- Acceptance rate: 19% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 588–680 reading and writing, 568–655 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 23–28 composite
- Average net price: $4,379 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 Berea College reported: an acceptance rate of 19% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 23–28.
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. Berea College reviews each application.
Berea College GPA requirements
Berea College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Berea College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Berea College acceptance rate
Berea College admitted 746 of 3,857 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 19%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Berea College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Berea, Kentucky, with 1,527 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Berea 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 | 588 | 630 | 680 |
| SAT Math | 568 | 610 | 655 |
| ACT Composite | 23 | 26 | 28 |
| ACT English | 22 | 25 | 30 |
| ACT Math | 20 | 24 | 26 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1249 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Berea 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 GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | 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 |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Berea 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 also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $4,379 a year at Berea 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
Do I have a chance at Berea College with a 3.5 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Berea College admitted 19% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires 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.
Does Berea College require the SAT or ACT?
No. Berea College is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 6% sent SAT scores and 35% sent ACT scores.
How important is GPA for getting into Berea College?
A lot: Berea College requires high school GPA and high school record. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations, essay or personal statement, test scores, demonstration of competencies and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What GPA does Berea College look for?
Berea College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to 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.
What SAT and ACT scores do Berea College students have?
The middle 50% of Berea College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 588–680 in reading and writing and 568–655 in math; ACT composite 23–28, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
How hard is it to get into Berea College?
Highly selective: fewer than 1 in 4 applicants got in. Berea College admitted 19% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What is the acceptance rate at Berea College?
Berea College's acceptance rate was 19% for fall 2024: it admitted 746 of 3,857 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Does Berea College accept AP credit?
Yes. Berea College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as 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 Berea College after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $4,379 a year at Berea College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Berea College consider legacy status?
No. Berea College doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Before you apply, check Berea College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Berea 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).
Similar colleges in Kentucky
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- Brescia UniversityModerate · 35% admitted
- Centre CollegeFairly easy · 54% admitted
- The Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryFairly easy · 56% admitted
- Asbury UniversityFairly easy · 63% admitted
- Union Commonwealth UniversityFairly easy · 63% admitted
- Kentucky Christian UniversityFairly easy · 61% admitted
See all colleges in Kentucky →