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

Your chances of getting into Williams College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted

8.5%

Admission Difficulty for Williams College
Measure	Difficulty
Admission Standards		Elite
Applicant Competition		Extreme

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Williams is 8.5%. Its admission rate is the 5th lowest in Massachusetts and the 25th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

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

Williams is an extremely competitive school to get into and is highly selective who it accepts. You have a very low chance of acceptance even even if you meet the admission criteria. It's critical that you meet their GPA requirements to get past the first round of consideration. Last year, only 1,302 out of the 15,321 who applied were admitted.

Williams College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.94. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. 44% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Williams?

8% 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 Williams College you should:

Have a high school GPA of 3.94 or better
Earn A- grades in high school
Score 1530 on the SAT
Score 34 on the ACT
Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class

Williams GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

3.94*

Typical High School Grades

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Williams College?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Williams are to have around a 3.94 high school GPA. You are required to have exceptionally good grades and you should be graduating near the top of your class.

Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Williams extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 3.94 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 3.94 GPA. If your grades do not meet the GPA requirements, you will have very little chance of being considered for admission.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Williams is 3.94 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 #5 in Massachusetts for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since Williams 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. 3.94 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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Williams SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Williams College. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 41% 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

1480-1570

Applicants Submitting SAT

41%

SAT Scores for Williams College
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	730
Math 25th Percentile	750
Composite 25th Percentile	1480

SAT Scores for Williams College
SAT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	780
Math 75th Percentile	790
Composite 75th Percentile	1570
Average SAT Score	1530

SAT Scores you need to get in

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

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Williams is 1530 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1480-1570. Students who get into Williams College score in the top 1 percent of all SAT test takers.. Williams ranks #3 in the state of Massachusetts and #19 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1530 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Williams regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1480 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1480, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1430, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Williams 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 1530 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 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 1525, you have around a 8% chance of being admitted. A 1570 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 14% chance of getting in.

Williams College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1570 and Above	Good	>14%
1525 to 1570	Avg +	8%-14%
1480 to 1525	Avg -	4%-8%
1435 to 1480	Reach	2%-4%
Less than 1435	Low	<2%

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Williams ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

34-35

Applicants Submitting ACT

21%

ACT Scores for Williams College
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	35
Math 25th Percentile	31
Composite 25th Percentile	34

ACT Scores for Williams College
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	36
Math 75th Percentile	35
Composite 75th Percentile	35
Average ACT Score	34

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

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

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Williams is 34, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 34 and 35. The school ranks #8 in Massachusetts and #19 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 34. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 34 and score in the score in the top 1 percent nationally.

21 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Williams College.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Williams 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 2022 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Williams for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 34 score has around 8% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 24% with a 35 ACT score.

Williams College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
35 and Above	Good	>24%
34 to 35	Avg +	8%-24%
34 to 34	Avg -	8%-8%
34 to 34	Reach	8%-8%
Less than 34	Low	<8%

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High School Class Rank

90% of Williams 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 Williams College students
High School Class Rank	Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class	90%
Top 25% of class	100%
Top 50% of class	100%

Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

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

Williams College admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	7,974	6,870	15,321
Accepted	653	607	1,302
Acceptance Rate	8%	9%	8%
Enrolled	294	264	577
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	45%	43%	44%

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Fall 2024 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 10, 2025

Days left to Apply

Applicants have 50 days left until the Fall 2024 term applications are due on Jan 10, 2025.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Williams College is $65.

Application Requirements

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

Williams 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	Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies	Not considered for admission, even if submitted

Credits Accepted

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

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Williams is extremely competitive, you have a very low likelihood of acceptance. It is critical that you earn at least a 3.94 GPA to have any chance. Additionally, you need to score at least a 1530 on the SAT and optimally 1570 to put yourself in a competitive position. For ACT scores, you should really strive for a 34 to have the best chance of getting in.