Colby College Acceptance Rate & Test Scores

Waterville, ME · Private · 4-year

  • Acceptance rate: 7.1% for fall 2024
  • SAT, middle 50%: 720–760 reading and writing, 740–790 math
  • ACT, middle 50%: 32–34 composite
  • Average net price: $15,163 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections

How does your GPA compare?

Don't know your GPA? Calculate your GPA

Where you standEnter your GPA

Add a test score to compare it with what Colby College reported: an acceptance rate of 7.1% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 32–34.

Plan the grades I need

A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Colby College reviews each application.

Colby College GPA requirements

Colby 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 Colby College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.

Colby College acceptance rate

Colby College admitted 1,360 of 19,187 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 7.1%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Colby College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Waterville, Maine, with 2,412 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Colby College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test25th percentileMedian75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing720740760
SAT Math740770790
ACT Composite323334
ACT English333535
ACT Math293134
36% submitted SAT scores and 16% submitted ACT scores, as Colby College reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1501 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Colby College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factorStatus
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.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
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
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.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
Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Colby College's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Colby 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 $15,163 a year at Colby 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

Is a 3.5 GPA good enough for Colby College?

GPA alone can't tell you here. Colby College admitted 7.1% 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.

What are Colby College's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of Colby College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 720–760 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.

Is Colby College test optional?

Yes. Colby College considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 36% sent SAT scores and 16% sent ACT scores.

What percent of applicants does Colby College accept?

Colby College's acceptance rate was 7.1% for fall 2024: it admitted 1,360 of 19,187 first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education.

How hard is it to get into Colby College?

Very hard: fewer than 1 in 10 applicants got in, which makes it one of the hardest colleges to get into. Colby College admitted 7.1% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

How much does GPA matter at Colby College?

It's one factor among several: Colby College requires high school record. It considers high school GPA, high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations, essay or personal statement, test scores, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

What GPA does Colby College look for?

Colby College doesn't require a high school GPA but considers one if submitted, it said in its report 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.

Does Colby College consider legacy status?

Yes. Colby College considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

What do students pay at Colby College after grants?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $15,163 a year at Colby College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Does Colby College accept AP credit?

Yes. Colby College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

Sources

  1. College Navigator: Colby 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.
  2. College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

Similar colleges in Maine

With a similar acceptance rate and size.

See all colleges in Maine →