Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
DePauw admits about 6 in 10 applicants (57%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 79% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
No application fee
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 52%, women at 62%.
Yield
13% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Applying early
Offers early decision. The college doesn't publish how many apply or are admitted early.
Apply by Nov 15; decisions by Dec 1
Second round: apply by Jan 15; decisions by Feb 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.
Restrictive early action (not binding): apply by Dec 1; decisions by Jan 15
Restrictive early action: applicants agree not to apply to other colleges' early plans, with exceptions the college sets.
Where you stand
How DePauw reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank is important. 69% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores are optional. 39% of first-years sent an SAT and 14% an ACT. Of the 34% whose high school reported a rank, 45% were in the top tenth. Recommends 3 years of history and 4 of math. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Considered
- College-prep program
- Considered
- Recommendations
- Required
- Essay
- Required
- Legacy status
- Considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Not considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
31% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 57% of first-year applicants
94 applied · 29 admitted
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Minimum college GPA: 2.8
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date June 1
- Spring entry: priority date December 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Recommended for some
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by February 1 for fall 2023.
- Decisions are sent on a rolling basis.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within a set number of weeks if admitted later.
- $400 housing deposit, due May 1, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: One 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 | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 3 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 2) | 2 | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 | 2 |
| Social studies | 2 | 3 |
| History | – | 3 |
| Total | 13 | 18 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2022 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.92
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)
- 4.043%
- 3.75–3.9927%
- 3.50–3.7415%
- 3.25–3.4910%
- 3.00–3.243%
- below 3.02%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 42.8% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 26.6% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 15.1% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 10.4% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 3.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 1.9% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.2% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
45% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 78% in the top quarter, of the 34% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:DePauw University Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1305 on the SAT, 135 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
Read with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;DePauw University Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022;DePauw University Common Data Set 2022–23, 2022–23;DePauw University Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2023 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)