Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    Macalester's yield is 9 pts higher than Bard's

    Yield rate
  2. 2

    Macalester is 1.8× more selective than Bard

    Acceptance rate
  3. 3

    Macalester's SAT midpoint is 70 points higher than Bard'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
Bard52%
Macalester29%
Applicants
Bard7.6K
Macalester9K
Admitted
Bard4K
Macalester2.6K
Yield rate
Bard13%
Macalester22%

Quad's selectivity

  • BardVery selective
  • MacalesterVery selective

Men and women

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

Women admitted
Bard57%
Macalester31%
Men admitted
Bard43%
Macalester25%

Test scores

SAT total,

Bard
1270–1450
Macalester
1350–1510

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

ACT composite,

Bard
28–32
Macalester
30–34

Axis runs 24–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
Bard13%
Macalester29%
Submitted ACT
Bard9%
Macalester23%

Test policy

  • BardTest-optional
  • MacalesterTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Bard

    GPA and the high school record are required; class rank is considered.

  • Macalester

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

What they look at

FactorBardMacalester
High school GPA RequiredConsidered
High school record RequiredRequired
Class rank ConsideredConsidered
College-prep program Not consideredConsidered
Recommendations RequiredRequired
Essay RequiredConsidered
Legacy status Not consideredNot considered
Work experience ConsideredConsidered
Demonstration of competencies 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 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