Admission to Berea College is academically competitive. We have a limited number of spaces in each year’s entering class, so we are looking for students who have strong academic potential and financial need. Furthermore, the College restricts first-year admission to students who have not previously earned a Bachelor’s degree.
Most of our students score between 20 and 30 on the ACT (or SAT equivalent) and have a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0 in a strong college prep curriculum. Students may take either the ACT or SAT or apply test-optional.
We also consider other factors such as community service, leadership qualities, and levels of motivation. We strongly recommend the following high school curriculum:
- Four (4) units of English (including composition, rhetoric, and literature)
- Three (3) units of Mathematics (at least Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry)
- Two (2) units of Laboratory Science
- Two (2) units of Social Science/History (including World History)
- Two (2) units of a foreign language
High school transcripts and official score reports are required for the evaluation of academic qualifications.
The College’s mission is to serve students of academic promise with limited financial means which requires the Office of Admissions to assess an applicant’s financial eligibility. All students are required to submit the FAFSA to complete an application file and students who qualify for the Federal Pell Grant typically meet the College’s financial eligibility requirement. Many factors are considered when determining a student’s financial eligibility, primarily using the FAFSA, but in some cases a student may be required to submit a Financial Resource Questionnaire, Non-Custodial Financial Questionnaire, Self-Employed/Business Owner Questionnaire or additional documentation to ultimately determine an applicant’s financial eligibility.
We provide a Financial Eligibility Quick Estimator to help applicants and families determine if they will meet the College’s financial eligibility requirement. We highly recommend using the estimator before a student applies or visits campus.
Generally speaking, the earlier you apply and complete all components of your application the better your chances of admission. However, admission to Berea College is very competitive and simply meeting a deadline does not guarantee acceptance.
| First-Years | Early Action I | Early Action II | Regular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Deadline | November 15 | January 31 | March 31 |
| Decision Notification | mid-late December | mid-late February | early April |
| Deposit Due | May 1 | May 1 | May 1 |
| Transfers | Priority | Regular |
|---|---|---|
| Application Deadline | February 1 | March 31 |
| Decision Notification | Mid-February | Early April |
| Deposit Due | May 1 | May 1 |
| Readmits | Spring Term | Summer Term | Fall Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Deadline | October 1 | February 1 | February 1 |
| Decision Notification | mid-October | mid-March | mid-March |
| Deposit Due | November 1 | April 1 | April 1 |
At Berea College, we take our admissions decisions seriously. When we review your application, we’ll consider more than just numbers on a piece of paper.
We will evaluate all of the elements in your application file, including your transcripts, test scores, and recommendations. This provides us with a complete picture of who you are as a student and who you hope to become.
Our Admissions Decision Team carefully considers every application for admission and scholarship to Berea College. You can count on our team of dedicated professionals to consider you based on your merit, financial need, and ability to contribute to our educational community.
Berea College operates as rolling admissions; however interested students are strongly encouraged to apply early and meet priority deadlines. The College maintains an open admissions policy for all applicants and considers students regardless of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.
The admissions process conducts a holistic review of each applicant. Many factors are considered in the selection of an applicant, including a properly completed application, official academic records, test scores, and financial eligibility. In addition to these components, we value and assess recommendations and endorsements, Admissions Counselor conversations, extracurricular and co-curricular activities (e.g. music ensembles, athletics, theatre), community service, character and personal qualities, social maturity and demonstrated interest in the College.
Please be aware that we do not offer or accept any bribe, reward or remuneration to influence an admissions decision, housing, scholarship, or financial aid. In addition, the Admissions staff does not work for the College as a commissioned employee.