How to get into Grinnell
What 72 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 182 Grinnell results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Grinnell? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Grinnell admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.92
Middle half 3.81 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,490
Middle half 1,450 to 1,530
Median ACT
34
Middle half 32 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.43
Middle half 4.21 to 4.64
Results posted: 72 admitted, 39 rejected, 71 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Grinnell acceptance rate; the official rate is in Grinnell’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.92 | 3.90 |
| SAT | 1,490 | 1,500 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Grinnell admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service68%
- Music42%
- Work/Job42%
- Debate/MUN/Speech39%
- Athletics36%
- STEM club/competition35%
- Research33%
- Tutoring/Teaching33%
Held a leadership role
86%
Founded something
31%
National or intl. award
74%
Did research
33%
Intended majors of Grinnell admits
- Computer Science17%
- Economics10%
- Political Science8%
- Engineering7%
- Psychology7%
- English/Writing6%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 15% first-generation, 25% low income, 14% underrepresented minority, 8% legacy, 4% recruited athlete and 8% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 23% chose Grinnell.
Three recent Grinnell admits
2026 cycle · RD · Undecided
Humanities-focused musician and artist who led Model UN and freelanced for a newspaper.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1500 · Original post
2026 cycle · Political Science
Mixed-race Southern student leader in track, swimming, service, and psychology-focused volunteering.
GPA 3.92 UW · ACT 26 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · English/Writing
Homeschooled Classics applicant with extensive music, tutoring, and writing involvement and a humorous personal statement.
GPA 3.99 UW · SAT 1480 · Original post
Where else Grinnell admits got in
Grinnell admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Grinnell?
- Among 72 applicants who posted a Grinnell admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.92 and the middle half reported 3.81 to 4.00 (62 reported a GPA). Grinnell sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Grinnell?
- Among 72 applicants who posted a Grinnell admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,490 and the middle half scored 1,450 to 1,530 (49 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- What extracurriculars do Grinnell admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (68%), music (42%), work/job (42%), debate/mun/speech (39%). 86% held at least one leadership role and 74% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Grinnell acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Grinnell in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Grinnell?
A Specialist who got into a school like Grinnell can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Grinnell. All colleges