College of the Holy Cross acceptance rate and admissions profile
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.
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.
What SAT score do you need for College of the Holy Cross?
College of the Holy Cross does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1400. 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 College of the Holy Cross.
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 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 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.
Is College of the Holy Cross test-optional?
Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm College of the Holy Cross's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1400; 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.