Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
New York, New York
45.1% Acceptance Rate
Jewish Theological Seminary of America — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
45.1%Acceptance Rate
3.7Avg GPA
1507Avg SAT
34Avg ACT
$80,579Annual Cost
$92,751Grad Salary
5.4%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
45.1%
Avg GPA
3.7
Avg SAT
1507
Avg ACT
34
Selectivity
Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1440–1559
ACT Middle 50%
33–35
Need-Based Aid
5.4% receive Pell
Jewish Theological Seminary of America The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), founded in 1886 in New York City, is the academic and spiritual center of Conservative Judaism worldwide. The campus offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Jewish studies, rabbinical ordination, and cantorial training. JTS maintains a 5:1 student-faculty ratio with instruction from leading Jewish scholars. The library houses one of the world's greatest collections of Judaica. The seminary is particularly renowned for its rabbinical school that trains Conservative Jewish leaders.
JTS takes pride in its commitment to serious Jewish scholarship and vibrant religious life. Students benefit from small seminar classes and mentorship from faculty who shape contemporary Jewish thought. The campus serves as a hub for Conservative Jewish intellectual and cultural activity. Recent initiatives include expanded programs in Jewish education and nonprofit management. JTS's combination of academic rigor, spiritual formation, and location in New York's Jewish community makes it the preeminent institution for Conservative Jewish learning.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America Acceptance Rate
At an acceptance rate of 45.1%, Jewish Theological Seminary of America rewards applicants who show real academic growth rather than a flawless transcript.
What Jewish Theological Seminary of America Admissions Looks For
- Solid, Not Perfect: A GPA trending upward matters more than one that's flat.
- Holistic Read: Recommendations and community involvement carry real weight here.
Selectivity at a Glance
Selective
Selectivity scale: Selective — 45.1% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.70 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.50 – 3.69
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.25
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Jewish Theological Seminary of America Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Jewish Theological Seminary of America is November 15 for Early Decision applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 99 days left — Early Decision
Early Decision
November 15
Regular Decision
January 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (Priority financial aid: 2027/02/01) 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.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Jewish Theological Seminary of America is 3.7. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.40 and 3.7? 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 3.90–4.10.Jewish Theological Seminary of America GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Highly selective; GPA is within the typical admitted range.
Recommended Strategy: Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT) in the top 5th percentile.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.70 – 4.00
Competitive Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.50 – 3.69
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.30 – 3.49
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.29
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Undergraduate admission is only through the Common Application plus the List College Writing Supplement; applications are shared with Columbia and/or Barnard for a joint admissions decision.
- Early Decision deadline is November 15 (decision within the month); Regular Decision deadline is February 1 (decisions by April 1).
- Students earn two simultaneous bachelor's degrees - a JTS major plus a full liberal arts major at Columbia's School of General Studies or Barnard College - with a maximum combined 15 summer credits across all three institutions.
- List College offers need- and merit-based aid meeting up to 100% of demonstrated need; Double Degree/Barnard applicants must also file the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA, listing both Barnard and JTS as recipients.
- 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 Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Jewish Theological Seminary of America'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.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Jewish Theological Seminary of America is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Jewish Theological Seminary of America Without SAT or ACT?
Jewish Theological Seminary of America considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America Average SAT Score: 1507
The average SAT score of admitted students at Jewish Theological Seminary of America is 1507 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1507 — Extremely Competitive
This places Jewish Theological Seminary of America in the top tier nationally for SAT scores. It sits well above the 75th percentile of all US test-takers.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1559 SAT or 35 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Jewish Theological Seminary of America allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1440, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Jewish Theological Seminary of America. 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 | 745 | 710 | 780 |
| SAT Reading | 755 | 730 | 779 |
| SAT Composite | 1507 | 1440 | 1559 |
Below 1440, you're behind most admitted students; at 1559 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 1500
Can I get into Jewish Theological Seminary of America with a 1550 SAT?
A 1550 SAT puts you ahead of most of Jewish Theological Seminary of America'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.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Jewish Theological Seminary of America is 34.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 34 — Extremely Competitive
An average of 34 places Jewish Theological Seminary of America among the most ACT-competitive schools nationally.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 32 | 30 | 34 |
| ACT English | 35 | 34 | 36 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 33 | 35 |
Can I get into Jewish Theological Seminary of America with a 35 ACT?
A 35 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Jewish Theological Seminary of America'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 Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Selective Strategy: Competitive Positioning
Jewish Theological Seminary of America rewards consistency. Being a top-quartile applicant here doesn't just help admission odds. It's usually what unlocks the strongest scholarship offers too.
