Colgate University
What Colgate University's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
See your odds at Colgate University →All 8 insights at Colgate University PRO
International applicants face 4.0× tougher odds at Colgate University.
4.4% of international applicants are admitted, against 18% overall.
Colgate University's ED number is inflated.
36% 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 31%. Everyone else: 16%.
At Colgate University, women get in 1.3× as often.
Women are admitted at 19%, men at 15%.
Colgate University's waitlist is a long shot: 1.8%.
23 of 1,281 students who stayed on the list got in.
Applications to Colgate University are up 78%.
From 9,716 in 2018-19 to 17,310 in 2025-26.
Colgate University meets 100% of need.
The average need-based grant is $72,605 a year, against tuition of $73,206.
At most 39% of Colgate University's first-years sent an SAT or ACT.
23% sent an SAT and 16% an ACT (some sent both), so most enrolled without a score. SAT middle 50% among those who sent: 1450–1510.
59% of Colgate University's class is filled in Early Decision.
That leaves about 328 seats for 15,968 applicants outside ED.
10 more things the data says PRO
- After ED, 328 of 805 seats were left for 15,968 other applicants: about one seat for every 49.
- The share of international students in the first-year class has fallen from 10% to 7% since 2019-20, about 0.5 points a year.
- 1,281 students stayed on the waitlist and 23 were admitted from it (1.8%).
- ED applicants were admitted at 36%, against 16.0% for everyone else: 2.2 times the rate.
- 27% of admitted students chose to enroll, lower than 91% of similar colleges.
- Early Decision filled about 59% of the 2025-26 first-year class, less than most similar colleges.
- Applications rose 78% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (9,716 to 17,310), faster than 87% of colleges here.
- Only 23% of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score, so its SAT range describes a minority of the class.
- It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
- Men were admitted at a lower rate: 19.5% for women against 15.3% for men.
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- All 17 admits who named a round applied Regular Decision.
- Most admits who shared scores had 3.7 to 4.0 GPAs and SAT scores of about 1400-1560 or ACT 31-36.
- Many admits did years of debate, speech or Model UN, often founding or leading a team, tutoring group or nonprofit.
- Many admits were team captains or national-level athletes, in sports like swimming, tennis, soccer and martial arts.
- Some admits had research, like quantum physics, lab internships, aerofoil work or published research.
- Students report Colgate gives no merit aid, only need-based grants, which some parents see as a drawback when comparing offers.
- Students report waitlist offers come with only a couple of days to decide, and advise sending a letter of continued interest with real updates.
- Students report strong aid for international applicants is hard to get, and one who requested significant aid was rejected.
Every number, year by year: Colgate University on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.