Davidson College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Davidson College is a private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 18%. Established by the Presbyterians of North Carolina in 1837, Davidson College is now one of the country's top liberal arts colleges and one of the best schools in the Southeast. For a school of well under 2,000 students, Davidson is unusual for its strong Division I athletic program. The Wildcats compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference, and nearly a quarter of Davidson students participate in varsity athletics.

On the academic front, Davidson was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. The college has a strict honor code that allows students to schedule unproctored and take-home exams.

Considering applying to Davidson College? 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, Davidson College had an acceptance rate of 18%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 18 students were admitted, making Davidson's admissions process highly competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Davidson College requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 59% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

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This admissions data tells us that most of Davidson's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Davidson scored between 650 and 730, while 25% scored below 650 and 25% scored above 730. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 660 and 750, while 25% scored below 660 and 25% scored above 750. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1480 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Davidson College.

Requirements

Davidson does not require the optional SAT writing section. Note that Davidson 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. Applicants may submit SAT Subject test scores to supplement their application, but they are not required for admission.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Davidson requires that all applicant submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 46% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Davidson's admitted students fall within the top 7% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Davidson received a composite ACT score between 30 and 33, while 25% scored above 33 and 25% scored below 30.

Requirements

Davidson does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many schools, Davidson superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the majority of Davidson College's incoming freshmen had average high school GPAs of 4.0 and above. Over 72% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. This information suggests that most successful applicants to Davidson College have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Davidson 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

Davidson College has a highly competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance rate and above average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs. However, Davidson 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. Davidson also requires applicants to complete two supplemental essays and submit a peer recommendation. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and test scores are outside of Davidson's average range. Note that Davidson does not offer evaluative interviews.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. As the data shows, the majority of successful applicants had high school GPAs in the "A" range, combined SAT scores of 1300 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 28 or better. Many accepted students had 4.0 GPAs.

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

• Wake Forest University
• Brown University
• Princeton University
• Clemson University
• Dartmouth College
• Cornell University
• University of Richmond

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