Decide between the Columbia Joint Program and the Barnard Double Degree Program before you apply - you cannot apply to both simultaneously
Since August 2018, all Double Degree applicants must submit only the List College (JTS) Common Application and Writing Supplement and explicitly select the Double Degree Program at Barnard; List College's Joint Program with Columbia's School of General Studies is a separate, distinct pathway with its own application logistics. Choosing the wrong track - or trying to keep both options open - creates real application-logistics conflicts, since List College applications are then jointly shared with either Columbia or Barnard, not both, for a coordinated decision.
Write the List College Writing Supplement as a genuine Jewish-learning narrative, not a generic "why this college" essay
List College students are explicitly described as "academically motivated, Jewishly curious," and the program's core value proposition is combining a JTS major (Jewish Thought, Midrash, Bible, Talmud, Jewish Gender and Women's Studies, etc.) with a full liberal arts major at Columbia or Barnard - meaning your supplement should demonstrate genuine engagement with a specific area of Jewish textual or thematic study, not just general interest in a "Jewish community" on campus. Naming a specific JTS field (e.g., Midrash or Talmud) and connecting it to your intended secular major signals real fit for this dual-degree structure specifically.
Understand the binding nature of the double-degree commitment before applying - this isn't a "try it and see" arrangement
Enrolled students acknowledge their intent to fulfill all requirements of the Joint Program or Double Degree Program at time of admission, and transfer out is only considered after two full semesters at both institutions and requires a formal appeal with letters of approval from academic deans at both schools. If you're genuinely unsure about committing to two simultaneous majors and two advisors for four years, address this directly with List College's admissions office before applying rather than assuming an easy exit if the fit turns out wrong.
Plan for the required coordinated orientation and dual-advising structure as a logistics reality, not an afterthought
Double Degree students are assigned two advisors - one at Barnard/Columbia, one at JTS - and are required to attend a coordinated orientation program between both institutions; summer coursework is often necessary to complete the program within four years, and List College students face a combined cap of 15 credits across JTS, Columbia, and Barnard in any one summer. Build your four-year academic plan with this dual-institution credit math in mind from day one, since a student who doesn't proactively map both sets of major requirements can find themselves needing extra summer terms unexpectedly.
Expert Insight:
Applicants sometimes underestimate how selective this program actually is because of its small, niche profile - reported test-score ranges for admitted students (SAT roughly 1440-1580, ACT roughly 32-36) are on par with highly selective universities, since admission is effectively a joint decision made with Columbia or Barnard, not a separate, less rigorous review.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America Profile
Full Name
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
City
New York
State
New York
ZIP Code
10027-4649
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Jewish Theological Seminary of America Degree Worth It?
At $80,579/year against a $92,751 median graduate salary, Jewish Theological Seminary of America is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation. The numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $85,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.91%.
How much does a degree from Jewish Theological Seminary of America Cost?
The sticker price is $80,579/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
5.4% of students receive a Pell Grant and 16.8% take federal loans at Jewish Theological Seminary of America. File your FAFSA early and list Jewish Theological Seminary of America as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Jewish Theological Seminary of America Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $92,751. That's about 128% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Jewish Theological Seminary of America. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University Oakland | Oakland, CA | 1472 | 32 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles, CA | 1461 | 33 |
| Scripps College | Claremont, CA | 1480 | 33 |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 1494 | 33 |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA | 1486 | 33 |
| University of Maryland-College Park | College Park, MD | 1463 | 34 |
| Amherst College | Amherst, MA | 1494 | 33 |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 1473 | 33 |
| Brandeis University | Waltham, MA | 1473 | 33 |
| Smith College | Northampton, MA | 1480 | 33 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Jewish Theological Seminary of America. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, CA | 1514 | 34 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 1501 | 34 |
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT | 1513 | 34 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1507 | 33 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 1510 | 34 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Jewish Theological Seminary of America. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey Mudd College | Claremont, CA | 1537 | 35 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1554 | 35 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | 1553 | 35 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 1553 | 35 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | 1553 | 35 |
Degree Programs at Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Bachelor Degree Programs
Masters Degree Programs
Doctoral Degree Programs
First Professional Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Jewish Theological Seminary of America Admissions
Jewish Theological Seminary of America graduates typically earn around $92,751 a year, on the higher end depending on industry.
At about $80,579 a year, Jewish Theological Seminary of America's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Pell Grant data isn't published for Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Contact the financial aid office directly about need- and merit-based options.
At 45.1%, Jewish Theological Seminary of America's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Jewish Theological Seminary of America average a 3.7 GPA.
Jewish Theological Seminary of America doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.4 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.3, Jewish Theological Seminary of America 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 Jewish Theological Seminary of America — aim above 1507, ideally within the 1440–1559 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Jewish Theological Seminary of America is November 15 for Early Decision applicants.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority financial aid: 2027/02/01. 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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