Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Gustavus Adolphus admits about 6 in 10 applicants (61%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 75% 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 56%, women at 65%.
Yield
15% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Uses a wait list; numbers not published
Applying early
Restrictive early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Nov 15
Restrictive early action: applicants agree not to apply to other colleges' early plans, with exceptions the college sets.
Where you stand
How Gustavus Adolphus reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank is important; tests are considered. 52% 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 are optional. 0% of first-years sent an SAT and 42% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Of the 49% whose high school reported a rank, 27% were in the top tenth.
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Not considered
- College-prep program
- Considered
- Recommendations
- Considered
- Essay
- Required
- Legacy status
- Considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
67% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 61% of first-year applicants
58 applied · 39 admitted · 24 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall, winter, and spring.
Minimum high school GPA: 2.4
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Winter entry: decisions on a rolling basis
- Spring entry: decisions on a rolling basis
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Recommended for some
- Standardized test scores
- 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 April 1 for fall 2023.
- $300 housing deposit, due January 5, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year.
Recent change: Started requiring an English proficiency test in fall 2024; Stopped considering class rank in fall 2024; Started requiring an essay in fall 2023; Stopped requiring class rank (still considered) in fall 2023; Stopped requiring recommendations (still considered) in fall 2023.
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. Gustavus Adolphus College doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
Fall 2022 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.67
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)
- 4.010%
- 3.75–3.9942%
- 3.50–3.7422%
- 3.25–3.4915%
- 3.00–3.248%
- below 3.03%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.25–3.99.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 10.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 42.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 22.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 15.0% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 8.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 3.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
27% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 58% in the top quarter, of the 49% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
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;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, 2022–23;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2024 applicants;Gustavus Adolphus College Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2023 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)