The Citadel: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, is a public university with an acceptance rate of 75%. Founded in 1842, The Citadel is located in Charleston, South Carolina. Well known for its Corps of Cadets, Citadel students are educated in a military system that emphasizes leadership and character training through the Four Pillars of Learning: Academics, Military, Fitness, and Character. About a third of Citadel graduates accept military commissions. The college has an impressive 12-to-1 student / faculty ratio, and does well in regional and national rankings because of its high four-year graduation rate and strong academic programs. In athletics, The Citadel Bulldogs compete in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference.

Considering applying to The Citadel? 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, The Citadel had an acceptance rate of 75%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 75 students were admitted, making The Citadel's admissions process somewhat competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

The Citadel requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 65% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tell us that most of the The Citadel'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 The Citadel scored between 530 and 620, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 520 and 610, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 610. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1230 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at The Citadel.

Requirements

The Citadel does not require the SAT writing section or SAT Subject tests. Note that The Citadel requires all SAT scores required for review.

ACT Scores and Requirements

The Citadel requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 40% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of The Citadel's admitted students fall within the top 48% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to The Citadel received a composite ACT score between 20 and 25, while 25% scored above 25 and 25% scored below 20.

Requirements

The Citadel does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. The optional ACT writing section is not required by The Citadel.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of The Citadel's incoming freshmen class was 3.78, and over 51% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to The Citadel have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to The Citadel. 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 Citadel, which accepts three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions pool with above average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs. However, The Citadel has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. According to the school's website, "The Citadel seeks to determine acceptability through a thorough evaluation of each applicant's character, maturity, motivation, readiness for college, amenability to a regimented lifestyle, emotional stability, and potential to contribute to cadet life." Successful applicants will have completed a rigorous high school curriculum which includes four units of English and math, three units of laboratory science and social science, two units of the same world language, one unit of fine arts, one unit of physical education or ROTC, and two units of electives.

The Citadel application also requires two references, a counselor recommendation, and details about academic honors and awards. Winning candidates typically demonstrate leadership potential, meaningful extracurricular involvement, and athletic ability. The school is also interested in volunteer and community service efforts, participation in scouts or other programs, and employment history. If the application indicates that you meet The Citadel's academic and character standards, you will also need to meet the school's medical and physical standards.

In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent admitted students. Most had SAT scores (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, an ACT composite of 18 or higher, and a high school average of a "B-" or higher. You can see that many students admitted to The Citadel have "A" averages.

If You Like The Citadel, You May Also Like These Colleges

• West Point (United States Military Academy)
• Virginia Tech
• Annapolis (United States Naval Academy)
• United States Air Force Academy
• United States Coast Guard Academy

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