Amherst College
What Amherst College's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
See your odds at Amherst College →All 5 insights at Amherst College PRO
InternationalAmherst College
International applicants face 5.3× tougher odds at Amherst College.
1.4% of international applicants are admitted, against 7.7% overall.
Overall7.7%
International1.4%
Source: Amherst College's Common Data Set 2025-26
Early DecisionAmherst College
Amherst College's ED number is inflated.
22% of Early Decision applicants get in, but that pool includes recruited athletes and legacies, admitted at far higher rates. Without them, our estimate is about 17%. Everyone else: 6.8%.
ED, as reported22%
ED, without hooks (estimate)≈17%
Everyone else6.8%
Source: Amherst College's Common Data Set 2025-26; hooked share is an estimate (A12)
Getting harderAmherst College
Getting into Amherst College is 1.7× harder than in 2018.
The admit rate fell from 13% (2018-19) to 7.7% (2025-26).
2018-1913%
2025-267.7%
Source: Amherst College's Common Data Set 2025-26
MoneyAmherst College
Amherst College meets 100% of need.
The average need-based grant is $76,445 a year, against tuition of $73,140.
Average grant$76k
Tuition$73k
Source: Amherst College's Common Data Set 2025-26
ApplicationsAmherst College
Applications to Amherst College are up 63%.
From 9,724 in 2018-19 to 15,819 in 2025-26.
2018-199,724
2025-2615,819
Source: Amherst College's Common Data Set 2025-26
9 more things the data says PRO
- ED applicants were admitted at 22%, against 6.8% for everyone else: 3.3 times the rate.
- The admit rate has moved down steadily, from 12.8% in 2018-19 to 7.7% in 2025-26. If the trend holds, expect about 6.9% in 2026-27.
- 40% of admitted students chose to enroll, lower than every similar college.
- After ED, 269 of 485 seats were left for 14,848 other applicants: about one seat for every 55.
- Early Decision filled about 45% of the 2025-26 first-year class, less than most similar colleges.
- It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
- 740 students stayed on the waitlist and 44 were admitted from it (5.9%).
- Applications rose 63% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (9,724 to 15,819), faster than 75% of colleges here.
- Men were admitted at a lower rate: 8.1% for women against 7.3% for men.
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- Of 38 admits who named a round, 32 applied Regular Decision, 4 Early Action and 2 Early Decision.
- About 20 admits did research or a field-related internship, from labs and museums to legislative offices.
- Many admits led for years as president, captain or officer of clubs, bands, math teams and student government.
- About 14 admits started a club, nonprofit, program or business of their own.
- About 12 admits were serious debaters, writers or journalists, often as captain, editor or coach.
- Students note Amherst's early decision rate runs well above peers' and above its regular rate, though it is still very selective.
- Test-optional applicants are common at Amherst, but students warn scores far below its range (about 1480 at the 25th percentile) can hurt.
- Students report Amherst is need-blind and generous, with several international admits getting full aid, though some families found offers tight.
Every number, year by year: Amherst College on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.