Claremont McKenna College

If you are planning on applying to Claremont Mckenna College, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 5 and the application fee costs $75.

Students who apply to Claremont Mckenna College for fall should hear back from Claremont Mckenna College by April 1.

Claremont Mckenna College Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here is an overiew of some of Claremont Mckenna College's admissions stats.

Claremont Mckenna College 2022	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	61%
Mean SAT Score	1456
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	28%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	25%
Waitlist	Yes

Claremont McKenna College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Claremont McKenna College.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 15
Early Decision II	Yes	January 5	February 15
Early Action	No	––	––
Regular Decision	Yes	January 15	April 1

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Considering Applying Early to Claremont Mckenna College?

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Claremont Mckenna College offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, meaning 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 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 5. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Claremont Mckenna College is 29%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 11%. Last year, Claremont Mckenna College admitted 200 of the 694 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early to college to help their chances of acceptance. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of acceptance, since it demonstrates that you are very interested in a school.

➡️ Explore a list of some selective colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Claremont McKenna College Admissions

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How To Get Into Claremont McKenna College

Getting into Claremont Mckenna College is extremely difficult. Claremont Mckenna College evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2021, Claremont Mckenna College accepted 11% of students, approximately 633 from the 5,632 applicants.

Schools that are extremely difficult to get into, like Claremont Mckenna College, accept fewer than 30% of all applicants. At least 75% of admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT or over 29 on the ACT.

Transferring to Claremont McKenna College

For more information on transferring to Claremont McKenna College, contact the school directly.

For Students Waitlisted to Claremont Mckenna College

In 2022, Claremont Mckenna College waitlisted 897 students and 589 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 9 eventually got in.

What Does Claremont Mckenna College Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are are most important in the admissions process. 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 Claremont Mckenna College

What does Claremont Mckenna College 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
Class Rank	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Application Essay	Important
Interview	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered

Make sure to check with Claremont Mckenna College for more information on admission factors.

Claremont Mckenna College Application Requirements

To apply to Claremont Mckenna College, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with Claremont Mckenna College'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 Claremont Mckenna College?

Claremont Mckenna College 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, 15.64% submitted a class rank. At Claremont Mckenna College 61% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 96% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Claremont McKenna College, 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 Claremont Mckenna College 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

Claremont Mckenna College looks at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

Claremont Mckenna College is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 28% of Claremont Mckenna College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 25% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Claremont Mckenna College?

To be competitive with other Claremont Mckenna College applicants, you should aim to earn between 1440 and 1500 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Claremont Mckenna College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1500 and 25% of scored lower than 1440, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Claremont Mckenna College student is 1456.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Claremont Mckenna College students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 700 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Claremont Mckenna College students scored 750 or higher, and 75% scored a 700 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Claremont Mckenna College?

To be most competitive at Claremont Mckenna College, you should strive to earn between 32 and 35 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Claremont Mckenna College's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.

A 32 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Claremont Mckenna College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 32.

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 Claremont McKenna College

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 15. Applicants should hear back by May 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Claremont Mckenna College during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

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Claremont Mckenna College Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Claremont Mckenna College?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Claremont Mckenna College.

Does Claremont Mckenna College accept transfer credits?

✅ Claremont Mckenna College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Claremont Mckenna College accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Claremont Mckenna College accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Claremont Mckenna College?

❌ No, Claremont Mckenna College is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you should strongly consider submitting them. If your scores are average or below average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is Claremont Mckenna College's acceptance rate?

✅ Claremont Mckenna College's acceptance rate is 11%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Claremont Mckenna College?

✅ Claremont Mckenna College's early decision acceptance rate was 29% in 2021.

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