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

Your chances of getting into Carleton College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted

16.6%

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

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Carleton College is 16.6%. Its admission rate is the lowest in Minnesota and the 59th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

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

Carleton College 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 1,427 out of the 8,583 who applied were admitted.

Carleton College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.9. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. 37% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Carleton College?

17% 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 Carleton College you should:

Have a high school GPA of 3.9 or better
Earn A- grades in high school
Score 1490 on the SAT
Score 33 on the ACT
Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class

Carleton College GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

3.9*

Typical High School Grades

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Carleton College?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Carleton College are to have around a 3.9 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 Carleton College is a very selective school.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Carleton College is 3.9 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 Minnesota for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since Carleton College 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. 3.9 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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Carleton College SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Carleton College. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 37% of students submitted SAT scores and 28% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range

1430-1550

Applicants Submitting SAT

37%

SAT Scores for Carleton College
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	710
Math 25th Percentile	720
Composite 25th Percentile	1430

SAT Scores for Carleton College
SAT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	770
Math 75th Percentile	780
Composite 75th Percentile	1550
Average SAT Score	1490

SAT Scores you need to get in

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

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Carleton College is 1490 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1430-1550. Students who get into Carleton College score in the top 3 percent of all SAT test takers.. Carleton College ranks #1 in the state of Minnesota and #36 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1490 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Carleton College regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1430 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1430, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1370, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Carleton 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 1490 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 1490, you have around a 17% chance of being admitted. A 1550 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 28% chance of getting in.

Carleton College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1550 and Above	Good	>28%
1490 to 1550	Avg +	17%-28%
1430 to 1490	Avg -	10%-17%
1370 to 1430	Reach	5%-10%
Less than 1370	Low	<5%

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Carleton College ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

32-35

Applicants Submitting ACT

28%

ACT Scores for Carleton College
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	33
Math 25th Percentile	29
Composite 25th Percentile	32

ACT Scores for Carleton College
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	35
Math 75th Percentile	34
Composite 75th Percentile	35
Average ACT Score	33

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Carleton College?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Carleton College is 33, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 32 and 35. The school ranks #1 in Minnesota and #42 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 33. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 32 and score in the score in the top 3 percent nationally. The lowest ACT score likely to be admitted is a 30.

28 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Carleton College.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Carleton 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 Carleton College for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 33 score has around 17% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 33% with a 35 ACT score.

Carleton College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
35 and Above	Good	>33%
33 to 35	Avg +	17%-33%
32 to 33	Avg -	12%-17%
31 to 32	Reach	8%-12%
Less than 31	Low	<8%

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High School Class Rank

69% of Carleton 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 Carleton College students
High School Class Rank	Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class	69%
Top 25% of class	93%
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.

Carleton College admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	4,491	4,092	8,583
Accepted	748	679	1,427
Acceptance Rate	17%	17%	17%
Enrolled	264	268	532
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	35%	39%	37%

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2022 starting class

Fall 2025 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 15, 2025

Days left to Apply

Applicants have 21 days left until the Fall 2025 term applications are due on Jan 15, 2025.

Application Fee

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

Application Requirements

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

Carleton 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	Required to be considered for admission
Recommendations	Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted

Credits Accepted

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

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Carleton College is very highly competitive, you have a low likelihood of acceptance. It is important that you earn at least a 3.9 GPA to have a good shot at getting in. Additionally, you need to score a 1490 on the SAT and optimally 1550 to place yourself in a strong position. For ACT scores, you need a 33 to have a competitive chance of getting in.