- Acceptance rate: 8.8% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 730–770 reading and writing, 740–790 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 32–34 composite
- Average net price: $27,738 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Check your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Barnard College reported: an acceptance rate of 8.8% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 32–34.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Barnard College reviews each application.
Barnard College GPA requirements
Barnard College doesn't require a high school GPA from first-year applicants but considers one if it's submitted, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Barnard College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Barnard College acceptance rate
Barnard College admitted 1,046 of 11,836 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 8.8%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Barnard College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in New York, New York, with 3,487 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Barnard College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 730 | 750 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 740 | 770 | 790 |
| ACT Composite | 32 | 34 | 34 |
| ACT English | 33 | 35 | 35 |
| ACT Math | 29 | 32 | 34 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1520 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Barnard College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Considered if submitted |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
AP credit
Barnard College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $27,738 a year at Barnard College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get into Barnard College with a 3.5 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Barnard College admitted 8.8% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It considers a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.5 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
Is Barnard College test optional?
Check Barnard College's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Barnard College was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 35% sent SAT scores and 15% sent ACT scores.
What are Barnard College's SAT and ACT score ranges?
The middle 50% of Barnard College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 730–770 in reading and writing and 740–790 in math; ACT composite 32–34, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
How many applicants get into Barnard College?
Barnard College's acceptance rate was 8.8% for fall 2024: it admitted 1,046 of 11,836 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
How hard is it to get into Barnard College?
Very hard: fewer than 1 in 10 applicants got in, which makes it one of the hardest colleges to get into. Barnard College admitted 8.8% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What GPA do you need to get into Barnard College?
Barnard College doesn't require a high school GPA but considers one if submitted, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
How much does GPA matter at Barnard College?
It's one factor among several: Barnard College requires high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school GPA, high school class rank, test scores, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Barnard College consider legacy status?
Yes. Barnard College considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Barnard College accept AP credit?
Yes. Barnard College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What do students pay at Barnard College after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $27,738 a year at Barnard College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Barnard College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Barnard CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
Wrong result or missing a feature? Send feedback
Similar colleges in New York
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- United States Military AcademyVery selective · 12% admitted
- Colgate UniversityVery selective · 14% admitted
- Hamilton CollegeVery selective · 14% admitted
- Vassar CollegeVery selective · 19% admitted
- Skidmore CollegeVery selective · 21% admitted
- Columbia University in the City of New YorkHighly selective · 4% admitted
See all colleges in New York →