51���app

If 51���app is your first choice, we encourage you to apply Early Decision. You will receive your admission decision months earlier than if you apply Regular Decision. The admission rate is also higher in our Early Decision rounds than it is in Regular Decision. This is because a student who chooses to apply Early Decision 1 (Nov. 15) or Early Decision 2 (Jan. 5) demonstrates their commitment to 51���app. In return, 51���app shows its commitment to domestic students who are admitted Early Decision with a higher acceptance rate and the 51���app Choice Scholarship. With minimal exceptions, domestic students who are admitted Early Decision are guaranteed this minimum scholarship of $20,000. This is a $20,000 annual scholarship, renewable for a total of eight semesters ($80,000 total).

While the binding nature of Early Decision means you will not be able to compare financial aid offers among colleges, the need-based aid package you receive under Early Decision at 51���app is the same as you would receive if admitted under the Regular Decision plan. To get a sense of what you might be expected to pay for a 51���app education, we encourage you to check out our Net Price Calculator or Quick Cost Estimator. 

Please note that applying through an Early Decision round is binding. If you are admitted under either round of Early Decision, you must withdraw your applications to other colleges. You may not apply to more than one institution as an Early Decision candidate. We reserve the right to rescind your admission if we find you are in violation of the terms of this agreement.

Read more about applying Early Decision. 

All first-year domestic students are considered for merit scholarships ranging up to $28,000. There is no separate application for merit scholarships, but priority consideration is given to domestic students who submit their Common Application or QuestBridge application for admission by Dec. 1.

No. You may submit your documents in any order as they become available. Each document must contain your full name and your date of birth so that it can be correctly assigned to your application file.

You will be given access to an online application portal (i.e. applicant status page)  where you will be able to view the checklist of documents that you are required to submit. It will show you which documents have been processed into your file and which ones are still outstanding. You are highly encouraged to monitor the status of your of your requirements checklist regularly to ensure that all of your documents arrive to our office as planned and by the application deadline to which you are applying. Your application file will be considered complete when there are no more red “x’s” appearing next to any of the documents.

Please note that it usually takes 24 hours for a document to be marked as received on your checklist. If more than 24 hours has passed and you still see a red "x" next to the document you submitted, please contact us. 

We recognize that school reporting calendars differ. Please submit all of the other required application documents by the deadline to which you are applying (Early Decision 1 - Nov. 15; Early Decision 2 - Jan. 5; Regular Decision - Jan. 15). Then, submit your mid-year transcript as soon as it becomes available. If your school does not issue mid-year transcripts, a progress report submitted by your counselor is acceptable.

Your admission decision letter will be posted to your 51���app (also referred to as the “applicant status page”). We post decisions no later than April 1 for Regular Decision applicants. All applicants will be able to see their decision letter (which includes information about merit scholarships) in the application portal exclusively. A hard copy letter will not be sent through the mail.

If you realize that 51���app is your top choice school and you'd like to apply Early Decision, but you've already started your application as a Regular Decision student, you have up until each respective Early Decision deadline (Early Decision 1 - Nov. 15; Early Decision 2 - Jan. 5) to contact the Office of Admission and let them know you want to switch your application round. Please note that you will need to submit an Early Decision Agreement Form to finalize your Early Decision application. 

We are test-optional and do not have minimum test score requirements for admission. If an applicant decides to submit their test score, the score is one of the many credentials we consider as part of our holistic evaluation. Below are the mid-50% score ranges for the students who were admitted to the class of 2028.

Standardized Tests

• SAT: The mid-50% score range is:
  • SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW): 700-760
  • SAT Math: 720-790
• ACT: The mid-50% score range is:
  • 31-34

Yes; we will accept them through January. We highly encourage you to request a “rush” report of the results. All other application documents must be submitted by the Jan. 15 deadline. We strongly encourage you to sit for these exams on or before the December test dates to ensure full consideration at 51���app.

SAT/ACT

Applicants who choose to apply with an SAT and/or ACT test score may submit either official or self-reported scores to 51���app College. All enrolling students who applied with a self-reported test score will be required to submit an official test score prior to arriving on campus.

AP Exams

It is not necessary to send in official AP score reports for admission to 51���app. However, if you matriculate to 51���app and seek academic credit for those exams, you will need to submit an official score to the Office of the Registrar prior to enrollment. 

