University

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts, United States

Verified · last verified 2026-09-02

University details

Institution type: Private, nonprofit
Campus setting: Urban
Application platforms: Not available
Testing policy: Not available
In-state tuition: $70,480
Out-of-state tuition: $70,480
Cost of attendance: Not available (2024–2025)
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,911

Website

Common Data Set

Institution-reported facts by reporting cycle. Missing and withheld values are shown explicitly.

2024–2025 · most recent available

First-year admission rate

9.0%

Calculated from applications and admissions reported in CDS C1. This is a factual calculation, not a CollegePath rating.

Testing

ACT Composite · 75th percentile (C9): 35 score
Enrolled students submitting scores · SAT (C9): 39%
Enrolled students submitting scores · ACT (C9): 22%
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing · 25th percentile (C9): 740 score
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing · 75th percentile (C9)

Majors

Anthropology
Social Sciences
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation
Architecture and Related Services
Area Studies
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Physical Sciences
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biology, General
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Chemistry
Physical Sciences
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Computer Science
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

Deadlines

Early decision · 2026–2027
2026-11-09 — First-year deadline listed in the Common App 2026–2027 Requirements Grid, updated 2026-08-14.
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf
Regular decision · 2026–2027
2027-01-05 — First-year deadline listed in the Common App 2026–2027 Requirements Grid, updated 2026-08-14.
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf

Supplemental essays

How many responses?

1 supplementary essay (choose Option A, B, or C)

Amherst requires every first-year applicant to satisfy the supplementary writing requirement; Option A is one of three 350-word prompts, Option B is a graded paper, and Option C is limited to A2A applicants.

2026–2027

Required · First-year applicants (Option A, choose one)
What does curiosity mean to you? How do you experience curiosity in your own life?
Limit: 350 words — Amherst writing supplement Option A prompt 1.
https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/writingsupplement
Required · First-year applicants (Option A, choose one)
In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?
Limit: 350 words — Amherst writing supplement Option A prompt 2.
https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/writingsupplement

Application requirements

2026–2027

Application fee · Required
Value: $75
First-year U.S. application fee listed in the Common App 2026–2027 Requirements Grid, updated 2026-08-28.
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf
Fee waiver · Optional
Value: Accepted
Common App fee-waiver availability listed in the 2026–2027 Requirements Grid, updated 2026-08-28.
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf
Personal essay · Required
The Common App personal essay is marked required in the Common App 2026–2027 Requirements Grid, updated 2026-08-28.
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf
Supplemental essays · Required

Sources

Direct sources supporting this university’s facts, with retrieval dates.

Secondary source · supports requirements:2026–2027
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf
Retrieved 2026-09-02 — Common App member-reported first-year fee, waiver, and personal-essay fields; grid updated 2026-08-28.
Official source · supports supplemental_essays:2026–2027
https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/writingsupplement
Retrieved 2026-09-02 — Official Amherst page states every first-year applicant must submit one supplementary essay and lists the 2026–27 options.
Common App 2026–2027 Requirements Grid · supports deadlines:2026–2027
https://content.commonapp.org/Files/ReqGrid.pdf
Retrieved 2026-08-20 — Common App member-reported first-year deadlines; grid updated 2026-08-14.
Official source

SAT Math · 25th percentile (C9)

750 score

SAT Math · 75th percentile (C9)

800 score

ACT Composite · 25th percentile (C9)

33 score

First-year admission

High-school GPA distribution · GPA 4.0 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 3.75-3.99 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 3.50-3.74 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 3.25-3.49 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 3.00-3.24 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 2.50-2.99 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 2.00-2.49 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA 1.00-1.99 (C11): Not reported by institution
High-school GPA distribution · GPA below 1.0 (C11): Not reported by institution
Average high-school GPA (C12): Not reported by institution
First-year applications (C1): 13,743 applicants
First-year students admitted (C1): 1,238 students
First-year students enrolled (C1): 480 students

Academics and class size

Student-to-faculty ratio (I2): 7:1

Enrollment

Undergraduate enrollment (B1): Not reported by institution
Full-time undergraduate enrollment (B1): Not reported by institution
Part-time undergraduate enrollment (B1): Not reported by institution

Source: Amherst College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Retrieved 2026-09-02

Open the official institutional source

Document ID: url:https://www.amherst.edu/offices/ir · Import: cds-2026-09-v46

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

Visual and Performing Arts

Economics

Social Sciences

English Language and Literature, General

English Language and Literature/Letters

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

Visual and Performing Arts

Fine and Studio Arts

Visual and Performing Arts

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

Physical Sciences

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies

Legal Professions and Studies

Mathematics

Mathematics and Statistics

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

Music

Visual and Performing Arts

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

Natural Resources and Conservation

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Philosophy

Philosophy and Religious Studies

Physics

Physical Sciences

Political Science and Government

Social Sciences

Religion/Religious Studies

Philosophy and Religious Studies

Research and Experimental Psychology

Psychology

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education

Education

Sociology

Social Sciences

Statistics

Mathematics and Statistics

Required · First-year applicants (Option A, choose one)

Tell us about a time that you engaged with a viewpoint different from your own. How did you enter that engagement, and what did you learn about yourself from it?

Limit: 350 words — Amherst writing supplement Option A prompt 3.

https://www.amherst.edu/admission/apply/firstyear/writingsupplement

Value: 1 supplementary essay (choose Option A, B, or C)

Retrieved 2026-06-10