Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Bennington admits about 1 in 2 applicants (45%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 87% 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 24%, women at 57%.
Where applicants live
Vermont applicants were admitted at 82%, applicants from other states at 78%, and international applicants at 11%.
All applicants in the same class: 48%
Of those admitted, 22% from Vermont enrolled, against 16% from other states and 15% from abroad.
Counted by where applicants lived when they applied, which can differ from who qualifies for in-state tuition. A group's rate reflects who applies from there as well as how the college chooses.
Yield
12% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
Wait list: 77 offered a place, 37 accepted, 6 admitted (16% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 21% admitted
35 of 166 early applicants
Apply by Nov 15; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 15; decisions by Feb 5
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 Dec 1; decisions by Jan 31
Where you stand
How Bennington reads a record
is very important; class rank and tests are both 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. 10% of first-years sent an SAT and 4% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Of the 30% whose high school reported a rank, 27% were in the top tenth. Requires 4 years of English, 4 of math, 4 of science, and 3 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Considered
- College-prep program
- Required
- Recommendations
- Required
- Essay
- Required
- Legacy status
- Not considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
51% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 45% of first-year applicants
111 applied · 57 admitted
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: priority date March 15, apply by May 1
- Spring entry: priority date November 1, apply by November 24
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- 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 2024.
- 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 |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 4 |
| Science (lab: 3) | 4 |
| Foreign language | 3 |
| Social studies | 3 |
| Total | 18* |
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 2023 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.70
From the 69% of first-years who reported a GPA.
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)
- 4.023%
- 3.75–3.9930%
- 3.50–3.7425%
- 3.25–3.499%
- 3.00–3.2411%
- below 3.03%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–3.99.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 22.5% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 29.6% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 25.4% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 8.5% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 11.3% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 2.1% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.6% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
27% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 50% in the top quarter, of the 30% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Bennington College Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2023About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1347 on the SAT, 177 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;Bennington College Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2023;Bennington College Common Data Set 2023–24, 2023–24;Bennington College Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2024 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)