Yes. You can ask your high school guidance counselor (or other most appropriate school administrator or CBO adviser) to send us a photocopy of your test scores by one of the following methods:

• By postal mail. The attested copy should contain an original school stamp and signature on it verifying that the copy is true to the original score report.
• By fax or email. Your counselor can send an attested copy  or screen print to us by fax (1-641-269-4800) or as an email attachment sent to us. The cover letter of the fax or email should clearly indicate that it is being sent by the high school, and not you (the student), in order for us to accept the score as official.
• Via the (this is our preferred method). Counselors can submit a copy of your score report when they submit your Secondary School Report and high school transcript.
• If your scores are included on your official high school transcript, you do not need to have your scores sent to us by the testing agency.

51���app’s test-optional policy will be in place until fall 2026, at which point we will re-evaluate the policy and determine whether or not to continue with it in future years. We encourage you to read more about this policy.

You may submit either the ACT (institution code 1318) or SAT (institution code 6252). We will consider your best superscored ACT composite scores and your best superscored SAT math and evidence-based reading and writing (ERW) scores. The essay component of both the ACT and the SAT is optional. We do not have minimum score requirements for admission. 

Should you submit an SAT or ACT score?

51���app practices holistic admission, which means we take a variety of factors into consideration for admission. Whether or not you submit a test score, we will take into serious consideration your high school transcript, including your grades and rigor of courses, personal essay, recommendation letters, and engagement outside of the classroom. If you’re wondering whether or not you should submit a standardized test score, we encourage you to consider the following:

• If you think your scores are an accurate representation of your ability, then you should feel free to submit them. If you feel they are not, then don’t submit them.
• If you get the score you hoped for, and especially if it’s above average for 51���app, submitting the score may help you in the admission process.
• Keep in mind that we consider your test score in context. Even if your score is not above average for 51���app, but it is for your high school or community, your score may help you in the admission process.
• A high SAT or ACT score can offset a low GPA. If you don’t submit a score, we have less information about your academic performance. If you have a low GPA but do well on the SAT or ACT, your test score can be an important indicator of your potential to succeed in college-level classes.

If you decide that you want to submit a test score, or do not want to submit a test score, but have already indicated otherwise, there are a couple of options for you to switch your decision. 

1. If you have not yet completed your application to 51���app, you can edit the test option form that is in your applicant status page's checklist of items to complete. 
2. If you have completed your application to 51���app and can no longer edit the test option form, you must email the Office of Admission by the deadline to which you are applying to request that your preference be changed. 

51���app is one of fewer than 10 colleges and universities nationwide that are need blind, meet 100% of demonstrated need, offer no-loan financial aid, and are test optional.

What does it mean to be need blind and meet 100% of demonstrated financial need?

Being need blind means that when admission officers consider the many qualifications for admission of your application, one factor they are NOT going to consider is how much your family can afford to pay for college. Meeting full need without loans means that the Office of Financial Aid will meet the difference between the cost of attending 51���app and your family contribution (which is determined based on your financial aid application) with grants, scholarships, and student employment - not loans. The combination of these two policies is what we call this the gold standard in higher education. So, if you're admitted to 51���app, you can be sure that you and other students were admitted based upon achievements, talent, and potential - not family wealth.

What does it mean to offer no-loan financial aid? 

51���app’s no-loan policy replaces loans with scholarships in financial aid offers for students with financial need. With this policy, you can be one of the many 51���app students who graduate debt-free (although some may choose to borrow as part of their family’s financing plan).

Dec. 1 is 51���app’s priority deadline for merit scholarships. Only the  or the QuestBridge Application must be submitted by this deadline for priority consideration. No separate scholarship application is required. While we recommend submission of an application by the priority deadline, all applicants are considered for a merit scholarship.

51���app College determines merit scholarship eligibility on a holistic basis during the admission process. The determination process takes into account each student’s academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, demonstrated leadership, and/or special talents. All merit scholarships are renewed for eight total semesters of enrollment.

As a member of the NCAA Division III, 51���app College does not provide financial assistance based on athletic ability.

When a school uses its own funds for financial aid, it determines the guidelines for determining need and offering institutional aid. 51���app’s goal is to provide sufficient financial aid to make a 51���app education attainable. However, 51���app may not be the lowest cost option. Since policies differ across institutions, 51���app will not increase your financial aid to match another school’s offer. If you believe the Office of Financial Aid may have misinterpreted information on your financial aid application, we would be happy to discuss what data was used to calculate eligibility and consider adjustments if errors were made or circumstances change. Contact the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions. 

