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Accessible2026-2027 admissions cycle

Hope College acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 79%, Hope College is an accessible private college in Michigan. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Your odds at Hope College
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Hope College weighs, where it ranks among Michigan schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1260, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
79%
Accessible
SAT middle 50%
1100-1340
of admitted students
Type
Private
Holland, MI
Average net price
$27,182
per year after aid

What do students study at Hope College?

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.

Business, Management and Marketing · 141 (20.3%)Education · 80 (11.5%)Psychology · 63 (9.1%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 62 (8.9%)Engineering · 58 (8.3%)Communication and Journalism · 48 (6.9%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 46 (6.6%)Social Sciences · 36 (5.2%)Physical Sciences · 24 (3.5%)Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies · 23 (3.3%)Visual and Performing Arts · 17 (2.4%)Computer and Information Sciences · 15 (2.2%)

Will I get into Hope College?

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

What are my chances of getting into Hope College?

Hope College admits most qualified applicants (around 79%), 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 Hope College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Hope College hard to get into?

Hope College is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 79% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Hope College?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Hope College, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Hope College reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

Calculate your chances at Hope College →

Your chances at Hope College by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Hope College for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 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 Hope College with a 3.1 GPA and a 1220 SAT?

About 96% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1220 SAT, the middle of Hope College's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1340 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Hope College by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 110025th pctSAT 1220middleSAT 134075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.540%Target65%Likely84%Safety48%Likely
2.872%Safety88%Safety95%Safety83%Safety
3.190%Safety96%Safety98%Safety96%Safety
3.497%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

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/hope-college.

How to get into Hope College

Built from Hope College's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Here is how to get into Hope College, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Hope College carries about a 3.13 core GPA and a 1290 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Decide on scores with the real range

The admitted middle 50% is 1100 to 1340 SAT (25 to 31 ACT). Submit a score at 1220 or higher; below 1100, apply test-optional if the policy allows.

Step 3
Build the file around what Hope College weighs

Hope College rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 4
Apply in the round that helps

An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Hope College's exact dates at www.hope.edu.

See your odds and your top moves at Hope College →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.hope.edu ↗

How many students apply to Hope College, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, Hope College received 5,206 applications and admitted 3,949, an acceptance rate of 75.9%. 834 enrolled. Only about 21% 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. Hope College enrolls about 3,288 undergraduates in total, 60% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1.

Applied
5,206
fall 2023
Admitted
3,949
75.9% of applicants
Enrolled
834
21% yield
Undergraduates
3,288
Holland, small city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Hope College?

Admitted students at Hope College post SAT scores of 1100 to 1340 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1249. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 25 to 31. A score above 1340 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1100 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Hope College 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.

SAT middle 50%
1100-1340
average 1249
ACT middle 50%
25-31
of admitted students
Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Hope College looks for

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

In its review, Hope College leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Hope 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
Extracurricular activities
Considered
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Considered
First-generation status
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at Hope 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 Hope College
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1260 SAT →Colleges for a 26 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Hope College cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Hope College (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $55,646 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $41,970. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $27,182 a year, and it ranges from $17,606 for families earning under $30,000 to $32,754 for families earning over $110,000. 16% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$55,646
per year, before aid
Average net price
$27,182
after grants and scholarships
Pell recipients
16%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$17,606
$30k to $48k$16,590
$48k to $75k$18,206
$75k to $110k$25,017
Over $110k$32,754

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 Hope College graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Hope College students ten years after entry are $58,427 ($49,727 at the six-year mark). 80% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 88% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $26,800; 44% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$58,427
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
80%
within six years
Retention
88%
return for year two
Median debt
$26,800
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Hope College compares in Michigan

Hope College ranks #19 most selective of 32 schools in Michigan in our database.

Among the 32 Michigan schools we track, Hope College ranks #19 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Michigan (16%) and Hillsdale College (21%) sit nearby, which makes Michigan a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.

University of Michigan
16%acceptance · MI
Hillsdale College
21%acceptance · MI
Spring Arbor University
52%acceptance · MI
Lawrence Technological University
56%acceptance · MI
UM Dearborn
56%acceptance · MI
Alma College
57%acceptance · MI
Madonna University
63%acceptance · MI
Northwood University
65%acceptance · MI
See all Michigan schools →

Similar to Hope College

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

Build around Hope College with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Drexel University, Grand Canyon University, and Rider 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.

Drexel University
79%acceptance · PA
Grand Canyon University
79%acceptance · AZ
Rider University
79%acceptance · NJ
Anderson University (IN)
79%acceptance · IN
Concordia University St. Paul
79%acceptance · MN
Geneva College
79%acceptance · PA

Frequently asked questions

What is Hope College's acceptance rate?

Hope College admitted 3,949 of 5,206 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 75.9% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 21% of admitted students enrolled.

What SAT score do you need for Hope College?

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1100 to 1340 on the SAT and 25 to 31 on the ACT. A score above 1340 is in the top quarter of admits. Hope College is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.

Is Hope College test-optional?

Yes. Hope College 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 Hope College cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Hope College, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $27,182 a year against a sticker price of about $55,646. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $17,606 on average.

What do Hope College graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Hope College are $58,427 a year among students who received federal aid, and 80% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Hope College value most in applicants?

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

Does Hope College consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Hope 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 Hope 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 Hope College specifically.

What are the admission requirements for Hope College?

Hope College reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

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.