Oberlin College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 36%. Located 35 miles north of Cleveland, Ohio, Oberlin College is one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the country. Oberlin has a distinguished history as the first college to grant undergraduate degrees to women. In addition to the College of Arts and Sciences, which has an 11-to-1 student/faculty ratio and a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Oberlin's Conservatory of Music has a strong international reputation.

Considering applying to Oberlin? 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, Oberlin College had an acceptance rate of 36%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 36 students were admitted, making Oberlin's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Oberlin requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 68% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Oberlin'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 Oberlin scored between 650 and 730, while 25% scored below 650 and 25% scored above 730. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 630 and 750, while 25% scored below 630 and 25% scored above 750. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1480 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Oberlin.

Requirements

Oberlin College does not require the optional SAT essay section. Note that Oberlin 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. At Oberlin, SAT Subject tests are not required, but applicants are permitted to submit SAT II scores if they believe they will add to their application.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Oberlin College requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 41% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Oberlin's admitted students fall within the top 9% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Oberlin received a composite ACT score between 29 and 33, while 25% scored above 33 and 25% scored below 29.

Requirements

Oberlin College does not require the optional ACT writing section. Unlike many colleges, Oberlin superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of Oberlin's incoming freshmen class was 3.58, and over 63% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.5 and above. This information suggests that most successful applicants to Oberlin College have primarily high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Oberlin College. 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

Oberlin College has a highly competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance rate and high average SAT/ACT scores. However, Oberlin has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application 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 test scores are outside of Oberlin's range.

Finally, you can strengthen your application by participating in a recommended optional interview. Note that the Conservatory of Music has a separate application process which includes an audition.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. Most successful applicants had high school averages of "A-" or higher, combined SAT scores of 1300 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 28 or better. The distribution of data points on the graph suggests that Oberlin places more value on grades than it does on test scores.

If You Like Oberlin College, You May Also Like These Schools

• Bowdoin College
• Yale University
• Swarthmore College
• Vassar College
• Amherst College

All admissions data was sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Oberlin College Undergraduate Admissions Office.