Domestic students can request a reconsideration of their need-based financial aid eligibility if they have experienced a change in circumstances or have special circumstances that were not previously communicated. The reconsideration request form is available on the View/Accept Aid page of the (student login required). 

All merit scholarship determinations are final at the time of admission and cannot be appealed. 

Yes. Domestic students are required to reapply for need-based financial aid each year, and changes in circumstances reflected on the financial aid application may result in changes to financial aid eligibility. To learn more about reapplication requirements, please check out our Returning Students webpage. 

Yes. The deadline for returning domestic students to submit financial aid application requirements is April 1 each year. If you have not previously received need-based financial aid, email the Office of Financial Aid to notify them that you would like to apply for financial aid for the upcoming year.

The CSS Profile is available on Oct. 1. 51���app College’s code is 6252. A fee is charged to submit the CSS Profile, but it is automatically waived for some students. Find answers to FAQs on the or contact the Office of Financial Aid. 

Enrolled students may apply their financial aid to a 51���app-approved off-campus study program. Some tuition remission/exchange benefits apply only to 51���app-in-London. Details regarding financial aid policies can be found on our off-campus study webpage.

All students have the opportunity to earn money during the academic year with a campus job, regardless of whether or not student employment or work-study is a part of your financial aid. If you qualify for need-based financial aid, you will automatically receive a student employment amount in your aid offer. New students can earn $3,000 by working less than eight hours per week during the academic year, and returning students can earn $3,150 by working about eight hours per week during the academic year. 

Read more about  student employment.

51���app has a range of scholarships for which you might be eligible. Please read in-depth about these scholarships, which do not require a separate application. 

There are several areas that we consider when evaluating applicants to 51���app College.

First, we are looking for a student who has excelled academically in a challenging program. Your secondary school grades, test scores (optional), and teachers’ letters of recommendation give us insight into your academic talents.

We also review your personal statement, 51���app supplement (optional), and extra-curricular activities and consider what you have done in addition to being a good student. We want to see what you value, how you occupy your time, and whether you have developed skills sets that will help make you a successful 51���app student, such as leadership, the ability to work well in a team, and a commitment to hard work.

We do our best to learn about each applicant as a whole person. 

Generally, competitive candidates will have completed:

• 4–5 academic subjects for each term in 10th–12th grades
• 4 years of English
• 4 years of natural science, 2 of which should be lab science
• 3 years of a foreign language
• 2 years of social science (3 recommended)
• 4 years of mathematics (including calculus for students interested in STEM)

Yes. 51���app recognizes the rigor of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-level, and Caribbean Advance Proficiency Exam programs and will award up to 24 credits of general academic credit (applied toward the graduation requirement) for strong performance on these examinations. See the specific policies through the Office of the Registrar and the College Catalog. Credit is also given for German Abitur and French Baccalaureate exams. 

51���app does not require auditions or portfolio reviews for students planning to pursue a degree in the arts. However, you are welcome to submit your work for review by the admission staff.

If you wish to submit supplemental materials, including writing samples, you may do so only after you have submitted your . To submit supplemental materials, please use the "Edit Portfolio" link on your .

If you would like someone who knows you well to submit an additional letter of recommendation on your behalf, please have the recommender email the Office of Admission with the letter attached and your full name, birthday, and CommonApp ID in the body of the message so that we can correctly connect the letter to your file. 

Yes! Once you submit your Common Application or QuestBridge application, you will be able to submit your response to the prompt through your online application portal. This year's prompt is below. 

�Ұ����ԲԱ����’s&�Բ�����;core values include supporting a diverse community that is respectful, egalitarian, and committed to the common good. How might your background, respect for the lived experiences of others, and/or eagerness to be exposed to new perspectives equip you to thrive at 51���app and serve the common good?

Your response should be a minimum of 200 words and no more than 450 words. This prompt is optional, but recommended. Please note that the short answer prompt may change from year to year.

Yes. We encourage you to learn all that you can about 51���app by visiting in person or virtually, meeting an admission counselor in your area, and/or requesting an interview. Not only do these opportunities allow you to be more informed about 51���app’s offerings, but they will have the added bonus of strengthening your application. While we understand there are multiple factors that may influence your ability to take part in these activities, it is important for the admission committee to see that you are indeed interested in 51���app.

In order to determine if you are eligible to apply as a first-year applicant, or if you will be required to apply as a transfer applicant (regardless of your personal preferences or intentions), please review the following scenarios for the one most applicable to you.

