← All Colleges

How to Get Into College of the Atlantic

Bar Harbor, ME · Private nonprofit · 2025-2026 cycle · Verified data

College of the Atlantic Admissions Statistics

70%
Acceptance Rate
660-730
SAT Reading (mid 50%)
580-700
SAT Math (mid 50%)
353
Undergrads
68%
Graduation Rate

How to Actually Get Into College of the Atlantic

The bar here is clear

College of the Atlantic admits most qualified applicants. Clear the academic bar (the ranges below) and your odds are strong. The real questions become fit, cost, and whether it earns its slot on your list, not whether you can get in.

Position your scores against the real bands

The middle 50% of enrolled students sits around 1240-1430 combined SAT. Above the 75th percentile, scores work for you and this can behave like a target. 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

College of the Atlantic 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 College of the Atlantic, 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 College of the Atlantic fits.

College of the Atlantic Application Deadlines (2025-2026)

Round Deadline
Early Action (EA) December 1, 2025
Early Decision (ED) November 15, 2025
Early Decision II (ED II) January 15, 2026
Regular Decision (RD) February 1, 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 $0
Test scores Not required (test-optional)
Writing supplement Not required
Counselor recommendation Required
Teacher evaluations 1

College of the Atlantic Cost & Financial Aid

Total cost of attendance (sticker, per year) $58,266
Tuition & fees $47,997
Room & board (on campus) $10,404
Average net price (aid-receiving families) $25,184

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 $20,415
$30-48k $13,942
$48-75k $16,650
$75-110k $26,266
$110k+ $34,684
28%
Students receiving Pell Grants
53%
Students taking federal loans
85%
Freshman retention rate
9:1
Student-faculty ratio

These are averages, not your number. Get your family's actual price in about 10 minutes:

Use College of the Atlantic's Official Net Price Calculator →

More College of the Atlantic Data, Coming Soon

We're building the deepest per-school database in admissions. Rolling out for College of the Atlantic:

Programs & Majors Soon Every degree program at College of the Atlantic, with outcomes
Transfer Pathways Soon How to transfer into College of the Atlantic, and where transfers come from
Institutional Aid Soon College of the Atlantic's own grants and how they're awarded
Private Scholarships Soon Outside scholarships College of the Atlantic students actually win

Similar Schools