Hampshire College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college with a 2019 acceptance rate of 2%. Note that due to administrative changes, Hampshire is expected to return to a more typical acceptance rate of about 65% in 2020. Hampshire is known for its unusual approach to undergraduate education in which evaluation is qualitative, not quantitative, and students design their own majors working with an academic advisor. Students can round out the Hampshire course offerings with classes from the other schools in the five-college consortium: Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Considering applying to this selective school? Here are the Hampshire College admissions statistics you should know.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Hampshire College had an acceptance rate of 2%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 2 students were admitted, making Hampshire's admissions process highly selective.

Note that Hampshire's historical acceptance rate has been around 65%. However, in 2019 the school decided to restrict the number of admitted students. Hampshire has since made administrative changes and received support from alumni and is expected return to normal admission practices in 2020.

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SAT and ACT Scores and Requirements

Hampshire College does not consider standardized test scores in the admissions process. The school's "test blind" admission policy is different from most test-optional colleges in that the school will not consider standardized test scores in the admissions process.

GPA

Hampshire College does not provide data about admitted students' high school GPAs.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Hampshire College. 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

Hampshire College has a "personalized" and holistic admissions process, and admissions decisions are based on factors other than grades and test scores. A strong application essay, Hampshire supplement, and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Applicants are also encouraged to submit a sample of their creative work. The college is looking for students who will contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways, not just students who show promise in the classroom. While not required, Hampshire strongly recommends interviews for interested applicants. According to the school's admissions website, Hampshire is looking for students with the following traits: "growth-oriented mind-set; authenticity; passion for learning; motivation, discipline, and follow-through; empathy and an interest in building community; self-awareness and maturity; interest in many things and a tendency to see the connections among them; intellectual bravery; capacity to reflect on one’s work productively and to learn from adversity."

In the graph above, the green and blue data points represent students who were admitted to Hampshire College. You can see that most had a GPA of "B" or better, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 1100 or higher, and an ACT composite score of 23 or higher. Realize that test scores are not considered in the admission process at Hampshire College.

If You Like Hampshire College, You May Also Like These Schools

• Smith College
• Amherst College
• Bard College
• UMass Amherst
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Vassar College
• Mount Holyoke College
• University of Vermont

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Hampshire College Undergraduate Admissions Office.