Amherst College

Yes, Amherst is one of the most selective colleges in the country, admitting about 7.7% of applicants in the most recent cycle — roughly 1,222 offers out of more than 15,800 applications, with about 485 first-years enrolling. There is no single cutoff; Amherst reads applications holistically, weighing rigor of coursework, GPA, the essay, recommendations, and personal qualities.

Amherst's acceptance rate is about 7.7%, offering admission to roughly 1,222 of more than 15,800 applicants in the most recent cycle. It is a small college — only about 485 first-years enroll — which is part of why admission is so competitive.

Yes, applying Early Decision improves your odds at Amherst: its binding ED round drew 971 applications and admitted 216 students, an admit rate of about 22% — well above the roughly 7.7% overall rate. Keep in mind ED is binding, so you commit to enroll if admitted.

A 1490 is competitive at Amherst — it falls within the middle-50% SAT range of 1470–1540 for enrolled first-years who submitted scores (33–35 on the ACT). Because Amherst is test-optional, a score in that band strengthens your file but is not required; over 90% of submitting students scored 1400 or above.

Amherst doesn't publish an average admitted GPA, but its class sits near the top of the high school cohort — among first-years who reported class rank, about 88% were in the top tenth of their graduating class. Academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are both weighed as very important factors, so a demanding schedule with strong grades matters more than any single number.

No, Amherst is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores and standardized tests are only 'considered' in the review. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1470–1540 on the SAT and 33–35 on the ACT.

Tuition and required fees are about $73,830 per year, with the total cost higher once on-campus housing and food are added. Amherst meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; about 57% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, with an average first-year package near $77,414.

Yes — Amherst rates the application essay as a very important factor in its holistic review, on par with GPA, course rigor, recommendations, and extracurriculars, and above test scores, which are only 'considered.' With an admit rate near 7.7%, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways a strong applicant stands out.

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