Perhaps you have not heard about the College of the Holy Cross? If yes, then, you have got to read through this article. Guess what? This article has reliable information about the school. Stay connected as I gist you about the College of the Holy Cross Acceptance Rate. The school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges.
A Jesuit college founded in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic school in New England, and one of the oldest such institutions in the entire United States.
So, in keeping with its religious affiliation, Holy Cross values service and altruism. The school’s mission statement asks, “What is our special responsibility to the world’s poor and powerless?” to this end, the College empowers its students to engage in good work for the sake of their community.
Not only does the school send more students to the Jesuit Volunteer Corp than any other Catholic school, but it also has received awards for its commitment to service.
Beyond its good works, Holy Cross counts among its alumni several impressive graduates. Former students run the gamut from Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas and Doctor Anthony Fauci to counter-culture figure Timothy Leary and sports analyst Bill Simmons.
So, with such impressive history, it is not a surprise that the College of the Holy Cross has a unique application process.
College of the Holy Cross Acceptance Rate
As for the Class of 2025, only 6,498 applicants applied to go to Holy Cross. So, out of that number, the school offered admission to 2,786 applicants, for an acceptance rate of 43%.
In this regard, as a small liberal arts school in the Jesuit tradition, many people would think that Holy Cross has a relatively small pool of interested candidates.
Meanwhile, in the end, they receive far more applications than many schools of their caliber and have a much higher acceptance rate.
Hence, without any question, that is an unusually high acceptance rate. According to that number, every four out of ten students will be accepted, and a fifth will make it in every three rounds.
As it is, that number stands out more when compared with other schools in the same category. The similarly ranked Pitzer College has a far lower acceptance rate of 17%. Hence, they only brought in 262 students in 2021. On the other hand, Scripps College in California has a rate of 35%, hence they brought in 936 that same year.
As a result of this, some might find these numbers discouraging. Hence, they may prefer to go to an exclusive college with a low acceptance rate. Meanwhile, there are definite advantages to attending a school that brings in many of its applicants.
So, the biggest advantage is the diverse student body that comes from this principle. Again, when a school brings in thousands of new students each year, it creates a more vibrant campus and more opportunities to learn.
GPA for College of the Holy Cross
Just like other modern colleges, the College of the Holy Cross does not have a minimum GPA requirement. As a matter of fact, they like to boast that they recognize that students are “more than a GPA”
While there is certainly some value to this information, people might assume that this approach means that the school doesn’t care about academics.
Notwithstandi
g, it is, after all, an academic institution. Similarly, a look at the student body shows that grades do actually matter.
On average, students at Holy Cross have a GPA of 3.82. In other words, this means that they got mostly A’s, with an occasional B here and there.
In the same vein, it’s important to understand the meaning of that average.
On the other hand, a student can as well get a few B’s and still be accepted. However, those lower grades shouldn’t be in your major classes. If you are going to study literature at Holy Cross, your English classes should all be A’s and you can get a B or two in math or science.
Though this might seem contrary to the holistic approach Holy Cross uses to evaluate applicants, that is only if you think grades are just about intelligence.
So apart from the level of knowledge that you have, your GPA equally reveals your ability to work hard.
Therefore, to get high grades, you need to be dedicated to your studies and able to overcome difficulties. Meanwhile, every college will have difficult patches and Holy Cross is not exceptional. So if you have a low GPA, it may suggest that you won’t be able to keep up with college life.
That said, the holistic approach does mean that the school will look at other evidence of your abilities. So if your GPA is a bit low, be sure to use other materials to show that you can handle their workload.
SAT & ACT Requirements
Hence, with increasing regularity, institutions do not require applicants to send standardized test scores.
In that case, the College of the Holy Cross is following suit. Therefore, it is making ACT and SAT scores optional. In fact, only 44% of applicants submitted SAT scores in the fall of 2021 and 21% submitted the ACT.
Meanwhile, many students still choose to take the tests and include them in their applications.
Standardized tests, on the other hand, exist to measure a wide range of knowledge acquired over high school and critical thinking skills.
