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

Quad's selectivity

  • MacalesterVery selective
  • SmithHighly selective

Men and women

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

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

Test scores

SAT total,

Macalester
1350–1510
Smith
1420–1540

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

ACT composite,

Macalester
30–34
Smith
32–35

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

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

Test policy

  • MacalesterTest-optional
  • SmithTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Macalester

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

  • Smith

    and GPA are both very important; class rank is important; tests are considered.

What they look at

FactorMacalesterSmith
High school GPA ConsideredVery important
High school record RequiredRequired
Class rank ConsideredImportant
College-prep program ConsideredConsidered
Recommendations RequiredVery important
Essay ConsideredVery important
Legacy status Not consideredConsidered
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:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent release;Smith College (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Smith College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicantsAbout 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