Amherst College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Amherst, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · Most selective
Amherst College is a private institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Amherst College admits fewer than 10% of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 10%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1494 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,246 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Amherst College is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Amherst College?
Successful applicants to Amherst College typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores Amherst College typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 670–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 720. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 31–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
How much does Amherst College actually cost?
Published tuition is $67,280 for in-state students and $67,280 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,560 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $18,246 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Other colleges in Massachusetts parents ask about
- Harvard University3% acceptance
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology5% acceptance
- Boston University11% acceptance
- Boston College16% acceptance
- Tufts University10% acceptance
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst85% acceptance
- University of Massachusetts-Boston58% acceptance
- Northeastern University6% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Amherst College
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Amherst College recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Amherst College
What GPA do I need for Amherst College?
Successful applicants to Amherst College typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses.
What SAT or ACT score does Amherst College typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 670–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 720. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 31–35.
How much does Amherst College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Amherst College after grants and scholarships is $18,246 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Amherst College realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Amherst College is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.