Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
Earlham admits about 8 in 10 applicants (79%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 45% 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 68%, women at 77%.
Yield
10% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
No wait list
Applying early
Offers early decision. The college doesn't publish how many apply or are admitted early.
Apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 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; decisions by Dec 1
Where you stand
How Earlham reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. 49% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher. Scores are optional. 24% of first-years sent an SAT and 9% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Of the 46% whose high school reported a rank, 26% were in the top tenth. Recommends 4 years of English and 3 of math. See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Important | ||||
| Recommendations | Considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Not considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
82% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 79% of first-year applicants
49 applied · 40 admitted · 14 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
At least 12 r completed to apply as a transfer.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by June 1, reply by June 15
- Spring entry: apply by December 15, reply by January 1
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required of some
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Recommended
- 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 2026.
- Priority date: November 1. Applying by then can matter for scholarships, programs, or housing.
- Decisions are sent by February 15.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1.
- 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 | Recommended |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 3 |
| Science | 2 |
| Foreign language | 2 |
| Social studies | 2 |
| Total | 15* |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science. *Added up from the subjects listed; the college didn't give a total.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.64
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)
- 4.033%
- 3.75–3.9917%
- 3.50–3.7415%
- 3.25–3.4911%
- 3.00–3.2410%
- below 3.014%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.25–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 32.5% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 16.6% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 15.4% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 11.2% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 10.1% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 7.7% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 5.9% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.6% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
26% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 55% in the top quarter, of the 46% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Earlham 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 1200 on the SAT, 30 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered 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
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:Earlham College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Earlham College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Earlham College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Earlham College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)