Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    Smith's yield is 14 pts higher than Macalester's

    Yield rate
  2. 2

    Smith's SAT midpoint is 50 points higher than Macalester's

    SAT midpoint
  3. 3

    Smith admits 22% vs. 29% at Macalester

    Acceptance rate

Admissions

Getting in, fall 2024

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

The funnel

Acceptance rate
Smith22%
Macalester29%
Applicants
Smith8.1K
Macalester9K
Admitted
Smith1.8K
Macalester2.6K
Yield rate
Smith35%
Macalester22%

Quad's selectivity

  • SmithHighly selective
  • MacalesterVery selective

Men and women

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

Women admitted
Smith21%
Macalester31%
Men admitted
SmithNot reported
Macalester25%

Test scores

SAT total,

Smith
1420–1540
Macalester
1350–1510

Axis runs 1200–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

ACT composite,

Smith
32–35
Macalester
30–34

Axis runs 26–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
Smith29%
Macalester29%
Submitted ACT
Smith14%
Macalester23%

Test policy

  • SmithTest-optional
  • MacalesterTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Smith

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

  • Macalester

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

What they look at

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

Sources:Smith College (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