If you are thinking about applying to Oberlin College, the regular decision application deadline is January 15 and there is no application fee, which means it is free to apply.
Application fees can add up, but some schools do have free applications and students with financial need may qualify for for fee waiver for their application.
Students who submit their applications for Fall should hear back from Oberlin College by April 1.
Oberlin College 2021 | Admissions Statistics |
---|---|
Mean Unweighted GPA | 3.6 |
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 51% |
Admissions Test Policy | Not optional and are not even considered |
Waitlist | Yes |
Oberlin College offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, meaning you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing. Early Decision 2 applications are due 1/2.
The early decision acceptance rate at Oberlin College is 65%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 35%. Last year, Oberlin College admitted 232 of the 358 students who applied early decision.
Some students apply to college early because they believe it will help their chances. Early deadlines may increase the chance of being admitted, since applying early shows your are very interested in a school, and your application is being considered before all the regular decision applicants apply.
See a list of some selective colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
It is very difficult to get into Oberlin College. Oberlin College evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.
In 2021, Oberlin College accepted 35% of students, around 3,292 of the 9,309 students who applied.
Schools that are very difficult to get into, like Oberlin College, 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.
It is very difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.
In 2021, Oberlin College waitlisted 1,541 students. Of those, 1,369 eventually got off the waitlist.
Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college has a different way of determining 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 the areas where you're strong.
Admissions Factor | Level |
---|---|
Academic GPA | Very Important |
Class Rank | Very Important |
Rigor of Secondary School Record | Very Important |
Character/Personal Qualities | Important |
Extracurricular Activities | Important |
Application Essay | Important |
First Generation | Important |
Recommendation(s) | Important |
Talent/Ability | Important |
Alumni/ae Relations | Considered |
Work Experience | Considered |
Level of Applicant's Interest | Considered |
Interview | Considered |
Racial/Ethnic Status | Considered |
Standardized Test Scores | Considered |
Volunteer Work | Considered |
To apply, all applicants to Oberlin College must submit the following items. Double check with Oberlin College'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 | √ | |||
Other Requirements | √ | audition for the Conservatory of Music, detailed portfolio for homeschooled students | ||
Letter(s) of Recommendation | 2 | |||
Transcript of High School Record | √ |
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects 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. 4.0. 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.
Students admitted to Oberlin College have an average unweighted GPA of 3.6
Out of all students that were admitted, 28% submitted a class rank. At Oberlin College 51% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 82% were in the top 25% and 96% were in the top 50%.
At Oberlin College, student GPAs fall in the following ranges | |
---|---|
4.0 GPA | 28% |
3.75 and 3.99 | 24.8% |
3.50 and 3.74 | 16.6% |
3.25 and 3.49 | 12.3% |
3.00 and 3.24 | 4.5% |
2.50 and 2.9 | 0% |
2.00 and 2.49 | 0% |
Oberlin College doesn't consider ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.
Oberlin College is not test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to Oberlin College.
For transfer students wishing to start in the Fall, the deadline to apply is April 1. Applicants should hear back by May 15.
Transfer students can enroll in Oberlin College during the following terms: - Fall Term - Spring Term
Can I defer my acceptance to Oberlin College?
Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Oberlin College.
Does Oberlin College accept transfer credits?
Oberlin College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.
Does Oberlin College accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
Oberlin College accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to Oberlin College?
Oberlin College is not test optional. Test scores will not be considered during the admissions process, even if you submit them.
What is Oberlin College's acceptance rate?
Oberlin College's acceptance rate is 35%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Oberlin College?
Oberlin College's early decision acceptance rate was 65% in 2021.
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Admission Difficulty
How hard is it to get into Oberlin College? Oberlin College is a very selective institution. The Oberlin College acceptance rate is 35%. This means that the institution accepts 35 out of every 100 applicants.
Complete your profile to get your personalized, AI-calculated prediction score.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Oberlin College is Jan 15.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Oberlin College is Apr 1.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
ACT Range
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)
At Oberlin College, the average unweighted high-school GPA for admitted students is 3.6. This is the average, which means that some applicants submit GPAs lower than this and some applicants submit GPAs above this level. If your GPA falls below the average, strong test scores or other qualifications may help you make you a more competitive applicant.
* Data provided by IPEDs and Peterson's Databases, © 2020 Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.
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