Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Mount Holyoke's yield is 9 pts higher than Macalester's
Yield rate - 2
Macalester admits 29% vs. 38% at Mount Holyoke
Acceptance rate - 3
Macalester's SAT midpoint is 5 points higher than Mount Holyoke's
SAT midpoint
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- Mount HolyokeVery selective
- MacalesterVery selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1200–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 26–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- Mount HolyokeTest-optional
- MacalesterTest-optional
How they read a record
Mount Holyoke
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. 70% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
Macalester
The high school record is required; GPA, class rank, and a college-prep program are considered.
What they look at
| Factor | Mount Holyoke | Macalester |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Considered |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Considered |
| Recommendations | Very important | Required |
| Essay | Very important | Considered |
| Legacy status | Considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:Mount Holyoke College (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Mount Holyoke College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Mount Holyoke College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Mount Holyoke College Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023About 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