Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Messiah's yield is 22 pts higher than Clarkson's
Yield rate - 2
Clarkson's SAT midpoint is 40 points higher than Messiah's
SAT midpoint - 3
Clarkson admits 77% vs. 81% at Messiah
Acceptance rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- ClarksonSelective
- MessiahSelective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1000–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 21–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- ClarksonTest-optional
- MessiahTest-optional
How they read a record
Clarkson
GPA, the high school record, and class rank are required; a college-prep program is considered.
Messiah
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both important. 69% 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.
What they look at
| Factor | Clarkson | Messiah |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Required | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Required | Important |
| College-prep program | Considered | Required |
| Recommendations | Required | Considered |
| Essay | Required | Important |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent release;Messiah University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About 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