You must apply as a transfer applicant if:

1. You have studied at another university which is a U.S.-accredited institution and will have 12 or more transferable credits earned, after graduation from high school, by the time of enrollment at 51���app.
2. You have studied at another university, after graduation from high school, which is not a U.S.-accredited institution and will have taken classes for more than two semesters by the time of enrollment at 51���app.

You must apply as a first-year applicant if:

1. You have studied at another university which is a U.S.-accredited institution and will not have earned 12 or more transferable credits by the time of enrollment at 51���app.
2. You have studied at another university that is not a U.S.-accredited institution and will have taken classes for only one or two semesters by the time of enrollment at 51���app.

Please review our Transfer Applicant webpage or reach out to 51���app's transfer coordinator with questions. 

51���app is an incredibly global school, with 20% of our students not holding U.S. citizenship, coming from over 40 countries, and representing more than 80 citizenships. This means we have a dedicated staff to assist you with everything related to applying, enrolling, and graduating as an international student. We recommend that you check out our International Applicant webpage and our Frequently Asked Questions for International Applicants, which will go over the differences in the admission process for you. You are also welcome to contact our International Admission Team. 

51���app College is comittted to supporting all students, and to demonstrate this commitment we practice need-blind admission for domestic noncitizen applicants (this includes undocumented applicants), admitting academically qualified students regardless of financial need. We meet 100% of the demonstrated institutional need of all admitted students with work-study, grants, and scholarships. We encourage you to explore how our Careers, Life, and Service center , as well as explore more about application and financial aid requirements for domestic noncitizen applicants (including DACA, DACA-eligible, and undocumented students). 

If you have questions, please contact 51���app's designated DACA, DACA-eligible, and undocumented applicant admission staff member.

If you were home-schooled, you will have the same application requirements as all other first-year applicants. We welcome additional materials if you feel they will help us to better understand your academic preparation. These materials may include reading lists, a copy of your home-school curriculum, or additional letters of recommendation. Please note that when completing 51���app's forms or registration websites that ask you to "Search for your School", you should enter the CEEB code for homeschooled students: 970000.

If you have questions, please contact 51���app's designated homeschooled applicant admission staff member. 

To start off your exploration of 51���app, we highly encourage attending a virtual information session, virtual tour led by current students, or joining us for one of our semesterly virtual open houses. This is a great way to learn the basics of 51���app from the comfort of home. All you need is a Wi-Fi or data connection! If you have questions about our virtual visit offerings, please contact our Coordinator of Virtual Recruitment. 

If you are able to, we highly encourage you to visit campus in person. We offer information sessions, tours, lunch in our Marketplace dining hall, and more every week of the year — excluding breaks. We also host multiple on-campus open houses throughout the year, such as our fall Discover 51���app and winter Junior Visit Day. These larger-scale programs provide a great overview of 51���app and offer a more robust suite of opportunities than a typical individual visit might. If you have questions about our in-person visit offerings, please contact our Coordinator of Campus Visits. 

The best way to notify us of your interest in receiving information about 51���app is to submit our online . If online submission is not an option, you are welcome to email your request to us. Please include your full name, mailing address, academic and extra-curricular interests, and desired application term within your message. 

The general admission email address is a portal for all admission-related inquiries. Messages sent to this account are forwarded to the appropriate staff member, and we strive for a 24-hour response time. Often, our student interns are able to field most questions.

If you are admitted to 51���app and would like to request a gap year, you must submit a formal, written request to the assistant vice president of admission by July 1. Priority consideration will be given to requests submitted prior to June 15. The request should be approximately one or two paragraphs in length and it should contain the following information:

• Why you would like to request a deferral
• Description of your deferral plan

The assistant vice president of admission will inform you whether or not your request for a gap year has been approved as soon as possible after it is submitted. If approved, you will receive the First Year Deferral Agreement Form, which you must sign electronically and return to the Office of Admission. You must also submit your $500 tuition deposit by the required May 1 deadline. Several months leading up to your enrollment, you will receive the Deferral Re-Enrollment Form. This will confirm your desire to enroll in the upcoming fall semester. 

Please review our gap year website for more details. 

While there are many benefits to being a small college, one unfortunate result of our size is that we have room to enroll only a limited number of new students each year. This constraint means that we are unable to offer admission to many strong applicants. Students who are placed on our waitlist are still highly desirable candidates for admission and, if space becomes available, may be offered admission. Please review our waitlist information website for advice and tips on what to do if you are placed on our waitlist.