More selective than 88% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover. U.S. median 77%.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
0% of enrolled first-years sent SAT scores, 0% sent ACT scores.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Called “yield.” A high yield means many admitted students choose Dickinson College over other offers.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Applicants, admits and enrollment
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class (first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates). Newer counts arrive with the next IPEDS release.
What Dickinson College weighs when deciding
How much each part of an application counts for first-year applicants, as Dickinson College reports it. Programs with their own criteria (nursing, music, honors) can weigh things differently.
- Rigor of high school courses
- Class rank
- High school GPA
- Recommendations
- Talent or ability
- Character and personal qualities
- Your demonstrated interest
- Essay
- Interview
- Extracurricular activities
- SAT/ACT scores
- First-generation college student
- Alumni relation (legacy)
- Where you live
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- State residency
- Religious affiliation
Item C7. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
Early decision, early action and the waitlist
57% of early decision applicants were admitted (258 of 454). Admitted students must enroll.
335 offered a spot, 63 took it, 8 admitted.
Items C2, C21-C22. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
Dickinson College SAT and ACT scores
Scores of enrolled first-year students who submitted them, Fall 2024. A quarter scored below the 25th percentile and a quarter above the 75th. If your score is above the 75th, Dickinson College is likely within reach on scores alone; below the 25th, it is a reach.
| Test | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 670 | 740 |
| SAT math | 640 | 720 |
| ACT composite | 30 | 33 |
| SAT total (approx.) | 1310 | 1460 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class (reported to IPEDS). SAT total adds the two section scores, an approximation.
Dickinson College admissions year over year
| Entering class | Acceptance | SAT reading | SAT math | ACT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | 42% | 670–740 | 640–720 | 30–33 | College Scorecard |
| Fall 2023 | 43% | — | — | — | IPEDS |
Score ranges are the 25th–75th percentiles. Each year is kept as published; we add a year with every federal release.
How selective is Dickinson College compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Dickinson College has the 14th-lowest acceptance rate of 111 Pennsylvania colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Acceptance | Graduation | Avg. net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Bryn Mawr College | 29% | 82% | $31,759 |
| 11 | Lafayette College | 31% | 88% | $34,433 |
| 12 | Gettysburg College | 39% | 83% | $31,490 |
| 13 | Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | 41% | 69% | $42,478 |
| 14 | Dickinson College | 42% | 80% | $37,607 |
| 15 | Moravian University | 54% | 72% | $30,670 |
| 16 | Allegheny College | 55% | 73% | $22,940 |
| 17 | Lancaster Bible College | 56% | 67% | $25,480 |
| 18 | Moore College of Art and Design | 56% | 57% | $43,086 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class. All Pennsylvania colleges →
Who enrolls at Dickinson College
College Scorecard; IPEDS
Dickinson College admissions questions
What is the Dickinson College acceptance rate?
Dickinson College accepts 42% of applicants, about 1 in 2. For the Fall 2023 entering class, 3,095 of 7,185 applicants were admitted.
Does Dickinson College require the SAT or ACT?
Dickinson College considers SAT or ACT scores but does not require them (test-optional), according to its federal admissions report for Fall 2023. 0% of enrolled first-year students submitted SAT scores and 0% submitted ACT scores.
What SAT score do you need for Dickinson College?
The middle 50% of Dickinson College enrolled first-year students scored 1310–1460 on the SAT and 30–33 on the ACT. A score above the upper number puts you in the top quarter of enrolled students; below the lower number puts you in the bottom quarter.
How many admitted students enroll at Dickinson College?
17% of admitted students enrolled in Fall 2023 (525 of 3,095).
What does Dickinson College look for in applicants?
Dickinson College reports these as very important for first-year applicants: rigor of high school courses, class rank, high school GPA, recommendations, talent or ability, character and personal qualities, your demonstrated interest. Important: essay, interview, extracurricular activities. Considered: sAT/ACT scores, first-generation college student, alumni relation (legacy), where you live, volunteer work, work experience. (Common Data Set 2025-26).
Does Dickinson College have early decision?
Yes. Dickinson College offers binding early decision; 57% of early decision applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (258 of 454).
How many students get off the Dickinson College waitlist?
For fall 2025, 335 applicants were offered a waitlist spot, 63 accepted one and 8 were admitted (13% of those who stayed on the list).
Is Dickinson College getting harder to get into?
Dickinson College accepted 42% of applicants for Fall 2024, compared with 43% for Fall 2023.
Is Dickinson College the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Dickinson College with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS Admissions; Dickinson College's Common Data Set 2025-26; years shown with each figure. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Back to Dickinson College overview