Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Carleton admits 18% vs. 22% at Smith
Acceptance rate - 2
Carleton's SAT midpoint is 20 points higher than Smith's
SAT midpoint - 3
Smith's yield is 1 pts higher than Carleton's
Yield rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- CarletonHighly selective
- SmithHighly 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 1300–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 28–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- CarletonTest-optional
- SmithTest-optional
How they read a record
Carleton
, GPA, and class rank are all very important; tests are considered.
Smith
and GPA are both very important; class rank is important; tests are considered.
What they look at
| Factor | Carleton | Smith |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Very important | Important |
| College-prep program | Required | Considered |
| Recommendations | Very important | Very important |
| Essay | Very important | Very important |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:Carleton College (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Carleton College Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;Smith College (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Smith College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;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