University of Massachusetts Amherst: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

University of Massachusetts–Amherst Campus
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The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public university with an acceptance rate of 64%. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, UMass Amherst is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts university system. As the only public university in the Five College Consortium, UMass offers the benefit of state tuition with access to classes at Amherst CollegeMt. Holyoke CollegeHampshire College, and Smith College. The large UMass campus is easily recognized because of the W.E.B. DuBois Library, the tallest college library in the world.

UMass frequently ranks among the top 50 public universities in the U.S., and it has a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society because of its strong liberal arts and sciences programs. Students can join a number of on-campus activities, ranging from academic groups to performing arts ensembles. In athletics, the UMass Minutemen compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference for most sports.

Considering applying to UMass Amherst? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, UMass Amherst had an acceptance rate of 64%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 64 students were admitted, making UMass Amherst's admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 42,157
Percent Admitted 64%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 21%

SAT Scores and Requirements

The University of Massachusetts Amherst requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 89% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 590 680
Math 600 710
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of UMass Amherst'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 UMass Amherst scored between 590 and 680, while 25% scored below 590 and 25% scored above 680. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 600 and 710, while 25% scored below 600 and 25% scored above 710. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1390 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at UMass Amherst.

Requirements

UMass Amherst does not require the SAT writing section. Note that the University of Massachusetts Amherst 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. At UMass Amherst, SAT Subject tests are not required.

ACT Scores and Requirements

UMass Amherst requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 18% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
Composite 26 32

This admissions data tells us that most of UMass Amherst's admitted students fall within the top 18% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to UMass Amherst received a composite ACT score between 26 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 26.

Requirements

The University of Massachusetts Amherst does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, UMass Amherst superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of UMass Amherst's incoming freshmen class was 3.9, and over 47% of incoming students had average GPAs of 4.0 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to UMass Amherst have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

University of Massachusetts Amherst Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to University of Massachusetts Amherst. 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

The University of Massachusetts Amherst, which accepts over half of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. However, UMass Amherst 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. Applicants to UMass Amherst should note that some programs also have portfolio or audition requirements. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their test scores are outside UMass Amherst's average range.

In this scattergram above, the blue and green dots represent students accepted to UMass Amherst. You can see that the majority of students who were accepted had high school averages of B+ or better, combined SAT scores of about 1100 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 23 or higher.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and University of Massachusetts Amherst's Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "University of Massachusetts Amherst: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Jul. 30, 2021, thoughtco.com/umass-amherst-gpa-sat-act-786678. Grove, Allen. (2021, July 30). University of Massachusetts Amherst: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/umass-amherst-gpa-sat-act-786678 Grove, Allen. "University of Massachusetts Amherst: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/umass-amherst-gpa-sat-act-786678 (accessed March 28, 2024).