St. Lawrence University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

An aerial view of several white and brick buildings among grass and fall-foliage trees
An aerial view of St. Lawrence University's campus.

Courtesy of St. Lawrence University

St. Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 42%. Located in Canton, New York, St. Lawrence was founded in 1856 as a coeducational university. St. Lawrence has a graduate program in education, but SLU's primary focus is at the undergraduate level. With an 11-to-1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 17, students receive a lot of interaction with faculty. On the athletic front, the St. Lawrence Saints compete in the NCAA Division III Liberty League for all sports except ice hockey, which competes in NCAA Division I, as a member of ECAC Hockey. The university has 33 intercollegiate teams, including an equestrian team.

Considering applying to St. Lawrence University? 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, St. Lawrence University had an acceptance rate of 42%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 42 students were admitted, making St. Lawrence's admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 6,998
Percent Admitted 42%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 20%

SAT Scores and Requirements

St. Lawrence University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to St. Lawrence may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 55% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 580 670
Math 580 680
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted scores during the 2018-19 admissions cycle, most of St. Lawrence'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 St. Lawrence scored between 580 and 670, while 25% scored below 580 and 25% scored above 670. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 580 and 680, while 25% scored below 580 and 25% scored above 680. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1350 or higher is competitive for St. Lawrence University.

Requirements

St. Lawrence University does not require the SAT writing section or SAT Subject tests. Note that SLU does not superscore SAT results; your highest composite SAT score will be considered.

ACT Scores and Requirements

St. Lawrence University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to St. Lawrence may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 20% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
Composite 24 30

This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores during the 2018-19 admissions cycle, most of St. Lawrence's admitted students fall within the top 26% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to St. Lawrence University received a composite ACT score between 24 and 30, while 25% scored above 30 and 25% scored below 24.

Requirements

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

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of St. Lawrence University's incoming freshmen class was 3.57, and over 65% of incoming students have average GPAs of 3.5 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to SLU have primarily high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

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

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to St. Lawrence University. 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

St. Lawrence University, which accepts fewer than half of applicants, has a competitive admissions pool with above average grades and test scores. However, St. Lawrence also has a holistic admissions process and is test-optional, and admissions decisions are based on more than numbers. 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. 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, St. Lawrence strongly recommends interviews for interested applicants. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and scores are outside of St. Lawrence's average range.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school averages in the "B+" range or better, combined SAT scores of 1200 or higher, and ACT composite scores of 25 or better. Note that grades and other elements of the application are more important than standardized test scores at St. Lawrence as the university has test-optional admissions.

If You Like St. Lawrence University, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and St. Lawrence University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "St. Lawrence University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/st-lawrence-university-admissions-788010. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 29). St. Lawrence University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/st-lawrence-university-admissions-788010 Grove, Allen. "St. Lawrence University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/st-lawrence-university-admissions-788010 (accessed March 28, 2024).