Highly selectiveProfile current for 2025-2026

Smith College acceptance rate and admissions profile

With an acceptance rate near 21%, Smith College is a highly selective private college in Massachusetts. Because it turns away most applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Use this page to see what Smith College 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 1440, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
21%
Highly selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1440
of admitted students
Type
Private
Massachusetts
Selectivity in state
#12
of 36 in MA
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Will I get into Smith College?

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

What are my chances of getting into Smith College?

Smith College admits roughly 21% 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 Smith College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Smith College hard to get into?

Smith College is highly selective: it turns away most applicants, with about a 21% 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 Smith College?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Smith College, but most admitted students present roughly a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA with a rigorous course load. Smith 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 Smith College?

Smith College does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1440. 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 Smith College.

Calculate your chances at Smith College

What Smith College looks for

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

In its review, Smith College leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay. 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 Smith 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
Very important
Recommendations
Very important
Interview
Considered
Extracurricular activities
Very important
Talent / ability
Very important
Character / personal qualities
Very important
First-generation status
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Work experience
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at Smith 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 Smith College
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400In the competitive admitted range
1300Well below the admitted range
1200Well below the admitted range
1100Well below the admitted range
Colleges for a 1450 SAT →Colleges for a 32 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How Smith College compares in Massachusetts

Smith College ranks #12 most selective of 36 schools in Massachusetts in our database.

Among the 36 Massachusetts schools we track, Smith College ranks #12 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.

Harvard University
4%acceptance · MA
Northeastern University
5%acceptance · MA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5%acceptance · MA
Williams College
8%acceptance · MA
Amherst College
9%acceptance · MA
Boston University
11%acceptance · MA
Tufts University
11%acceptance · MA
Wellesley College
14%acceptance · MA
See all Massachusetts schools →

Similar to Smith College

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

Build around Smith College with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Hillsdale College, Skidmore College, and Carleton 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.

Hillsdale College
21%acceptance · MI
Skidmore College
21%acceptance · NY
Carleton College
20%acceptance · MN
University of Richmond
22%acceptance · VA
Wake Forest University
22%acceptance · NC
University of Miami
19%acceptance · FL

Frequently asked questions

What does Smith College value most in applicants?

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

Does Smith College consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

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

Is Smith College test-optional?

Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm Smith College's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1440; 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.