College of the Holy Cross

If you are applying to Holy Cross, the regular decision application deadline is January 15 and the fee for the application is $60.

Students who submit their applications to Holy Cross for fall semester should hear back from Holy Cross by March 25.

Holy Cross Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Holy Cross's admissions stats.

Holy Cross 2022	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	43%
Mean SAT Score	1330
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	40%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	19%
Waitlist	Yes

College of the Holy Cross Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for College of the Holy Cross.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 15	December 15
Early Decision II	Yes	January 15	February 15
Early Action	No	––	––
Regular Decision	Yes	January 1	March 25

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Applying Early to Holy Cross?

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Holy Cross offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, which means you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 15 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 15. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Holy Cross is 82%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 43%. Last year, Holy Cross admitted 296 of the 362 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early to college in hopes that it will help their chances of getting in. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of admission, since it shows your interest in a school.

➡️ Find a list of some top colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on College of the Holy Cross Admissions

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How Hard Is It To Get Admitted to Holy Cross?

It is very difficult to get into Holy Cross. Holy Cross evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2021, Holy Cross accepted 43% of students, approximately 2,786 from the 6,498 applicants.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like Holy Cross, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.

Transferring to College of the Holy Cross

It is very difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.

For Students Waitlisted to Holy Cross

In 2022, Holy Cross waitlisted 1,795 students and 731 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 5 eventually were offered a spot.

What Does Holy Cross Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are given the most weight when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that put the most emphasis on the areas where you shine.

Admissions Factors at Holy Cross

What does Holy Cross consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Interview	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Class Rank	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered

Make sure to check with Holy Cross for more information on admission factors.

Holy Cross 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Holy Cross, all applicants must submit the following items. Check with Holy Cross's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Interview		√
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)
Letter(s) of Recommendation	2
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√
Transcript of High School Record	√

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Holy Cross?

Holy Cross has not provided an information about GPAs of accepted students. Any questions regarding applicant expectations should be addressed directly with the school.

Out of all students that were admitted, 17% submitted a class rank. At Holy Cross 43% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 80% were in the top 25% and 98% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At College of the Holy Cross, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	––
3.75 and 3.99	––
3.50 and 3.74	––
3.25 and 3.49	––
3.00 and 3.24	––
2.50 and 2.9	––
2.00 and 2.49	––

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Holy Cross directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Holy Cross considers standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

Holy Cross is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 40% of Holy Cross's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 19% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Holy Cross?

To be competitive with other Holy Cross applicants, you should aim to earn between 1240 and 1420 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Holy Cross 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1420 and 25% of scored lower than 1240, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Holy Cross student is 1330.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Holy Cross students scored 710 or higher and 75% of students scored 630 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Holy Cross students scored 710 or higher, and 75% scored a 630 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Holy Cross?

To be most competitive at Holy Cross, you should strive to earn between 28 and 32 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 32 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Holy Cross's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 32, and three out of four students scored lower than 32 on the ACT.

A 28 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Holy Cross students. Only one out of every four students scored below 28.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to College of the Holy Cross

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to Holy Cross.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is April 1. Applicants should hear back by June 1.

Transfer students can enroll in Holy Cross during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

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Holy Cross Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Holy Cross?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Holy Cross.

Does Holy Cross accept transfer credits?

✅ Holy Cross accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Holy Cross accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Holy Cross accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Holy Cross?

❌ No, Holy Cross is test optional, so you can choose whether or not to include your standardized test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you should strongly consider submitting them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is Holy Cross's acceptance rate?

✅ Holy Cross's acceptance rate is 43%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Holy Cross?

✅ Holy Cross's early decision acceptance rate was 82% in 2021.

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