Admissions
Getting in, fall 2026
Colgate admits about 1 in 5 applicants (20%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 95% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$60 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 12%, women at 16%.
Yield
24% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 2,433 offered a place, 1,338 accepted, 48 admitted (3.6% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 19% admitted
477 of 2,447 early applicants
Apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 15; decisions by Feb 15
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)
Where you stand
How Colgate reads a record
, GPA, and class rank are all very important; tests are considered. 68% 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. 22% of first-years sent an SAT and 14% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Of the 19% whose high school reported a rank, 79% were in the top tenth. Recommends 4 years of math and science (3 of each required). 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 | ||||
| Class rank | Very important | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Considered | ||||
| Recommendations | Considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Considered | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Considered | ||||
| First generation | Important | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Important | ||||
| Geographic residence | Important | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Important | ||||
| Work experience | Important | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
9.6% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 20% of first-year applicants
676 applied · 65 admitted · 19 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date March 15, apply by May 1, decisions by May 15
- Spring entry: priority date November 1, apply by December 9, decisions by December 23
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- 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 January 15 for fall 2025.
- $500 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 | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 3 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 4) | 3 | 4 |
| Foreign language | 3 | 4 |
| Social studies | 3 | 4 |
| Total | 16 | 20 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2024 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.85
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)
- 4.027%
- 3.75–3.9942%
- 3.50–3.7423%
- 3.25–3.497%
- 3.00–3.241%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 26.8% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 41.7% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 23.3% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 6.7% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 1.5% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.1% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
79% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 97% in the top quarter, of the 19% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Colgate University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1485 on the SAT, 315 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
Score bands
Nearly all who sent an SAT (94%) scored 1400 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an ACT (99%) scored 30 or higher.
87% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
87% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an ACT (97%) scored 30 or higher.
78% of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT scored 30 or higher.
Shares of the 23% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Shares of the 14% of first-years who sent an ACT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
189 studentssubmitted ACT
117 studentsRead with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:Colgate University (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;Colgate University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Colgate University Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;Colgate University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)