Selective2025-2026 admissions cycle

Franklin & Marshall College acceptance rate and admissions profile

With an acceptance rate near 28%, Franklin & Marshall College is a selective private college in Pennsylvania. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Use this page to see what Franklin & Marshall College weighs, where it ranks among Pennsylvania schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1420, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
28%
Selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1420
of admitted students
Type
Private
Pennsylvania
Selectivity in state
#7
of 62 in PA
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Will I get into Franklin & Marshall College?

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

What are my chances of getting into Franklin & Marshall College?

Franklin & Marshall College admits roughly 28% 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 Franklin & Marshall College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Franklin & Marshall College hard to get into?

Franklin & Marshall College is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 28% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.

What GPA do you need to get into Franklin & Marshall College?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Franklin & Marshall College, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Franklin & Marshall 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 Franklin & Marshall College?

Franklin & Marshall College does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1420. 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 Franklin & Marshall College.

Calculate your chances at Franklin & Marshall College

What Franklin & Marshall College looks for

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

In its review, Franklin & Marshall College leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Franklin & Marshall 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
Considered
Application essay
Very important
Recommendations
Very important
Interview
Considered
Extracurricular activities
Very important
Talent / ability
Important
Character / personal qualities
Very important
First-generation status
Considered
Alumni / legacy relation
Considered
Volunteer work
Important
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Very important

SAT score positioning at Franklin & Marshall 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 Franklin & Marshall College
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400In the competitive admitted range
1300Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1200Well below the admitted range
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1400 SAT →Colleges for a 32 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How Franklin & Marshall College compares in Pennsylvania

Franklin & Marshall College ranks #7 most selective of 62 schools in Pennsylvania in our database.

Among the 62 Pennsylvania schools we track, Franklin & Marshall College ranks #7 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Pennsylvania (5%) and Swarthmore College (7%) sit nearby, which makes Pennsylvania a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.

University of Pennsylvania
5%acceptance · PA
Swarthmore College
7%acceptance · PA
Carnegie Mellon University
12%acceptance · PA
Haverford College
12%acceptance · PA
Lehigh University
26%acceptance · PA
Villanova University
27%acceptance · PA
Bucknell University
29%acceptance · PA
Bryn Mawr College
29%acceptance · PA
See all Pennsylvania schools →

Similar to Franklin & Marshall College

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

Build around Franklin & Marshall College with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Bucknell University, Bryn Mawr College, and Macalester College. 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.

Bucknell University
29%acceptance · PA
Bryn Mawr College
29%acceptance · PA
Macalester College
29%acceptance · MN
Mississippi College
29%acceptance · MS
Trinity College
29%acceptance · CT
Villanova University
27%acceptance · PA

Frequently asked questions

What does Franklin & Marshall College value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Franklin & Marshall College weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Franklin & Marshall College consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Franklin & Marshall 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 Franklin & Marshall 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 Franklin & Marshall College specifically.

Is Franklin & Marshall College a target or a reach for an average applicant?

For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near Franklin & Marshall College's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.

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.