Macalester Acceptance Rate and SAT/ACT Scores

Macalester College Admission Requirements and Statistics

How hard is Macalester College to get into?

This page provides the latest information on Macalester College (Macalester)'s admission process, acceptance rate, and student profile. Macalester's acceptance rate is 28.52% for 2024-2025 admission. A total of 8,968 students applied and 2,558 were admitted to the school. Its acceptance rate is relatively low, making it somewhat difficult to get into Macalester.

To apply to Macalester, recommendations is required to submit and personal statement (or essay) is not required but considered. The SAT and ACT score is not required, but considered for admission. In addition, english proficiency test score is also considered (required).

Macalester's acceptance rate is the 3rd lowest among 37 Minnesota colleges with competitive admission.
The median SAT score is 1440 and the ACT score is 32 at Macalester. Macalester's SAT score ranks 2nd out of 16 Minnesota colleges that consider SAT score for admission.
Macalester's yield rate is 21.89%, which is significantly lower by 21.72 percentage points (approximately 49.8% lower) compared to similar colleges with acceptance rates between 20% and 30% (average yield: 43.61%). You can compare colleges with similar acceptance rates to Macalester at colleges with acceptance rates between 20% and 30%. Moreover, you can check only Minnesota colleges with acceptance rates between 20% and 30%. This comparison helps contextualize Macalester's yield rate within its selectivity range.

Admission Statistics

For the academic year 2024-25, Macalester's acceptance rate is 28.52% and the yield (also known as enrollment rate) is 21.89%. 4,097 men and 4,855 women applied to Macalester and 1,033 men and 1,521 women students were accepted.

Among them, 247 men and 310 women were enrolled in Macalester. You can explore the Macalester's admission rates and SAT score trends over the past decade, including year-by-year data and analysis, by visiting Admission Trends page.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics at Macalester
	Total	Men	Women	Another Gender	Gender Unknown
Applicants	8,968	4,097	4,855	0	0
Admitted	2,558	1,033	1,521	0	0
Enrolled	560	247	310	0	0
Acceptance Rate	28.52%	25.21%	31.33%	-	-
Yield	21.89%	23.91%	20.38%	-	-

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Macalester College 2025 Acceptance Rate By Gender chart

Median SAT and ACT Score

For the academic year 2025, 162 students (29% of enrolled students) submitted SAT scores and 128 students (23% of enrolled students) submitted ACT scores as part of the admission process at Macalester.

The median SAT score for admitted students is 1,440, including 720 in SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and 720 in SAT Math. The 75th percentile SAT EBRW score is 750 and the 25th percentile is 680. For SAT Math, the 75th percentile score is 760 and the 25th percentile is 670.

The median ACT composite score is 32, with a 75th percentile score of 34 and a 25th percentile score of 30 at Macalester. The median ACT Math score is 29 and the median ACT English score is 34.

How competitive is Macalester's score?

The SAT and ACT scores at Macalester College are relatively high compared to similar colleges (SAT: 1,295, ACT: 29 - private (not-for-profit) baccalaureate college - arts & sciences).

2025 SAT and ACT Scores at Macalester
	25^th Percentile	50^th Percentile (Median)	75^th Percentile
SAT Total	1,350	1,440	1,510
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing	680	720	750
SAT Math	670	720	760
ACT Composite	30	32	34
ACT Math	27	29	32
ACT English	30	34	35

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Macalester College 2025 SAT and ACT Score Chart

Application Requirements

It requires to submit High School Record (or Transcript), Recommendations, and English Proficiency Test to its applicants.

The SAT and ACT test score is not required, but considered in admission process at Macalester. The english proficiency test is required .

The next table summarizes the application requirements to apply Macalester College.

For more admission information such as minimum GPA and deadlines, see its online application page .

Macalester Admission Requirements
High School GPA	Considered, if submitted
High School Rank	Considered, if submitted
High School Record (or Transcript)	Required
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Considered, if submitted
Recommendations	Required
Formal Demonstration of Competencies	Not Considered
SAT / ACT	Considered, if submitted
English Proficiency Test	Required
Other Test (Wonderlic,WISC-III,etc)	Not Considered
Work experience	Considered, if submitted
Personal statement or essay	Considered, if submitted
Legacy status	Not Considered

General Admissions Information

The following provides general admission information for applying to Macalester:

Open Admission Policy: No
Undergraduate Application Fees: -
Admission Information: www.macalester.edu/admissions/
Online Application: www.macalester.edu/admissions/apply/
Calendar System: Semester
Course for High School Students: Not Offered
Credits Accepted: Advanced placement (AP) Credits
Degree Offered: Bachelor

Get Admission Information

What is the acceptance rate at the Macalester?

Macalester is moderately competitive, with an acceptance rate of 28.52%.

What SAT or ACT scores are required for admission to Macalester?

Macalester recommends submitting SAT or ACT scores, but they are not strictly required for admission. The average SAT score required for admission to Macalester is 1,440, and the average ACT score is 32. Meeting or exceeding these scores will improve your chances of admission.

Does Macalester require essays or personal statements?

Macalester recommends submitting a personal essay or statement, but it is not strictly required.

Are recommendation letters required for Macalester admission?

Yes, Macalester requires applicants to submit a recommendation letter as part of the application.

Is there an application fee?

Macalester does not require an application fee for undergraduate or graduate admission.

Do I need to submit my high school transcript?

Yes, Macalester requires applicants to submit high school record or transcript as part of the admission process.

Are there any specific admission requirements for international students?

Yes, Macalester requires international applicants to submit an English proficiency test (like TOEFL or IELTS) as part of the application.

What is SAT code and ACT code for Macalester?

The institutional SAT code for Macalester is 6390 and 4-digit ACT code is 2122.