Highly selectiveProfile current for 2025-2026

Berea College acceptance rate and admissions profile

With an acceptance rate near 19%, Berea College is a highly selective private college in Kentucky. Because it turns away most applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Use this page to see what Berea College weighs, where it ranks among Kentucky schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1230, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
19%
Highly selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1230
of admitted students
Type
Private
Kentucky
Selectivity in state
#1
of 23 in KY
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Will I get into Berea College?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Berea College, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Berea College?

Berea College admits roughly 19% of applicants, but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Berea College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Berea College hard to get into?

Berea College is highly selective: it turns away most applicants, with about a 19% acceptance rate. Strong academics are expected here, so the rest of your profile usually decides the outcome.

What GPA do you need to get into Berea College?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Berea College, but most admitted students present roughly a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA with a rigorous course load. Berea College reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Berea College?

Berea College does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1230. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Berea College.

Calculate your chances at Berea College

What Berea College looks for

What Berea College weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, Berea College leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and interview. At this level of selectivity, the difference between admits is rarely the transcript alone; essays, recommendations, and a coherent story matter. These ratings come from Berea College's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Considered
Standardized test scores
Important
Application essay
Considered
Recommendations
Considered
Interview
Very important
Extracurricular activities
Considered
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Very important
First-generation status
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at Berea College

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability — your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Berea College
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200In the competitive admitted range
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1250 SAT →Colleges for a 26 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How Berea College compares in Kentucky

Berea College ranks #1 most selective of 23 schools in Kentucky in our database.

Among the 23 Kentucky schools we track, Berea College ranks the most selective by acceptance rate. Nothing else in the state is harder to get into; the next tier down includes Brescia University at 35%.

Brescia University
35%acceptance · KY
Centre College
54%acceptance · KY
Kentucky Christian University
61%acceptance · KY
Union College (KY)
63%acceptance · KY
Northern Kentucky University
68%acceptance · KY
Kentucky Wesleyan College
72%acceptance · KY
Alice Lloyd College
75%acceptance · KY
Morehead State University
77%acceptance · KY
See all Kentucky schools →

Similar to Berea College

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Build around Berea College with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as University of Miami, Vassar College, and College of the Holy Cross. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

University of Miami
19%acceptance · FL
Vassar College
19%acceptance · NY
College of the Holy Cross
18%acceptance · MA
Carleton College
20%acceptance · MN
Colorado College
18%acceptance · CO
Babson College
17%acceptance · MA

Frequently asked questions

What does Berea College value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Berea College weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and interview most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Berea College consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Berea College's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.

How can I improve my chances at Berea College?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Berea College specifically.

Is Berea College test-optional?

Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm Berea College's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1230; if you do not, more weight falls on your GPA, course rigor, and essays.

Acceptance rate and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets). Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.