College of the Holy Cross

College of the Holy Cross is very difficult to get into. The acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross is 36%. Out of 7,036 applications received in 2023, 2,558 students were offered admission.

If you want to apply to College of the Holy Cross, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 1/15 and the application fee costs $60.

Students who submit their applications to College of the Holy Cross for the fall semester should receive an admissions decision no later than March 25.

College of the Holy Cross Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here's an overiew of some of College of the Holy Cross's admissions stats.

College of the Holy Cross 2023	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	43%
Mean SAT Score	1340
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	35%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	19%
Waitlist	Yes

College of the Holy Cross Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for College of the Holy Cross.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 15	December 15
Early Decision II	Yes	January 15	February 15
Early Action	No	–	–
Regular Decision	Yes	1 15	March 25

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Considering Applying Early to College of the Holy Cross?

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College of the Holy Cross offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, which means you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 15 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 15.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 15. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross is 81%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 36%. In 2022, College of the Holy Cross admitted 407 of the 503 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply early because they believe it will help their chances of acceptance. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase the chance of acceptance, since it shows your interest in a school.

➡️ Explore a list of some top colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on College of the Holy Cross Admissions

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How To Get Into College of the Holy Cross

It is very difficult to get into Holy Cross. Holy Cross evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2022, Holy Cross accepted 36% of students, approximately 2,558 from the 7,036 applicants.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like Holy Cross, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.

Transferring to College of the Holy Cross

Transfer student admissions is very difficult.

For Students Waitlisted to College of the Holy Cross

College of the Holy Cross has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What's Most Important for Getting Into College of the Holy Cross?

Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are given the most weight when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that prioritize the admissions factors where you shine.

Admissions Factors at College of the Holy Cross

What does College of the Holy Cross consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Interview	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Academic GPA	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Class Rank	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered

Make sure to check with College of the Holy Cross for more information on admission factors.

College of the Holy Cross Application Requirements

To apply to College of the Holy Cross, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with College of the Holy Cross's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Interview	–	√	–	–
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)	–	–	–	–
Letter(s) of Recommendation	2	–	–	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–
Transcript of High School Record	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into College of the Holy Cross?

College of the Holy Cross has not provided an information about GPAs of accepted students. Any questions regarding applicant expectations should be addressed directly with the school.

Out of all students that were admitted, 26% submitted a class rank. At College of the Holy Cross 43% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 75% were in the top 25% and 98% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At College of the Holy Cross, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	–
3.75 and 3.99	–
3.50 and 3.74	–
3.25 and 3.49	–
3.00 and 3.24	–
2.50 and 2.9	–
2.00 and 2.49	–

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to College of the Holy Cross directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

College of the Holy Cross has a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 35% of College of the Holy Cross's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 19% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for College of the Holy Cross?

To be competitive with other College of the Holy Cross applicants, you should aim to score between 1270 and 1420 (or higher!) on the SAT. At College of the Holy Cross 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1420 and 25% of scored lower than 1270, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a College of the Holy Cross student is 1340.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of College of the Holy Cross students scored 710 or higher and 75% of students scored 640 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of College of the Holy Cross students scored 720 or higher, and 75% scored a 640 or higher.

To be most competitive at College of the Holy Cross, you should strive to earn between 28 and 32 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 32 means you fall in the 75th percentile for College of the Holy Cross's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 32, and three out of four students scored lower than 32 on the ACT.

A 28 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for College of the Holy Cross students. Only one out of every four students scored below 28.

More Information on Transferring to College of the Holy Cross

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to College of the Holy Cross.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is April 1. Applicants should hear back by June 1.

Transfer students can enroll in College of the Holy Cross during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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College of the Holy Cross Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to College of the Holy Cross?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to College of the Holy Cross.

Does College of the Holy Cross accept transfer credits?

✅ College of the Holy Cross accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does College of the Holy Cross accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ College of the Holy Cross accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to College of the Holy Cross?

❌ No, College of the Holy Cross is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you probably want to include them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate?

✅ College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate is 36%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross?

✅ College of the Holy Cross's early decision acceptance rate was 81% in 2021.

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