Maryland Institute College of Art: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Maryland Institute College of Art, MICA
Elvert Barnes / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0


Maryland Institute College of Art is a private studio art college with an acceptance rate of 64%. Founded in 1826, MICA is oldest continuously operating degree-granting college of art in the United States and is one of the top-ranked studio art colleges in the country. Classes are supported by a healthy 8-to-1 student / faculty ratio. The school is located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, midway between Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. MICA has an Early Decision program that can improve admission chances for students who are sure the college is their top choice school.

Considering applying to Maryland Institute College of Art? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Maryland Institute College of Art had an acceptance rate of 64%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 64 students were admitted, making MICA's admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2017-18)
Number of Applicants 3,702
Percent Admitted 64%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 18%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Maryland Institute College of Art requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 58% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 500 630
Math 530 660
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of MICA's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Maryland Institute College of Art scored between 500 and 630, while 25% scored below 500 and 25% scored above 630. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 660, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 660. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1290 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Maryland Institute College of Art.

Requirements

Maryland Institute College of Art does not require the SAT writing section. Note that MICA participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates.

ACT Scores and Requirements

MICA requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 19% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 22 31
Math 19 27
Composite 22 29

This admissions data tells us that most of Maryland Institute College of Art's admitted students fall within the top 36% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to MICA received a composite ACT score between 22 and 29, while 25% scored above 29 and 25% scored below 22.

Requirements

Note that MICA does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. Maryland Institute College of Art recommends, but does not require, the optional ACT writing section.

GPA

Maryland Institute College of Art does not provide data about admitted students' high school GPAs.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

Maryland Institute College of Art Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
Maryland Institute College of Art Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Maryland Institute College of Art. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Maryland Institute College of Art, which accepts over half of applicants, has a competitive admissions pool with above average SAT/ACT scores. However, MICA has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Most important is an impressive portfolio of artwork. All applicants are required to submit a digital portfolio of 12 to 20 pieces "of recent artwork that represents your artistic interests and demonstrates your technical skills and ability." While not required, Maryland Institute College of Art strongly recommends campus visits and interviews for interested applicants. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements and talent in the arts can still receive serious consideration even if their test scores are outside Maryland Institute College of Art's average range.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were accepted. Most had SAT scores of 1050 or higher (ERW+M), an ACT composite score of 20 or higher, and a high school average of a "B" or better.

If You Like MICA, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Maryland Institute College of Art Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "Maryland Institute College of Art: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/maryland-institute-college-of-art-admissions-787752. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 27). Maryland Institute College of Art: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/maryland-institute-college-of-art-admissions-787752 Grove, Allen. "Maryland Institute College of Art: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/maryland-institute-college-of-art-admissions-787752 (accessed April 19, 2024).