Brandeis University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Brandeis University is a private research university with an acceptance rate of 30%. Established in 1948 and located close to Boston in Waltham, Massachusetts, Brandeis takes pride in its Pulitzer Prize-winning alumni and faculty and 10-to-1 student/faculty ratio. Brandeis has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and is a member of the Association of American Universities.

Considering applying to Brandeis? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Brandeis University had an acceptance rate of 30%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 30 students were admitted, making Brandeis' admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Brandeis has a test-optional policy which allows students to choose which scores to send with their application for admission. Applicants may provide SAT or ACT scores, 3 exams from an approved list of AP, IB, and SAT Subject tests, or an academic portfolio. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 69% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted SAT scores, most of Brandeis University's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Brandeis scored between 630 and 720, while 25% scored below 630 and 25% scored above 720. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 650 and 780, while 25% scored below 650 and 25% scored above 780. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1500 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Brandeis.

Requirements

Brandeis does not require the optional SAT essay section. Note that Brandeis participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Brandeis has a test-optional policy which allows students to choose which scores to send with their application for admission. Applicants may provide SAT or ACT scores, three AP, IB, or SAT Subject test scores from an approved list, or an academic portfolio. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 32% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted ACT scores, most of Brandeis University's admitted students fall within the top 5% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Brandeis received a composite ACT score between 31 and 34, while 25% scored above 34 and 25% scored below 31.

Requirements

Note that unlike many universities, Brandeis superscores ACT results; your highest subsection score from each ACT test date will be considered. Brandeis does not require the optional ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA for incoming Brandeis freshmen was 3.95. This data suggests that most successful applicants to Brandeis have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Brandeis University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Brandeis University has a competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance rate and high average SAT/ACT scores. However, Brandeis University has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. Brandeis' test-optional policy allows students to choose which scores to send to the university. A strong application and optional short answer essay, and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and scores are outside of Brandeis' average range. Note that Brandeis offers optional on-campus interviews. While not required, interviews are an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate interest in the university.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school grades in the "A" range, combined SAT scores of 1250 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 27 or better. Many applicants had impressive 4.0 GPAs.

It's important to recognize that high grades and test scores are not enough to get into Brandeis. In the graph, you'll notice quite a few red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue. Many students with grades and test scores that were on target for Brandeis University did not receive an acceptance letter.

If You Like Brandeis University, You May Also Like These Schools

• Brown University
• Boston College
• Tufts University
• Cornell University

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Brandeis University Undergraduate Admissions Office.