Colgate University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Colgate University is a private college in New York that admits about 14% of applicants, which puts it in the highly selective range. A rate like this means it turns away most applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Colgate University weighs, where it ranks among New York schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1460, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Colgate University?
In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, Colgate University admitted 35.5% of Early Decision applicants (477 of 1,342), against about 16% of everyone else. Its overall rate that year was 17.5%.
Source: Colgate University Common Data Set 2025-26, IPEDS admissions survey, fall 2023. Updated October 30, 2026.
Colgate University application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at Colgate University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Colgate University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Colgate University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Colgate University?
At Colgate University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 14% admit rate. 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 Colgate University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Colgate University hard to get into?
Colgate University is highly selective: it turns away most applicants, with about a 14% 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 Colgate University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Colgate University, but most admitted students present roughly a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA with a rigorous course load. Colgate University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Colgate University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Colgate University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 6 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Colgate University with a 3.9 GPA and a 1490 SAT?
About 27% (Target), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.9 unweighted GPA and a 1490 SAT, the middle of Colgate University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 4.0 GPA with a 1540 SAT comes out near 31%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/colgate-university.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at Colgate University
From Colgate University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set (fall 2025 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Colgate University?
35.5%. Colgate University admitted 477 of 1,342 Early Decision applicants for fall 2025, against 17.5% of all 17,310 first-year applicants (Colgate University's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Does applying early decision help at Colgate University?
On the raw numbers, yes: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 35.5% versus about 16% for everyone who applied another way, 2.2x the rate, and Early Decision filled 15.7% of the admitted class. Part of that gap is who applies early (recruited athletes and legacy applicants often do), so it is not all the round itself. Early Decision is binding: apply only if Colgate University is your clear first choice and the family can commit without comparing aid offers.
How many students get off the waitlist at Colgate University?
23 for fall 2025. Colgate University offered 2,381 applicants a waitlist spot, 1,281 accepted one, and 23 were admitted from it: 1.8% of those who stayed on (Colgate University's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at Colgate University?
13.7%: 58 of 423 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (Colgate University's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Source: Colgate University Common Data Set 2025-26. Read from the document twice independently; only matching figures are shown. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into Colgate University
Built from Colgate University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Colgate University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Colgate University carries about a 3.85 core GPA and a 1490 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. At this selectivity that is the entry ticket, not the deciding factor.
The admitted middle 50% is 1430 to 1540 SAT (33 to 34 ACT). Submit a score at 1485 or higher; below 1430, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Colgate University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: essays that sound like you and answer the actual prompt, and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Selective private colleges admit a larger share of their class in binding Early Decision; if Colgate University is your clear first choice and the net price works, ED is the single biggest lever an applicant controls. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Colgate University's exact dates at www.colgate.edu.
How many students apply to Colgate University, and how many get in?
21,130 students applied to Colgate University for fall 2023; 2,526 were admitted (12%). 807 enrolled. Only about 32% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Colgate University enrolls about 3,180 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Colgate University?
Admitted students at Colgate University post SAT scores of 1430 to 1540 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1508. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 33 to 34. A score above 1540 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1430 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Colgate University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Colgate University looks for
What Colgate University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Colgate University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay above the rest of the file. 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 Colgate University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Colgate University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Colgate University cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at Colgate University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $87,070 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $70,306. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,786 a year, and it ranges from $6,086 for families earning under $30,000 to $48,234 for families earning over $110,000. 13% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Colgate University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for Colgate University students ten years after entry are $85,139 ($64,949 at the six-year mark). 91% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $15,000; 12% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Colgate University compares in New York
Colgate University ranks #5 most selective of 59 schools in New York in our database.
Among the 59 New York schools we track, Colgate University ranks #5 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Columbia University (4%) and Cornell University (9%) sit nearby, which makes New York a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Colgate University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Colgate University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Tulane University, Hamilton College, and Washington and Lee University. 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is Colgate University's acceptance rate?
Colgate University admitted 2,526 of 21,130 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 12% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 32% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Colgate University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1430 to 1540 on the SAT and 33 to 34 on the ACT. A score above 1540 is in the top quarter of admits. Colgate University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Colgate University test-optional?
Yes. Colgate University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Colgate University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Colgate University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $28,786 a year against a sticker price of about $87,070. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $6,086 on average.
What do Colgate University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Colgate University are $85,139 a year among students who received federal aid, and 91% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Colgate University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Colgate University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Colgate University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Colgate University'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 Colgate University?
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 Colgate University specifically.
What makes an application stand out at Colgate University?
Beyond strong academics, Colgate University rewards a clear, specific story: focused activities with real impact, essays in an authentic voice, and recommendations that corroborate it. Depth beats a long list of unrelated activities.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.