North Central College

If you are applying to Cardinals, the regular decision application deadline is April 15 and the application fee costs $25.

Students who submit their applications to Cardinals for the fall semester should hear back from Cardinals by June 1.

Cardinals Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here's an overiew of some of Cardinals's admissions stats.

Cardinals 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.6
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	20%
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	43%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	17%
Waitlist	No

North Central College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for North Central College.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	No	––	––
Early Decision II	––	––	––
Early Action	No	––	––

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Applying Early to Cardinals?

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Cardinals does not offer early decision or early action.

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

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More on North Central College Admissions

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Transferring to North Central College

For more information on transferring to North Central College, contact the school directly.

For Students Waitlisted to Cardinals

Cardinals has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What Does Cardinals Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are are most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating 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 put the most emphasis on the admissions factors where you stand out.

Admissions Factors at Cardinals

Wondering what factors are considered by Cardinals 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
Academic GPA	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Standardized Test Scores	Very Important
Volunteer Work	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
Application Essay	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Interview	Considered
Recommendation(s)	Considered

Make sure to check with Cardinals for more information on admission factors.

Cardinals 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Cardinals, all applicants must submit the following items. Check with Cardinals's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Written Essay or Personal Statement
Interview
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)
Transcript of High School Record	√

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Cardinals?

Students admitted to Cardinals have an average unweighted GPA of 3.6.

Out of all students that were admitted, 28.7% submitted a class rank. At Cardinals 20% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 44% were in the top 25% and 90% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At North Central College, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	28.72%
3.75 and 3.99	18.7%
3.50 and 3.74	16%
3.25 and 3.49	17.5%
3.00 and 3.24	12.3%
2.50 and 2.9	5.75%
2.00 and 2.49	1.03%

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 Cardinals 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

Cardinals considers ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.

Cardinals is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 43% of Cardinals's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 17% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Cardinals?

To be competitive with other Cardinals applicants, you should strive to score between 1035 and 1230 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Cardinals 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1230 and 25% of scored lower than 1035, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Cardinals students scored 610 or higher and 75% of students scored 520 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Cardinals students scored 620 or higher, and 75% scored a 520 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Cardinals?

To be most competitive at Cardinals, you should strive to earn between 22 and 28 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 28 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Cardinals's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 28, and three out of four students scored lower than 28 on the ACT.

A 22 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Cardinals students. Only one out of every four students scored below 22.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to North Central College

Transfer students can enroll in Cardinals during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

• Summer Term

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Cardinals Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Cardinals?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Cardinals.

Does Cardinals accept transfer credits?

✅ Cardinals accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. Cardinals accepts:

• CLEP subject tests

Do I have to submit test scores to Cardinals?

❌ No, Cardinals is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you should strongly consider submitting them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Cardinals's acceptance rate?

✅ Cardinals's acceptance rate is 68%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Cardinals?

❌ Cardinals does not offer early decision.

Want To Learn More About Cardinals?

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