Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
87.4% Acceptance Rate
Ursinus College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
87.4%Acceptance Rate
3.53Avg GPA
1304Avg SAT
30Avg ACT
$75,378Annual Cost
$73,721Grad Salary
19.8%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
87.4%
Avg GPA
3.53
Avg SAT
1304
Avg ACT
30
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1160–1360
ACT Middle 50%
28–32
Need-Based Aid
19.8% receive Pell
Ursinus College is a private, selective liberal arts college in Pennsylvania known for its focus on the "Quest for Success" and interdisciplinary inquiry. Admissions are highly selective, looking for students who demonstrate high intellectual engagement and a strong record of personal growth. Applicants should showcase their ability to make connections between different academic disciplines and their interest in intensive, student-faculty research.
Ursinus College Acceptance Rate
Ursinus College runs an open-access admission policy. With a 87.4% 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 — 87.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.53 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.33 – 3.52
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.08
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Ursinus College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Ursinus College is November 15 for Early Decision I applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 97 days left — Early Decision I
Early Decision I
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: December 20
Early Decision II
January 15
Decision by: February 15
Regular Decision
February 1
Decision by: April 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (Financial Aid Priority: 2025/11/15) 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.
Ursinus College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Ursinus College is 3.53. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.23 and 3.53? 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 3.73–3.93.Ursinus 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
3.53 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.33 – 3.52
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.13 – 3.32
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.12
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Test-optional via Common App; no supplement required for general admission - except the 13 application-based specialty scholarships, which need their own separate applications
- All admitted students are automatically reviewed for merit scholarships up to $40,000/year; a Merit Pre-Read is available for Early Decision applicants to estimate the award before the binding commitment
- Requires a two-semester Common Intellectual Experience (CIE)/Quest Curriculum course for all first-years, organized around four core questions that also form the basis of the required supplemental essay
- Distinctive programs include PhillyX (a semester living/studying/interning in Philadelphia), a funded student venture pitch competition, and a Villanova articulation allowing BSN completion in 16 months post-Ursinus
- 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 Ursinus College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Ursinus 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.
Ursinus College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Ursinus College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Ursinus College Without SAT or ACT?
Ursinus College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Ursinus College Average SAT Score: 1304
The average SAT score of admitted students at Ursinus College is 1304 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1304 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean, without being in elite-tier territory.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1360 SAT or 32 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Ursinus 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 1160, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Ursinus 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 | 610 | 560 | 660 |
| SAT Reading | 650 | 600 | 700 |
| SAT Composite | 1304 | 1160 | 1360 |
Below 1160, you're behind most admitted students; at 1360 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 1300
Can I get into Ursinus College with a 1350 SAT?
A 1350 SAT puts you ahead of most of Ursinus 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.
Ursinus College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Ursinus College is 30.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 30 — Very Competitive
An average of 30 is well above the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 27 | 24 | 29 |
| ACT English | 30 | 26 | 34 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 28 | 32 |
Can I get into Ursinus College with a 32 ACT?
A 32 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Ursinus College'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 Ursinus College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Ursinus College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Ursinus College takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Write to the Actual Quest Curriculum Prompt
Ursinus's required essay is built directly around its four-question Quest Curriculum framework (What should matter to me? How should we live together? How can we understand the world? What will I do?) and asks applicants to describe a genuine difficult choice and connect it explicitly to that framework. A generic "why I love small liberal arts colleges" essay will read as not having engaged with the actual prompt - ground the response in one specific decision and tie it back to the four questions by name.
Apply Separately for the Specialty Scholarships - Don't Assume They're Automatic
Ursinus requires no supplement for general admission, but the 13 application-based specialty scholarships (covering areas like entrepreneurship, performance, science, and community leadership, each worth up to $40,000/year) require a distinct, separate application - this is the one exception to the "no supplement" rule. A student with a relevant talent or background (e.g., a demonstrated interest in biology/neuroscience/BCMB with financial need for the NSF-funded Supporting Inclusive Excellence Scholarship, capped at 10 awards/year) should apply for the specific scholarship by name rather than assuming the automatic merit review covers it.
Request the Merit Pre-Read Before Committing Early Decision
Because Ursinus's Early Decision is binding, and scholarship size can be a genuine factor in whether ED is affordable, Ursinus explicitly offers a Merit Pre-Read that estimates the scholarship award before the binding commitment - but it must be requested by a specific date ahead of the ED1 deadline. A family for whom scholarship money matters to the ED decision should request this pre-read rather than applying ED blind and hoping the number works out afterward.
Name PhillyX or the Funded Venture Pitch Program if Relevant
Ursinus offers PhillyX (a semester living, studying, and interning in Philadelphia) and a funded Shark Tank-style student venture pitch competition through its Innovation & Discovery Center, where the college directly funds the winning student-founded business idea. A business/entrepreneurship-minded applicant, or one wanting urban exposure without leaving the small-campus experience, should reference these programs by name to demonstrate genuine fit rather than generic interest in "hands-on learning."
Expert Insight:
Because Ursinus doesn't require a supplement for general admission, families sometimes assume no extra application effort is needed anywhere in the process - but the specialty scholarships absolutely do require a separate, additional application with their own deadlines. Treating Ursinus as a fully no-supplement school and skipping the specialty scholarship applications forfeits real money that has nothing to do with the general admission timeline.
Ursinus College Profile
Full Name
Ursinus College
City
Collegeville
State
Pennsylvania
ZIP Code
19426-1000
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Ursinus College Degree Worth It?
Whether Ursinus 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 $77,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.9%.
How much does a degree from Ursinus College Cost?
The sticker price is $75,378/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
19.8% of students receive a Pell Grant and 73.1% take federal loans at Ursinus College. File your FAFSA early and list Ursinus College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Ursinus College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $73,721. That's about 82% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Ursinus College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
| Thomas Aquinas College | Santa Paula, CA | 1277 | 29 |
| United States Coast Guard Academy | New London, CT | 1290 | 28 |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | 1277 | 27 |
| Eckerd College | Saint Petersburg, FL | 1256 | 27 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | Daytona Beach, FL | 1256 | 27 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Ursinus College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1313 | 29 |
| University of Delaware | Newark, DE | 1297 | 29 |
| Rollins College | Winter Park, FL | 1304 | 29 |
| Agnes Scott College | Decatur, GA | 1296 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Ursinus College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hendrix College | Conway, AR | 1336 | 29 |
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | 1353 | 30 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | 1367 | 29 |
| Westmont College | Santa Barbara, CA | 1367 | 32 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO | 1353 | 31 |
Degree Programs at Ursinus College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Ursinus College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Ursinus College run about $73,721 a year.
At about $75,378 a year, Ursinus College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Ursinus College's Pell Grant rate of 19.8% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 87.4%, Ursinus College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Ursinus College average a 3.53 GPA.
Ursinus College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.23 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.13, Ursinus 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 Ursinus College — aim above 1304, ideally within the 1160–1360 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Ursinus College is November 15 for Early Decision I applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Financial Aid Priority: 2025/11/15. 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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