St Olaf College: insights · College Underdog

St Olaf College

What St Olaf College's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.

InternationalSt Olaf College

19% of international applicants are admitted, against 43% overall.

Overall43%

International19%

Source: St Olaf College's Common Data Set 2025-26

Women and menSt Olaf College

Women are admitted at 49%, men at 37%.

Women49%

Men37%

Source: St Olaf College's Common Data Set 2025-26

WaitlistSt Olaf College

23 of 472 students who stayed on the list got in.

Admitted off the list4.9%

Not admitted95%

Source: St Olaf College's Common Data Set 2025-26

Who says yesSt Olaf College

Only 25% of admits enroll, so St Olaf College admits far more students than it has seats.

Enroll25%

Go elsewhere75%

Source: St Olaf College's Common Data Set 2025-26

MoneySt Olaf College

The average need-based grant is $56,959 a year, against tuition of $65,700.

Average grant$57k

Tuition$66k

Source: St Olaf College's Common Data Set 2025-26

Only 13% of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score, so its SAT range describes a minority of the class.
After ED, 501 of 778 seats were left for 6,806 other applicants: about one seat for every 14.
ED applicants were admitted at 55%, against 42.5% for everyone else: 1.3 times the rate.
Early Decision filled about 36% of the 2025-26 first-year class, more than 50% of similar colleges.
It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
472 students stayed on the waitlist and 23 were admitted from it (4.9%).
Men were admitted at a lower rate: 49.4% for women against 36.7% for men.
Applications rose 33% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (5,496 to 7,310), faster than 54% of colleges here.

From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.

Most admits who posted held leadership roles, such as club founder, captain, council president or section leader, often in two or more groups.
Strong music, theater or arts involvement was common among admits, including choir, orchestra, a cappella, color guard and drama.
Some admits worked a part-time job or did steady service, such as cashier work, food shelf volunteering or tutoring.
A few admits showed a clear major link, such as published research and ventures for business or a museum and arts-club record for art history.
Students report large merit scholarships and generous net prices, sometimes below an in-state public school, though some aid offers still left a gap.
Students report international applicants face much lower odds, with about 18.5 percent admitted versus about half of out-of-state applicants.
Students report some applicants are interviewed with admissions staff, but not all, and interview contact varies by program.
Some students say applicants with a very low family contribution face lower odds because of how aid is awarded; this is a commenter claim.