Macalester College
Admissions
Interested in attending Macalester College?
On this page, you'll learn how difficult it is to get into Macalester College, we'll dig into high school grades and test scores, and you'll find out the factors the school considers when reviewing applications.
Admission Rates
Is it difficult to get into Macalester College?
Using the most up-to-date data on record, Macalester accepted 28% of applicants. We classify this as selective.
In the most recent year, 8,099 people applied and 2,285 were accepted.
Applied/Accepted
Acceptance rates at colleges can change over time, with some becoming more competitive and others accepting more students. Here’s a look at the acceptance rate trend for the past 3 years at Macalester College:
Acceptance rates at schools can vary depending on if the student is in-state, out-of-state, or international.
Of those accepted, 21% ended up enrolling at Macalester College, making their yield rate Medium. The yield rate is the percentage of accepted students who enroll at the school. You can use the yield rate to find out how coveted a school is for the students who apply to it.
Application Factors
You can increase your chances of getting into Macalester College by looking at what the school considers during the application process.
Here are the things Macalester considers:
Very Important
- Academic GPA
- Rigor of Secondary School Record
Important
- Application Essay
- Character/Personal Qualities
- Extracurricular Activities
- Recommendation(s)
Considered
- Alumni/AE Relation
- Class Rank
- First Generation
- Geographical Residence
- Interview
- Standardized Test Scores
- State Residency
- Talent/Ability
- Volunteer Work
- Work Experience
Not Considered
- Level of Applicant's Interest
- Religious Affiliation/Commitment
Grades & Testing
Do you have the grades and test scores to get into Macalester College?
Grades
58% of freshmen who attended Macalester were in the top 10% of their graduating high school class, and 85% were in the top 25% of their graduating high school class.
Macalester is Test Optional. This means scores are considered if they are submitted, but applicants do not need to submit scores.
Applicants submitting SAT Scores
Applicants submitting ACT Scores
SAT Math Scores
SAT Verb Scores
SAT Composite Scores
Application Deadlines
These are the deadlines for applying to Macalester College. Application deadlines are subject to change, so please verify all deadlines with the school.
Regular Admissions
Early Decision
Early Decision is a program in which students commit to attend a school if they are accepted. Some schools have a higher acceptance rate for Early Decision than regular decision. Macalester's Early Decision acceptance rate is 46%, compared to 28% overall. If you’re sure you want to attend Macalester College, you might consider applying Early Decision.
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