In that case, some students find that they do better on standardized tests than they do in exams for their specific classes.
Notwithstanding, if your GPA comes in a bit lower than the average at Holy Cross, students might consider submitting their standardized test grades to make up the difference.
On the other hand, if that is going to work out, you should ensure that your scores on these tests match those earned by students accepted into the school.
Holy Cross students scored between 28 and 32 on the ACT. If broken down will stand in a range of 28 to 35 on the English portion and 26 to 30 range on the math portion.
In the same way, Holy Cross students had a similar performance on the SAT.
So, for fall 2021, their average was between 1260 and 1430. Hence, the scores ranged from 630 to 700 on the reading portion and from 630 to 730 on the math portion.
In that case, if your standardized test scores match these numbers, they can only help your application.
Other Requirements and Admission Tips
As a matter of fact, grades matter a lot to Holy Cross. However, they don’t matter much since the school takes a holistic approach to evaluating candidates.
By this holistic approach, it means that Holy Cross looks at the whole person, their personal qualities and interests, as well as their academic potential. This approach also means that the College values everything that prospective students can bring to their student body.
As a result of this emphasis, applicants should ensure that their additional application materials emphasize these personal elements.
The most basic of these materials is the application and a fee of $60. As regards the application, you will not only provide your contact information, but you will also indicate any work and volunteer history that you have. These elements will allow you to show the admissions committee how you spend your time.
However, the most important required application elements are the letters of recommendation. A letter of recommendation is a type of introduction the writer makes on your behalf to encourage the recipient to consider you for admission.
The best letters come from someone who can speak with authority about your best qualities.
On that note, Holy Cross requires two letters of recommendation, one from a teacher and another from a counselor. You should choose a letter from a teacher in a core subject closest to your major, such as your English or math teacher.
More importantly, the letter should come from a teacher who has seen you do your best work and knows your attributes as a classroom citizen.
Though not really required, Holy Cross also allows students to participate in personal interviews with faculty. These interviews are an excellent opportunity for students to demonstrate those non-academic qualities not reflected by test scores and grades.
On the other hand, any other materials you may decide to include, you should ensure that they all show you in your best light.
Essays for College of the Holy Cross
Even though these materials can make an impression on acceptance counselors, the greatest tool available to students is the application essay.
Hence, as part of their application, students must write a short response to a pre-determined prompt. Although they only have a few hundred words to use in their essay, students can use this opportunity to fully describe the unique abilities they can bring to the school.
For the fall 2021 school year, Holy Cross has provided the following prompt to their prospective students: “Holy Cross College seeks to form scholars, citizens, leaders, and disciples who serve the Common Good. What about this mission or other aspects of Holy Cross College interest you?”
As regards the essay, the school recommends that they use 150 to 200 words to answer.
Since the application essay is personal, there is no one right or wrong answer that you can give. So, the answer will be unique to you.
However, there are techniques a student can use to improve their chances.
So, with no more than 200 words to work with, you need to make sure that everyone counts. The more concrete details you can provide, the stronger your essay will be.
In the same vein, if you use active voice verbs instead of passive voice verbs, your essay will not only be more concise but will also be more striking. To ensure that you are using active voice, replace “is” and “are” with more striking verbs.
However, these tips won’t guarantee that you will be accepted into Holy Cross, but they will make sure that you have a great essay.
Is College of the Holy Cross Right for You?
In fact, the College of the Holy Cross is a unique liberal arts institution. Thanks to its commitment to service and student-first approach, the school has a curriculum very different from other schools in the same category.
Hence, if you are interested in a Jesuit education and thrive in a less-structured environment, then Holy Cross may be the school for you.
However, if you are going to apply to Holy Cross, you need to follow their focus on individualism and service. All of your application materials, especially the essay, and the interview, must explain your own unique qualities and desire to help others.
Meanwhile, it doesn’t mean that you can ignore your grades. Though Holy Cross does not have minimum GPA or test score requirements, however, its accepted students do desire to have high grades.
So, if you are ready to continue your personal growth and learn how to benefit your community, then these requirements are small challenges to overcome.