Amherst College Acceptance Rate 2023 & Admission Process

Amherst College, known for its exceptional quality and selectivity in liberal arts education, stands out as one of the most prestigious colleges in the United States. The college’s admissions process is highly competitive, with acceptance rates consistently in the single digits.

This poses a significant challenge even for high-achieving students who attain near-perfect SAT/ACT scores and excel in their high school class rankings. While some schools have adopted more rigorous admission practices in recent years, gaining acceptance into Amherst College has long been a formidable task, as evident from historical acceptance rates:

1980: 19%

1995: 20%

2010: 15%

2023: 9%

To help you gauge your chances of admission to Amherst College, please continue reading.

Amherst College Acceptance Rate for Class of 2027

Amherst College received a total of 12,700 applications for the Class of 2027. From this pool, they accepted approximately 9% of applicants. Though there was a slight decrease in the number of applications compared to previous years, the acceptance rate actually increased by 2%.

Recently, the college announced the results of its regular decision process. The Dean of Admission and Financial Aid revealed that they received a total of 12,700 applications for the incoming Class of 2027. This number represents a decrease of 14.2% in comparison to the previous year’s application count.

Historical And Recent Acceptance Rates  Of Amherst College

 Amherst College Early Decision Acceptance Rate

Amherst College received 692 applicants for the Class of 2026 through their Early Decision (ED) process. The acceptance rate for this particular group was a much more promising 32%, which is definitely reassuring news.

Amherst College Admissions – SAT, ACT,  GPA, and Class Rank

For students admitted to the Class of 2026 at Amherst College, the SAT scores fell within a mid-50% range of 1450-1530. The median score for this group was 1520. In terms of ACT scores, the range was 33-35, with a median score of 34. Additionally, an impressive 90% of enrolled freshmen ranked in the top 10% of their high school class, while 96% were in the top quartile. To maintain eligibility, it is recommended that students maintain a GPA of at least 4.0-5.3.

Amherst College Class Of 2027 Demographics

Amherst College attracts a significant number of undergraduates from the following U.S. states:

• New York
• California
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• Illinois

The highest percentage of international students at the college come from the following country

• China
• Korea
• Kenya
• Mexico
• United Kingdom

When it comes to ethnic identity, the breakdown among students is as follows:

• White: 39%
• Asian: 15%
• Hispanic:15%
• African American:10%
• Two or More Races: 7% International: 10%
• Unknown: 2%

In terms of gender balance, Amherst College enrolls slightly more women than men, with 51% being women and 49% men.

Looking at the types of high schools attended by enrolled students in a recent year, the data shows that 54% came from public schools, 32% from independent schools, 13% from parochial schools, and 1% from home schools.

Tips for Applying to Amherst College

If you have aspirations of joining the multitude of Amherst College hopefuls, here are some important details to keep in mind

• To enhance your chances of admission to Amherst College, it is highly advisable to consider applying for Early Decision (ED) by November. Although the Regular Decision deadline is in the first week of January, the acceptance rates for this round are significantly lower.
• It’s worth noting that Amherst College discontinued the practice of evaluative interviews approximately twelve years ago.
• Given the absence of interviews, the recommendations from your counselor and teachers will play a crucial role in your application.
• Demonstrated interest is not taken into consideration by Amherst College during the admissions process. Therefore, whether or not you have visited the campus or contacted an admissions officer will not impact your evaluation.
• Remember to maintain strong grades throughout your senior year of high school as you will need to submit a Mid-Year Report in late February.
• Dedicate ample time and effort to crafting thoughtful responses to the supplemental essay prompts offered by Amherst College. In the 2022-23 application cycle, there were three options for the main essay/writing sample and two short answer responses

How Does Amherst College Evaluate Applicants?

Amherst College takes a comprehensive perspective when evaluating application materials to gain a well-rounded understanding of each applicant.

When reviewing your application, Amherst prioritizes the following aspects:

• Your high school transcript.
• Recommendations from teachers and counselors.
• The quality of your writing, as showcased in your essays, writing supplement, testing, and recommendations.
• Your involvement in extracurricular activities, as well as any talents or leadership roles.
• Standardized test results (if submitted by the student), although they are optional.

How To Apply To Amherst College

• Students who are interested in applying to Amherst should first be familiar with their available admission options, application requirements, deadlines, and approach to reviewing and evaluating applications for admission.
• To commence your application click here.
• Visit Amherst College for more details.

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