College of the Holy Cross acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
College of the Holy Cross is a private college in Massachusetts that admits roughly 18% 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 College of the Holy Cross weighs, where it ranks among Massachusetts schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1400, 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 College of the Holy Cross?
In its 2023-24 Common Data Set, College of the Holy Cross admitted 67.1% of Early Decision applicants (511 of 761), against about 16.7% of everyone else. Its overall rate that year was 21.1%.
Source: College of the Holy Cross Common Data Set 2023-24, IPEDS admissions survey, fall 2023. Updated October 30, 2026.
College of the Holy Cross application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at College of the Holy Cross?
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 College of the Holy Cross?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into College of the Holy Cross, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into College of the Holy Cross?
At College of the Holy Cross, your real chance depends on far more than the published 18% 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 College of the Holy Cross in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is College of the Holy Cross hard to get into?
College of the Holy Cross is highly selective: it turns away most applicants, with about a 18% 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 College of the Holy Cross?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at College of the Holy Cross, but most admitted students present roughly a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA with a rigorous course load. College of the Holy Cross reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at College of the Holy Cross by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at College of the Holy Cross 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 College of the Holy Cross with a 3.7 GPA and a 1330 SAT?
About 27% (Target), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1330 SAT, the middle of College of the Holy Cross's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.9 GPA with a 1410 SAT comes out near 35%. 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/college-of-the-holy-cross.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at College of the Holy Cross
From College of the Holy Cross's own 2023-24 Common Data Set (fall 2023 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross?
67.1%. College of the Holy Cross admitted 511 of 761 Early Decision applicants for fall 2023, against 21.1% of all 8,670 first-year applicants (College of the Holy Cross's 2023-24 Common Data Set).
Does applying early decision help at College of the Holy Cross?
On the raw numbers, yes: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 67.1% versus about 16.7% for everyone who applied another way, 4x the rate, and Early Decision filled 27.9% 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 College of the Holy Cross is your clear first choice and the family can commit without comparing aid offers.
How many students get off the waitlist at College of the Holy Cross?
42 for fall 2023. College of the Holy Cross offered 3,700 applicants a waitlist spot, 1,572 accepted one, and 42 were admitted from it: 2.7% of those who stayed on (College of the Holy Cross's 2023-24 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross?
46.4%: 85 of 183 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2023 (College of the Holy Cross's 2023-24 Common Data Set).
Source: College of the Holy Cross Common Data Set 2023-24. Every figure appears verbatim in the document. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into College of the Holy Cross
Built from College of the Holy Cross's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into College of the Holy Cross comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at College of the Holy Cross carries about a 3.80 core GPA and a 1360 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Landing at or above it makes you competitive; the rest of the file decides.
The admitted middle 50% is 1240 to 1410 SAT (27 to 32 ACT). Submit a score at 1325 or higher; below 1240, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
College of the Holy Cross rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and recommendations highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: recommenders who have seen you work, and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Selective private colleges admit a larger share of their class in binding Early Decision; if College of the Holy Cross 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 College of the Holy Cross's exact dates at www.holycross.edu.
How many students apply to College of the Holy Cross, and how many get in?
8,670 students applied to College of the Holy Cross for fall 2023; 1,829 were admitted (21.1%). 823 enrolled. Roughly 45% of admitted students enrolled, a typical yield for a school in this range. College of the Holy Cross enrolls about 3,106 undergraduates in total, 54% 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 College of the Holy Cross?
The middle 50% of admitted students at College of the Holy Cross scored between 1240 and 1410 on the SAT (average 1353). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 27 to 32. A score above 1410 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1240 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. College of the Holy Cross 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 College of the Holy Cross looks for
What College of the Holy Cross weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
College of the Holy Cross signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and recommendations 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 College of the Holy Cross'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 College of the Holy Cross
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 College of the Holy Cross cost after financial aid?
College of the Holy Cross's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $80,334 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $64,500. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $38,782 a year, and it ranges from $14,343 for families earning under $30,000 to $56,284 for families earning over $110,000. 15% 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 College of the Holy Cross graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median College of the Holy Cross student who received federal aid earns $90,543 a year, up from $69,984 at six years. 87% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 95% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $27,000; 38% 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 College of the Holy Cross compares in Massachusetts
College of the Holy Cross ranks #11 most selective of 36 schools in Massachusetts in our database.
Among the 36 Massachusetts schools we track, College of the Holy Cross ranks #11 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Harvard University (4%) and Northeastern University (5%) sit nearby, which makes Massachusetts a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to College of the Holy Cross
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If College of the Holy Cross is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Colorado College, Babson College, and Denison 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 College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate?
College of the Holy Cross admitted 1,829 of 8,670 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 21.1% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 45% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for College of the Holy Cross?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1240 to 1410 on the SAT and 27 to 32 on the ACT. A score above 1410 is in the top quarter of admits. College of the Holy Cross is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is College of the Holy Cross test-optional?
Yes. College of the Holy Cross 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 College of the Holy Cross cost after financial aid?
The average net price at College of the Holy Cross, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $38,782 a year against a sticker price of about $80,334. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $14,343 on average.
What do College of the Holy Cross graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering College of the Holy Cross are $90,543 a year among students who received federal aid, and 87% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does College of the Holy Cross value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, College of the Holy Cross weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and recommendations most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does College of the Holy Cross consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. College of the Holy Cross'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 College of the Holy Cross?
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 College of the Holy Cross specifically.
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.