Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    Colby is 2.3× more selective than Wesleyan

    Acceptance rate
  2. 2

    Colby's yield is 12 pts higher than Wesleyan's

    Yield rate
  3. 3

    Colby's SAT midpoint is 27 points higher than Wesleyan's

    SAT midpoint

Admissions

Getting in, fall 2024

Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.

The funnel

Acceptance rate
Wesleyan16%
Colby7.1%
Applicants
Wesleyan15K
Colby19.2K
Admitted
Wesleyan2.5K
Colby1.4K
Yield rate
Wesleyan34%
Colby46%

Quad's selectivity

  • WesleyanHighly selective
  • ColbyHighly selective

Men and women

Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.

Women admitted
Wesleyan15%
Colby6.9%
Men admitted
Wesleyan18%
Colby7.3%

Test scores

SAT total,

Wesleyan
1415–1540
Colby
1460–1550

Axis runs 1300–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

ACT composite,

Wesleyan
33–35
Colby
32–34

Axis runs 28–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
Wesleyan29%
Colby36%
Submitted ACT
Wesleyan16%
Colby16%

Test policy

  • WesleyanTest-optional
  • ColbyTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Wesleyan

    The high school record is required; GPA, class rank, and a college-prep program are considered.

  • Colby

    The high school record is required; GPA, class rank, and a college-prep program are considered.

What they look at

FactorWesleyanColby
High school GPA ConsideredConsidered
High school record RequiredRequired
Class rank ConsideredConsidered
College-prep program ConsideredConsidered
Recommendations RequiredConsidered
Essay RequiredConsidered
Legacy status Not consideredConsidered
Work experience ConsideredConsidered
Demonstration of competencies ConsideredConsidered
English proficiency test ConsideredRequired
Other tests Not consideredConsidered
All admissions numbers in the table

Sources:Wesleyan University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why