SelectiveProfile current for 2025-2026

Lafayette College acceptance rate and admissions profile

With an acceptance rate near 31%, Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 1410, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
31%
Selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1410
of admitted students
Type
Private
Pennsylvania
Selectivity in state
#10
of 62 in PA
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Will I get into Lafayette College?

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

What are my chances of getting into Lafayette College?

Lafayette College admits roughly 31% 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 Lafayette College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Lafayette College hard to get into?

Lafayette College is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 31% 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 Lafayette College?

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

Lafayette College does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1410. 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 Lafayette College.

Calculate your chances at Lafayette College

What Lafayette College looks for

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

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

SAT score positioning at Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 31 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How Lafayette College compares in Pennsylvania

Lafayette College ranks #10 most selective of 62 schools in Pennsylvania in our database.

Among the 62 Pennsylvania schools we track, Lafayette College ranks #10 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
Franklin & Marshall College
28%acceptance · PA
Bucknell University
29%acceptance · PA
See all Pennsylvania schools →

Similar to Lafayette College

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

Build around Lafayette College with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Kenyon College, Bucknell University, and Fairfield 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.

Kenyon College
31%acceptance · OH
Bucknell University
29%acceptance · PA
Fairfield University
33%acceptance · CT
Bryn Mawr College
29%acceptance · PA
Macalester College
29%acceptance · MN
Mississippi College
29%acceptance · MS

Frequently asked questions

What does Lafayette College value most in applicants?

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

Does Lafayette College consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

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

Is Lafayette College test-optional?

Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm Lafayette College's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1410; 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.