Hi everyone! I'm thinking about applying to Claremont McKenna College, but I'm not sure about their SAT requirements. Does anyone know the average SAT scores for accepted students? I'd appreciate your help.
Hello! For the 2024-2025 application cycle, Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a test-optional school, which means that submitting your SAT scores is optional and not required for your application. If you believe your test scores will help strengthen your application, you may choose to submit them. However, if you think your scores do not accurately represent your abilities, you can still apply without them, and CMC will fully consider your application.
That being said, CMC is quite a selective school, and at such institutions you generally want to showcase your strengths in as many ways as possible, so there are many instances where including a test score with your application would be a good idea. For detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/
In terms of a target score, accepted students at CMC typically have an SAT score around 1500. Keep in mind, this is just a general reference, and CMC will take other factors such as your academic performance, extracurricular activities, and personal essays into account during their holistic review process.
If you're looking for tips on how to strengthen your overall application to CMC, check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which breaks down how to tackle their school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-claremont-mckenna-college-essays/. After all, at competitive schools like CMC, most students have strong academic credentials, so the more subjective personal qualities displayed in the essays can be just the thing admissions officers rely on to make their final decisions.
Good luck with your application!
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