Navigating the College of the Holy Cross Admissions Process: A Comprehensive Guide

Gaining admission to the College of the Holy Cross, a highly selective institution, requires careful preparation and a strategic approach. This guide provides a detailed overview of the admissions requirements, application process, and key factors that influence admission decisions.

Understanding the Admissions Landscape

The College of the Holy Cross has an acceptance rate of 17.6%, indicating that it is extremely selective. To stand out from the competition, applicants must demonstrate academic excellence, strong extracurricular involvement, and compelling personal qualities.

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross is 17.6%. This signifies that the college is highly selective, and only a small percentage of applicants are admitted each year.

Academic Requirements: GPA and Standardized Tests

Academic performance is a critical component of the admissions process. Holy Cross evaluates applicants based on their GPA, course rigor, and, if submitted, standardized test scores.

GPA Expectations

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. Holy Cross requires you to be near the top of your class, and well above average. Your transcript should show mostly A's. The school average is 3.81.

Standardized Testing Policy

Holy Cross adopted a test-optional policy in 2005. Submitting these scores is entirely optional, and if you choose not to submit them, you will not be at any disadvantage. If you choose to submit your test scores, you may self-report your scores on the Common App or Coalition Application, or request that your scores be sent to the College.

Even though College of the Holy Cross likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 27 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application.

SAT: The 25th percentile SAT score is 1250, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1410.
ACT: The 25th percentile ACT score is 27, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 32. The average ACT score at College of the Holy Cross is 30.

To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1410 SAT or a 32 ACT. You should also have a 3.81 GPA or higher. But if you apply with a score below a 1410 SAT or a 32 ACT, you unfortunately start out with the odds against you and have a tiny chance of getting in.

Application Options and Deadlines

Holy Cross offers Early Decision and Regular Decision admission options for first-year applicants. Applying Early Decision represents a commitment to attend Holy Cross, if you are admitted, and the related deadlines follow an accelerated schedule.

Early Decision I: Students applying Early Decision I must interview by November 15. The Early Decision Deadline is Nov.
Early Decision II: Students applying Early Decision II must interview by December 5.
Regular Decision: The application deadline at College of the Holy Cross is Jan. 15.

If you’re an Early Decision candidate, you should choose Early Decision as your admission plan on either the Holy Cross Member Screen (Common Application) or the Holy Cross Application Question Section (Coalition Application). Please select Early Decision as your admission application type.

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Required Application Materials

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews.

Application Form: Complete either the Common Application or the Coalition Application.
High School Transcript: Submit an official high school transcript showcasing your academic performance.
Letters of Recommendation: One teacher recommendation is required, but more than one may be submitted. Recommendation are considered very important for admissions officials at College of the Holy Cross.
Extracurricular Activities: Demonstrate your interests and talents through extracurricular involvement. If you’re a student with strong extracurricular interests, we invite you to submit samples of your talent. These materials may be sent as images (jpg, png, gif), videos (mov, wmv, flv, mp4), PDFs or MP3s.
Interviews: Interviews are highly encouraged for all applicants, and are available until mid-November for Early Decision candidates and until mid-December for Early Decision II and Regular Decision candidates. Appointments are taken online. Go here to schedule your interview.
Essays: Craft compelling essays that showcase your personality, experiences, and aspirations.

Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid is a key part of the admission process. We’re committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need at the time of admission for all accepted students.

Holy Cross Admission and Financial Aid Office use your Social Security number (SSN) to ensure they are able to correctly match your Holy Cross QuestBridge Questionnaire with your FAFSA and CSS Profile records. If you do not report or incorrectly report your SSN on any one of these three forms, they may be unable to match your records to complete your application.

If your parents are divorced or separated: Both of your biological/adoptive parent(s) will complete their own CSS Profile with different log-in credentials. After completion of the CSS Profile, generally within 1-3 business days, you will receive information from the College Board regarding how to submit tax documentation via IDOC, the College Board’s secure online documentation service. Submit your signed 2024 1040 federal tax return, with all schedules, attachments, W-2 forms and other earning statements. Include personal and corporate partnership tax returns (IRS 1065, 1120, 1120-S). Your non-custodial parent must also submit copies of their 2024 federal income tax returns, signed with all schedules, attachments, W-2 forms and other earning statements.

FAFSA code: 002141 Submit as soon as availableThe FAFSA form will be available in the fall. Citizens and Eligible Noncitizens only.

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Transfer Students

Holy Cross welcomes second- and third-year transfer students. Second year and third year students are considered for transfer admission. Applicants must complete two full-time semesters of college work prior to admission. First year transfers are not considered. Housing and Financial Aid are available for transfer students. Interviews for transfer students are highly encouraged and can be scheduled by calling 508-793-2443.

Curriculum and Academic Opportunities

All students must fulfill the requirements of a major, which normally consists of a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14 courses selected from a group of courses within a department. Certain courses, however, may not count toward the minimum or maximum number of courses in a given department, and some departments require additional courses in allied fields.

Common requirements include one course each in Arts, Literature, Studies in Religion, Philosophical Studies, Historical Studies and Cross-Cultural Studies; and two courses each in Language Studies, Social Science and Natural and Mathematical Sciences.

A double major is one of the curriculum options available at the College. Students desiring double-major status must receive the approval of the chairs of the departments the student is entering and the class dean. An application for double-major status must receive approval in time to allow completion of all requirements for both majors with the normal eight semesters of enrollment. For more details about the requirements of individual majors, please visit the corresponding department pages or consult the College Catalog.

Students are not required to have a minor field of study but are invited to consider such an option in designing their undergraduate curriculum. For information on the requirements for completion of individual minors, please visit the corresponding department pages, or consult the College Catalog. Information on student-designed multidisciplinary minors can be found on the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies page.

Students are not required to have a concentration but are invited to consider such an option in designing their undergraduate curriculum. Concentrations are the equivalent of multidisciplinary minors in four established programs: Africana Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. More information on concentrations can be found on the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies page. For details about the requirements of individual concentrations, please visit the corresponding concentration pages or consult the College Catalog.

Additional Information

International Students: We welcome applications from international students. International applicants may apply Early Decision or Regular Decision.
Fee Waivers: Holy Cross honors many fee waivers, including the Common App fee waiver request, initiated by your high school counselor.
Application Status Portal: College of the Holy Cross Application Status Portal ActivationQuestBridge will send Finalists’ applications to college partners on October 21, and College of the Holy Cross may need a couple of days to import them into their system.
(Optional) Test Scores SAT code: 3282ACT code: 1810 Holy Cross accepts self-reported test scores.
Regular Decision Requirements: Step 1: Select College of the Holy Cross on the QuestBridge Regular Decision Form on your Application Management page between November 4 - December 11. Only check the box if you fully intend to submit a complete application to College of the Holy Cross (including all of the materials detailed in the table below). Step 2: Activate your College of the Holy Cross Applicant Portal. QuestBridge will send Finalists’ applications to College of the Holy Cross on December 16 and College of the Holy Cross may need a couple days to import them into their system.
Please submit only your Midyear Report and any significant and relevant updates. If you no longer wish to be considered, you must contact the Admission Office to withdraw your application.

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