- Acceptance rate: 14% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.85, as reported by the college for 2024–25
- SAT, middle 50%: 710–760 reading and writing, 720–780 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 33–34 composite
- Average net price: $26,954 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what Colgate University reported: an average GPA of 3.85 (2024–25), an acceptance rate of 14% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 33–34.
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. Colgate University reviews each application.
Colgate University average GPA
Colgate University reported an average high school GPA of 3.85 for its first-year students, in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
Colgate University acceptance rate
Colgate University admitted 2,871 of 20,682 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 14%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Colgate University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Hamilton, New York, with 3,193 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Colgate University 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 | 710 | 740 | 760 |
| SAT Math | 720 | 760 | 780 |
| ACT Composite | 33 | 34 | 34 |
| ACT English | 34 | 35 | 35 |
| ACT Math | 30 | 32 | 34 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1508 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Colgate University 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 |
| 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 Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | 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 |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
AP credit
Colgate University 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 $26,954 a year at Colgate University 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
How selective is Colgate?
Highly selective: fewer than 1 in 4 applicants got in. Colgate University admitted 14% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How important is GPA for getting into Colgate?
A lot: Colgate University requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, test scores, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and demonstration of competencies. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What percent of applicants does Colgate accept?
Colgate University's acceptance rate was 14% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,871 of 20,682 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Colgate?
Check Colgate University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Colgate University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 22% sent SAT scores and 14% sent ACT scores.
What GPA do most Colgate students have?
91.8% of Colgate University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (41.7%) had 3.75–3.99, as the college reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
Is there a minimum GPA for Colgate?
Colgate University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.85, as reported by the college in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What SAT and ACT scores do Colgate students have?
The middle 50% of Colgate University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 710–760 in reading and writing and 720–780 in math; ACT composite 33–34, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Is a 3.5 GPA good enough for Colgate?
It would be on the low side there: 8.2% of Colgate University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.5, as the college reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set, and it admitted 14% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
How much does Colgate cost after financial aid?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $26,954 a year at Colgate University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Colgate accept AP credit?
Yes. Colgate University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Before you apply, check Colgate's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Colgate UniversityU.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.
- Colgate University Common Data Set 2024–25Colgate University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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