Grinnell College - Admission Requirements, SAT, ACT, GPA and chance of acceptance

Your chances of getting into Grinnell College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted

12.7%

Admission Difficulty for Grinnell College
Measure	Difficulty
Admission Standards		Elite
Applicant Competition		Very High

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Grinnell is 12.7%. Its admission rate is the lowest in Iowa and the 47th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Grinnell and can you get accepted?

Grinnell is a very highly competitive school to get into. You have a low chance of acceptance even if you meet the admission criteria. It's important that you meet their GPA requirements to get through the first round of consideration. Last year, only 1,266 out of the 9,988 who applied were admitted.

Grinnell College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.89. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. 36% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Grinnell?

13% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Grinnell College you should:

Have a high school GPA of 3.89 or better
Earn A- grades in high school
Score 1480 on the SAT
Score 32 on the ACT
Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class

Grinnell GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

3.89*

Typical High School Grades

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Grinnell College?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Grinnell are to have around a 3.89 high school GPA. You are required to have exceptionally good grades and you should be graduating near the top of your class.

Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough for you to gain admission as Grinnell is a very selective school.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Grinnell is 3.89 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn A- letter grades and regularly score around 90-92 percent on tests and assignments in high school. The school ranks #1 in Iowa for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since Grinnell is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.9 GPA range.

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.89 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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Grinnell SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Grinnell College. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 30% of students submitted SAT scores and 21% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range

1418-1550

Applicants Submitting SAT

30%

SAT Scores for Grinnell College
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	698
Math 25th Percentile	720
Composite 25th Percentile	1418

SAT Scores for Grinnell College
SAT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	760
Math 75th Percentile	790
Composite 75th Percentile	1550
Average SAT Score	1480

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Grinnell College?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Grinnell is 1480 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1418-1550. Students who get into Grinnell College score in the top 100 percent of all SAT test takers.. Grinnell ranks #1 in the state of Iowa and #44 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1480 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Grinnell regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1418 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1418, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1360, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Grinnell College is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1480 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1484, you have around a 13% chance of being admitted. A 1550 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 22% chance of getting in.

Grinnell College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1550 and Above	Good	>22%
1484 to 1550	Avg +	13%-22%
1418 to 1484	Avg -	7%-13%
1352 to 1418	Reach	4%-7%
Less than 1352	Low	<4%

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Grinnell ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

31-34

Applicants Submitting ACT

21%

ACT Scores for Grinnell College
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	31
Math 25th Percentile	27
Composite 25th Percentile	31

ACT Scores for Grinnell College
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	35
Math 75th Percentile	34
Composite 75th Percentile	34
Average ACT Score	32

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Grinnell?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Grinnell is 32, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 31 and 34. The school ranks #1 in Iowa and #68 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 32. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 31 and score in the score in the top 5 percent nationally. The lowest ACT score likely to be admitted is a 30.

21 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Grinnell College.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Grinnell College is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Grinnell for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 32 score has around 13% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 26% with a 34 ACT score.

Grinnell College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
34 and Above	Good	>26%
32 to 34	Avg +	13%-26%
31 to 32	Avg -	9%-13%
30 to 31	Reach	6%-9%
Less than 30	Low	<6%

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High School Class Rank

71% of Grinnell College freshman are in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class. For your application to be competitive, you need to graduate at the top of your class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Grinnell College students
High School Class Rank	Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class	71%
Top 25% of class	90%
Top 50% of class	99%

Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Grinnell College admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	4,840	4,822	9,988
Accepted	676	533	1,266
Acceptance Rate	14%	11%	13%
Enrolled	228	210	457
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	34%	39%	36%

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Fall 2025 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 15, 2025

Days left to Apply

None

The application deadline for Fall 2025 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 15, 2025.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Grinnell College is $0. The school is free to apply to.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Grinnell College and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Grinnell College Application Requirements
Test Scores	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
High School Class Rank	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Recommendations	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Demonstration of Competencies	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Grinnell College
AP Credit	Yes
Dual Credit	No
Credit for Life Experiences	No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Grinnell is very highly competitive, you have a low likelihood of acceptance. It is important that you earn at least a 3.89 GPA to have a good shot at getting in. Additionally, you need to score a 1480 on the SAT and optimally 1550 to place yourself in a strong position. For ACT scores, you need a 32 to have a competitive chance of getting in.