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Academic Eligibility

Prepared to Thrive

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 demonstrated academic potential through coursework, grade point average, and ACT or SAT scores if provided. Furthermore, the College restricts admission to students who have not previously earned a Bachelor’s degree.

High School Curriculum and Courses

We understand not all high schools are created equal. Access to advanced classes, labs, and other learning experiences varies by school. Have you challenged yourself? Have you maximized the rigorous courses available to you? Do all four years of high school demonstrate academic drive? How your transcript answers those questions is important to us.

A college prep curriculum remains an important indicator of college readiness and success. If a student can take advanced coursework (AP, IB, Dual Credit, Honors), we strongly encourage them to do so. On average, admitted students take 65% of their classes from academic areas listed below:

If an applicant’s high school provides class rank information, they must meet the college’s class rank minimum. The current minimum is graduating in the top 3/5^th (60^th percentile) of their senior class. There is no minimum GPA but please know the admissions process is competitive.

Test-Optional Admissions

At Berea College, we have always been committed to a holistic assessment of a student’s application. For that reason, we offer test-optional admissions. Learn more about test-optional admissions.

We are still happy to accept and consider ACT or SAT scores from students who wish to share their scores as part of their application. Students who do not apply test optional most often score between a 22 and 32 on the ACT (or 1120-1420 SAT). Please note that applicants who choose to apply with test scores must meet the minimum ACT or SAT score requirements to be considered for admission.

	Minimum Requirements
Test Score	19 ACT / 980 SAT
Test Subscores	17 ACT / 460 SAT in each subject area

Quick FAQS

It’s rare that we admit students who score below our minimums, but if you choose to apply, we encourage you to apply to other schools as backup options. You may also want to review our test-optional policy.

We approach every application holistically, and upward trajectory on a transcript is taken into consideration. We do not have a minimum GPA so you can still apply, but please know the admissions process is competitive.