HighSchoolOS How to Get Into Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofit · 2025-2026 cycle · Verified data
Claremont McKenna College Admissions Statistics
How to Actually Get Into Claremont McKenna College
Understand what 9.6% really means
Below roughly a 15% admit rate, admissions stops being something you earn cleanly and becomes probabilistic. Nearly everyone who applies to Claremont McKenna College has strong stats, so strong stats get you into contention, not into the class. Treat Claremont McKenna College as a reach no matter your profile, and build real targets and a real safety underneath it. If your list is all schools like this one, your expected outcome is mostly rejections, regardless of how strong you are.
Position your scores against the real bands
The middle 50% of enrolled students sits around 1470-1560 combined SAT or 33-35 ACT. Above the 75th percentile, scores work for you, though at this tier they only buy you a ticket. Below the 25th percentile, the rest of your application has to carry the file, treat it as a reach. Since scores are not required (test-optional) here, submit only if you're inside or above the band; a below-band score is information you don't have to volunteer.
Use the Early Decision round deliberately
Claremont McKenna College offers Early Decision, which is binding. The early bump is real but overstated (hooked applicants cluster early and inflate it). Spend ED once, on the school where it actually moves you a tier, and only if the money works without comparing aid offers. If that school is Claremont McKenna College, the deadline table below is your calendar.
The bigger picture: no single school decides your outcome, the shape of your whole list does. Read how top counselors build a college list before you finalize where Claremont McKenna College fits.
Claremont McKenna College Application Deadlines (2025-2026)
| Round | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Early Decision (ED) | November 1, 2025 |
| Early Decision II (ED II) | January 10, 2026 |
| Regular Decision (RD) | January 10, 2026 |
Deadlines verified from official sources for the 2025-2026 cycle. Rounds change year to year, always confirm on the school's site before submitting.
Application Requirements & Costs
| Application platform | Common App |
| Application fee | $70 |
| Test scores | Not required (test-optional) |
| Writing supplement | Not required |
| Counselor recommendation | Required |
| Teacher evaluations | 1 |
Claremont McKenna College Cost & Financial Aid
| Total cost of attendance (sticker, per year) | $86,500 |
| Tuition & fees | $67,980 |
| Room & board (on campus) | $20,830 |
| Average net price (aid-receiving families) | $28,849 |
What You'd Actually Pay, by Family Income
Average net price per year (after grants and scholarships) for aid-receiving families, from federal College Scorecard data:
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0-30k | $15,308 |
| $30-48k | $7,360 |
| $48-75k | $16,389 |
| $75-110k | $19,325 |
| $110k+ | $52,295 |
These are averages, not your number. Get your family's actual price in about 10 minutes:
Use Claremont McKenna College's Official Net Price Calculator →More Claremont McKenna College Data, Coming Soon
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