Public
Accredited · Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Olympia, Washington
97.2% Acceptance Rate
The Evergreen State College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
97.2%Acceptance Rate
3.12Avg GPA
1161Avg SAT
24Avg ACT
$25,934Annual Cost
$45,320Grad Salary
41.1%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
97.2%
Avg GPA
3.12
Avg SAT
1161
Avg ACT
24
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
SAT Middle 50%
890–1260
ACT Middle 50%
22–26
Avg Net Price
$22,585
Need-Based Aid
41.1% receive Pell
The Evergreen State College is a public, innovative liberal arts institution in Washington known for its interdisciplinary, narrative-evaluation-based curriculum. Admissions are selective, focusing on a student's ability to engage in deep, self-directed inquiry and collaborative learning. The college seeks students who are ready to challenge traditional academic structures and participate in a vibrant, community-focused, and intellectually active campus.
Prospective students should highlight their capacity for critical thinking, their initiative in self-directed projects, and their ability to engage in meaningful dialogue. Demonstrating a passion for social justice, environmental sustainability, or the arts will help an applicant stand out. The admissions team looks for students who are proactive, curious, and ready to leverage the college's unique academic model to pursue their own intellectual and professional interests in a highly supportive and non-traditional environment.
The Evergreen State College Acceptance Rate
The Evergreen State College (TESC) runs an open-access admission policy. With a 97.2% 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 — 97.2% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.12 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.92 – 3.11
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.67
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
The Evergreen State College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The Evergreen State 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
TESC 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 (Priority: 2026/02/01) 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.
TESC GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at TESC is 3.12. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.82–3.12 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 3.32–3.52.TESC 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
3.12 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.92 – 3.11
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.72 – 2.91
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.71
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Evergreen uses narrative evaluations instead of letter grades for enrolled students; there is no traditional GPA once you're admitted.
- Admission requires only a 2.0 unweighted high school GPA, and students can be missing up to 3 years of College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADRs) and still be admissible.
- Rolling admissions allow students to start any quarter of the academic year, not just fall.
- The 2026-27 scholarship application removed its letter of recommendation requirement, and fall-quarter admits are automatically considered for merit scholarships with no separate application.
- 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 TESC
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on The Evergreen State College's verified institutional data
--%
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 Evergreen State College (TESC) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if TESC is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into TESC Without SAT or ACT?
TESC considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
The Evergreen State College Average SAT Score: 1161
The average SAT score of admitted students at The Evergreen State College is 1161 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1161 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1260 SAT or 26 ACT) to stand out. Below average? The Evergreen State 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 890, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at TESC. 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 | 505 | 420 | 590 |
| SAT Reading | 570 | 470 | 670 |
| SAT Composite | 1161 | 890 | 1260 |
Below 890, you're behind most admitted students; at 1260 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 1150
Can I get into The Evergreen State College (TESC) with a 1250 SAT?
A 1250 SAT puts you ahead of most of TESC'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 Evergreen State College (TESC) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at TESC 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 | 21 | 17 | 24 |
| ACT English | 25 | 20 | 30 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 22 | 26 |
Can I get into The Evergreen State College with a 26 ACT?
A 26 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of TESC'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 TESC.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for TESC
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
TESC provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about using available resources well and planning your longer-term academic or career path.
Understand you'll leave high school grades behind entirely - plan your application narrative accordingly
Evergreen replaces letter grades with narrative evaluations for enrolled students, meaning your entire academic identity there is built on written faculty assessments rather than a GPA. In your application essay, don't just cite your grades as evidence of readiness - describe your capacity for self-directed, interdisciplinary work (since Evergreen's "programs" are full-time, team-taught, and cross-disciplinary rather than a la carte courses), since that's the skill set narrative evaluation rewards and admissions is screening for.
Use the test-optional essay route deliberately, not as a fallback
Instead of test scores, Evergreen accepts an essay responding to "How has your experience prepared you to attend The Evergreen State College?" This essay functions as a genuine substitute admissions signal, not a lesser option - treat it with the same rigor as a primary personal statement, since for test-optional applicants it is effectively carrying weight that test scores would otherwise carry.
If you're 25+, use the alternative admissions essay prompts to your advantage
Applicants over 25 who haven't attended college after high school qualify for an alternative admissions track requiring two of several criteria, including an essay on Evergreen's "big-picture questions" academic model or a reflection on a perspective-shifting encounter. This track is specifically designed to value life and work experience over traditional academic metrics - if this describes you, lean into concrete real-world experience in your essay rather than trying to reconstruct a traditional academic narrative you don't have.
Apply for fall quarter to be automatically considered for merit scholarships - and know the letter of recommendation requirement was just dropped
Students who apply for fall quarter admission are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships without a separate application, and as of the 2026-27 cycle, Evergreen removed the letter of recommendation requirement from its scholarship application entirely. If you were holding off on scholarship applications because gathering recommendation letters felt burdensome, that barrier no longer exists - the essay and application portal are now the whole submission.
Expert Insight:
A specific and easy-to-miss risk at Evergreen is applying without realizing that "programs" replace the traditional major/course-catalog structure - a student expecting to pick individual classes each term the way they would at a conventional college can find themselves academically adrift, since Evergreen's full-time, team-taught, interdisciplinary programs require a different kind of academic planning and self-direction from day one.
TESC Profile
Full Name
The Evergreen State College (TESC)
City
Olympia
State
Washington
ZIP Code
98505-0001
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Is a TESC Degree Worth It?
TESC offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes. The figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $63,800, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.91%.
How much does a degree from TESC Cost?
The sticker price is $25,934/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is closer to $22,585.
41.1% of students receive a Pell Grant and 40.6% take federal loans at TESC. File your FAFSA early and list TESC as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a TESC Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $45,320. That's about 12% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than The Evergreen State College. 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 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 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Denver, CO | 1119 | 24 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO | 1130 | 25 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton, FL | 1136 | 25 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as The Evergreen State College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI | 1155 | NA |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, HI | 1157 | 24 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than The Evergreen State College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, 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 |
Degree Programs at TESC
Bachelor Degree Programs
Masters Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About TESC Admissions
Median earnings for The Evergreen State College graduates sit around $45,320 a year.
At about $25,934 a year, The Evergreen State College is on the more affordable end.
About 41.1% receive a Pell Grant at The Evergreen State College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 97.2%, The Evergreen State College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at The Evergreen State College average a 3.12 GPA.
The Evergreen State College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 2.82 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.72, The Evergreen State 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 The Evergreen State College — aim above 1161, ideally within the 890–1260 range admitted students typically fall in.
The Evergreen State College follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The application fee is 50. Fee waivers may be available. Check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority: 2026/02/01. 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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