Quad

Key differences on Getting in

  1. 1

    Aurora's yield is 2 pts higher than Mercy's

    Yield rate
  2. 2

    Aurora admits 82% vs. 86% at Mercy

    Acceptance rate

Admissions

Getting in, fall 2024

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

The funnel

Acceptance rate
Mercy86%
Aurora82%
Applicants
Mercy8.6K
Aurora6K
Admitted
Mercy7.4K
Aurora5K
Yield rate
Mercy14%
Aurora17%

Quad's selectivity

  • MercyAccessible
  • AuroraOpen

Men and women

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

Women admitted
Mercy87%
Aurora82%
Men admitted
Mercy83%
Aurora80%

Test scores

SAT total,

MercyTest-blind–
Aurora
875–1078

Axis runs 800–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

ACT composite,

MercyTest-blind–
Aurora
21–29

Axis runs 17–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.

Submitted SAT
MercyNot reported
Aurora8%
Submitted ACT
MercyNot reported
Aurora2%

Test policy

  • MercyTest-blind
  • AuroraTest-optional

How they read a record

  • Mercy

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

  • Aurora

    and GPA are both very important; tests are considered. 33% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher.

What they look at

FactorMercyAurora
High school GPA RequiredVery important
High school record RequiredConsidered
Class rank ConsideredNot considered
College-prep program ConsideredRequired
Recommendations ConsideredConsidered
Essay ConsideredConsidered
Legacy status Not consideredConsidered
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 release;Aurora University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Aurora 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