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1190 | 1150 | 1220 |
Below 1150, you're behind most admitted students; at 1220 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 1200
Can I get into The College of Saint Scholastica with a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT puts you ahead of most of The College of Saint Scholastica'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.
The College of Saint Scholastica ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at The College of Saint Scholastica is 24.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 24 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average ACT score.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 21 | 27 |
| ACT English | 24 | 21 | 26 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 21 | 27 |
Can I get into The College of Saint Scholastica with a 27 ACT?
A 27 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of The College of Saint Scholastica's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at The College of Saint Scholastica.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for The College of Saint Scholastica
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
The College of Saint Scholastica's open-access model means the real strategic decisions happen after enrollment: course planning, advising, and whether to transfer later.
For Occupational Therapy, treat the application essay as proof you've researched the actual profession
St. Scholastica's OT application essay specifically asks you to demonstrate sufficient research into the profession - not just interest in helping people. Strengthen this by citing something concrete: completion of an intro-to-OT or healthcare-careers course, shadowing hours, or specific exposure to what OT practice actually involves day-to-day. A generic "I want to help people" essay reads as under-researched for this specific program's rubric.
Know that a criminal background check doesn't affect OT admission itself - but affects everything after
St. Scholastica explicitly states a criminal background check is not part of the OT application, interview, or admission decision - but it becomes mandatory before clinical fieldwork, covering federal, state, and local records back five years, and a felony conviction can affect your ability to sit for the NBCOT certification exam or obtain state licensure later. If you have relevant history, don't assume a clean admission process means no downstream impact - address it with the program director before investing in coursework.
If you fall short of standard admission criteria, use the Admission Appeal process deliberately
Students who don't meet standard GPA/ACT admission criteria can pursue an Admission Appeal, which requires a required essay, two letters of recommendation, and an interview with a Student Affairs staff member - a genuine secondary pathway, not a dead end. If you're borderline, prepare these three components proactively rather than treating a first-round denial as final.
If OT is your goal, confirm whether you're applying to the new OTD or the MS OT track
St. Scholastica's entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program admitted its first cohort in Summer 2026, alongside or replacing the existing MS in Occupational Therapy pathway. Confirm directly with admissions which degree track your application year falls under, since program structure, accreditation status (candidacy vs. full), and application specifics can differ between the two as the transition unfolds.
Expert Insight:
Applicants to OT sometimes assume the absence of a background check requirement during admission means their history is a non-issue - but St. Scholastica is explicit that the check happens before fieldwork and that a felony conviction can block certification or licensure entirely, regardless of how well a student performs academically. This is worth resolving with the program before enrolling, not after completing coursework.
The College of Saint Scholastica Profile
Full Name
The College of Saint Scholastica
City
Duluth
State
Minnesota
ZIP Code
55811-4199
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a The College of Saint Scholastica Degree Worth It?
Whether The College of Saint Scholastica 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 $60,300, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.45%.
How much does a degree from The College of Saint Scholastica Cost?
The sticker price is $53,069/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
23.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 51.2% take federal loans at The College of Saint Scholastica. File your FAFSA early and list The College of Saint Scholastica as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a The College of Saint Scholastica Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $65,934. That's about 62% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than The College of Saint Scholastica. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 1150 | 24 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | 1149 | 23 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI | 1155 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as The College of Saint Scholastica. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than The College of Saint Scholastica. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
Degree Programs at The College of Saint Scholastica
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About The College of Saint Scholastica Admissions
Median graduate earnings at The College of Saint Scholastica run about $65,934 a year.
At about $53,069 a year, The College of Saint Scholastica's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
The College of Saint Scholastica's Pell Grant rate of 23.2% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 93.8%, The College of Saint Scholastica's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at The College of Saint Scholastica average a 3.5 GPA.
The College of Saint Scholastica doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.2 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.1, The College of Saint Scholastica 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 The College of Saint Scholastica — aim above 1190, ideally within the 1150–1220 range admitted students typically fall in.
The College of Saint Scholastica follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is December 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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