Admissions
Getting in, fall 2026
Spelman admits about 1 in 5 applicants (19%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 95% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$40 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Yield
24% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 568 offered a place, 2 accepted, 0 admitted (0.0% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 16% admitted
70 of 437 early applicants
Apply by Nov 1
Early decision is binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll. Recruited athletes and other applicants with an edge often apply early, so the early rate overstates the gain for a typical applicant.
Early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1
Where you stand
How Spelman reads a record
and GPA are both very important; tests are considered. 82% 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. Scores aren't read. Requires 4 years of English, 3 of math, 3 of science, and 2 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Very important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; demonstration of competencies considered; English proficiency test required; other tests considered
Transferring in
At least 35 credit hours completed to apply as a transfer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.0
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date April 1, apply by April 1, decisions by May 1, reply by July 1
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by February 1 for fall 2026.
- $300 housing deposit, due May 1, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 Year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Recommends a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 3 |
| Science (lab: 2) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 3 |
| Social studies | 2 |
| History | 2 |
| Total | 17 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
Recent change: Became test-blind, for students entering in fall 2027.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.96
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.055%
- 3.75–3.9927%
- 3.50–3.7412%
- 3.25–3.495%
- 3.00–3.241%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.75–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 54.6% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 26.9% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 12.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 4.8% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 1.4% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.2% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
39% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 74% in the top quarter, of the 31% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Spelman College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1195 on the SAT, 25 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Not considered
Scores aren't considered, even if you send them. For students entering in fall 2027.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Score bands
48% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1200–1399.
20% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
16% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
10% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
28% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
39% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 18–23.
Shares of the 30% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Shares of the 17% of first-years who sent an ACT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
195 studentssubmitted ACT
109 studentsRead with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:Spelman College (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Spelman College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Spelman College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Spelman College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Spelman College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)