Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Painesville, Ohio
64.1% Acceptance Rate
Lake Erie College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
64.1%Acceptance Rate
3.19Avg GPA
1114Avg SAT
21Avg ACT
$48,278Annual Cost
$50,417Grad Salary
29%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
64.1%
Avg GPA
3.19
Avg SAT
1114
Avg ACT
21
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
945–1115
ACT Middle 50%
18–24
Need-Based Aid
29% receive Pell
Lake Erie College, founded in 1856, is a private liberal arts college in Painesville, Ohio, known for its equestrian studies and business programs. It ranks highly for its hands-on learning approach and small class sizes, fostering close student-faculty relationships.
The college boasts equestrian facilities, science labs, and a vibrant arts program. Its scenic campus combines historic architecture with modern amenities, offering a supportive community for undergraduate and graduate students.
Lake Erie College Acceptance Rate
Lake Erie College takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 64.1% each year.
What LEC Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 64.1% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.19 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.99 – 3.18
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.74
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Lake Erie College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Lake Erie College 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
LEC 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 (Scholarship Priority: 2026/03/01) 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.
LEC GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at LEC is 3.19. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.89–3.19 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 3.39–3.59.LEC GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.19 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.99 – 3.18
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.79 – 2.98
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.78
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- West Virginia's first BA in Sustainability Studies; campus borders the 900,000-acre Monongahela National Forest; college owns a 300-acre George A. Myles Experimental Forest outside Beverly, WV.
- No application fee; test-optional (SAT/ACT considered if submitted); essay is "considered" if submitted but not required; merit Highlands Scholarship ($11,000?$20,000/year) awarded automatically at acceptance - no separate application.
- Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) affiliation: Presbyterian Scholarship ($5,000/year) and Covenant Scholarship available to verified PCUSA members; no faith requirement for general admission.
- NCAA Division II (Great Midwest Athletic Conference), 21 varsity sports; roughly half of students receive athletic aid; six historic landmarks on main campus including two 1890s-era mansions; six national register historic districts on campus.
- 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 LEC
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Lake Erie 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.
Lake Erie College (LEC) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if LEC is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into LEC Without SAT or ACT?
LEC considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
Lake Erie College Average SAT Score: 1114
The average SAT score of admitted students at Lake Erie College is 1114 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1114 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1115 SAT or 24 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Lake Erie College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 945, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at LEC. 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 | 508 | 460 | 555 |
| SAT Reading | 523 | 485 | 560 |
| SAT Composite | 1114 | 945 | 1115 |
Below 945, you're behind most admitted students; at 1115 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 1100
Can I get into Lake Erie College (LEC) with a 1100 SAT?
A 1100 SAT puts you ahead of most of LEC'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.
Lake Erie College (LEC) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at LEC is 21.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 21 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 21 | 17 | 25 |
| ACT English | 20 | 15 | 24 |
| ACT Composite | 21 | 18 | 24 |
Can I get into Lake Erie College with a 24 ACT?
A 24 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of LEC's admitted students — a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several 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 (Science, especially, 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 LEC.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for LEC
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
LEC is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
If Equine Is Your Goal, Apply to the School of Equine Studies Specifically
Lake Erie's equine program is not a minor add-on - it's a nationally recognized department with five distinct majors, 50?60 school horses, and an 86-acre George M. Humphrey Equestrian Center located five miles from the main campus. The program traces to 1928 and was home to the first four-year equine degree in the United States (1955). LEC is also the only college in the country that offers equine massage therapy certification for academic credit - a credential that translates directly into a professional license. When you apply, your application essay (optional for admission, but required for placement and registration) should address your specific equine focus: are you heading toward facility management, therapeutic horsemanship, teaching and training, or the business side of the industry? Vague passion for horses won't differentiate you in this applicant pool.
Attend Equine Experience Day Before You Submit Your Application
LEC hosts an annual Equine Experience Day at the Humphrey Center - it includes class seminars, a student panel on horseback, a coach's panel, equine massage demonstrations, and meetings with admissions and financial aid. For equine-bound applicants, attending this event does two things: it gives you specific, accurate details to reference in your application essay (which immediately distinguishes you from applicants who write generically), and it puts you in front of program faculty and coaches who have real influence on scholarship decisions. The event is free. If you're serious about this program, being there is the minimum.
Use the Therapeutic Horsemanship Track If You're Heading Toward Allied Health
LEC's Therapeutic Horsemanship program is a PATH International Premier Accredited Center - the highest standard in the field. Students in this concentration complete a 50-hour internship, earn professional certification in equine sports massage and myofascial release, and work alongside licensed mental health professionals in equine-assisted psychotherapy settings. Past internship placements have included elite barns in Wellington, FL, and internationally recognized therapeutic programs. If your longer-term goal is occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, or special education, this track gives you a practicum credential before you even start a graduate application.
Understand the Painesville?Cleveland Location Strategically
LEC sits in Painesville, about 30 miles east of Cleveland, which means students have genuine access to a major metro healthcare system, arts infrastructure, and employer network without paying urban tuition. The Pathway to Empowerment signature program is LEC's structured professional development curriculum designed to convert that location into internship and employment placement. Students who engage with Pathway to Empowerment from freshman year - rather than treating it as a senior-year formality - consistently report better post-graduation placement outcomes. Ask admissions specifically what that program looks like for your intended major, not in the abstract.
Expert Insight:
The essay at Lake Erie College is technically optional for admission, but it is required for placement and registration once admitted. Students who skip it on the application then scramble to write it after acceptance - often under more time pressure and with less space to make a case for advanced course placement. Write the essay at the time of application. For equine applicants especially, it's the clearest signal of program-specific intent in an otherwise stats-driven review.
LEC Profile
Full Name
Lake Erie College (LEC)
City
Painesville
State
Ohio
ZIP Code
44077-3389
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a LEC Degree Worth It?
At $48,278/year against a $50,417 median graduate salary, LEC 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 $63,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.96%.
How much does a degree from LEC Cost?
The sticker price is $48,278/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
29% of students receive a Pell Grant and 57.6% take federal loans at LEC — file your FAFSA early and list LEC as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a LEC Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $50,417 — about 24% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Lake Erie 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 Lake Erie 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 Lake Erie College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| 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 LEC
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About LEC Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Lake Erie College run about $50,417 a year.
Lake Erie College costs roughly $48,278 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 29.0% receive a Pell Grant at Lake Erie College — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 64.1%, Lake Erie College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Lake Erie College average a 3.19 GPA.
Lake Erie College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.89 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.79, Lake Erie College 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 Lake Erie College — aim above 1114, ideally within the 945–1115 range admitted students typically fall in.
Lake Erie College follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Scholarship Priority: 2026/03/01. 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.