Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Catawba admits about 8 in 10 applicants (75%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 54% 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 72%, women at 79%.
Yield
13% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
Where you stand
How Catawba reads a record
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required; class rank is considered. Scores are optional. 14% of first-years sent an SAT and 33% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores.
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
- Required
- Recommendations
- Considered
- Essay
- Required
- Legacy status
- Considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Recent change: Started requiring an essay in fall 2023.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1165 on the SAT, right around the national 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), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)