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Davidson College is a highly ranked, North Carolina-based liberal arts college. And, yes, NBA legend Steph Curry is an alum. It is one of the very best such institutions in the Southern United States; many comparable highly selective liberal arts schools are situated in the Northeast (Colby, Colgate, Wesleyan, etc.). Like many of its peer institutions, the number of applications has risen while the acceptance rate has dropped steadily over the last several years. Getting in can be a daunting endeavor—the average SAT is right around 1400 and the vast majority of students earned straight A’s in high school (with maybe an occasional A- mixed in).

In order to help you prepare for the challenges ahead on the path to becoming a Wildcat, this article will touch on the following topics:

• Davidson College’s Class of 2028 acceptance rate plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
• Davidson College’s Early Decision acceptance rate
• SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Davidson College applicants
• Admissions trends
• Davidson College’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current Davidson College undergraduates
• The percent of accepted students that attend Davidson College (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to Davidson College
• How to assess whether applying to Davidson College is even worth the $50 application fee (for you)

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Davidson College Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

Davidson received 8,114 applications for the Class of 2028 — an all-time high. Of these applicants, Davidson admitted 1,085, which gives Davidson an acceptance rate of 13.3%, an all-time low.

Historical Davidson acceptance rates are as follows:

Davidson College Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent Davidson College ED acceptance rate data is from the Class of 2028, which saw 1,141 students apply via binding Early Decision and 345 gain acceptance. This 30% acceptance rate is twice as high as the overall acceptance rate. (Early Decision enrolled numbers include QuestBridge, Posse Miami and Virtual cohorts, recruited athletes who committed to Davidson, and students who deferred their enrollment by one year.)

Finally, Davidson offers two rounds of Early Decision—one in mid-November and one in early January.

What GPA do you need to get into Davidson?

Among enrolled 2024-2025 first-year students, the average GPA was 3.86. Moreover, 40.5% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 33% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Only 26% of students had a GPA of less than 3.74.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Davidson?

77% of the 2024-25 cohort placed in the top decile of their high school class and 90% finished at least in the top quartile.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Davidson?

For Class of 2028 members, the mid-50% SAT EBRW range was 700-750 and the SAT Math range was 710-780. The mid-50% ACT range was 31-34. It is also important to point out that a bit over half of enrolled students applied with test scores.

Admissions Trends & Notes

• Applications for the Class of 2028 jumped 10% year-over-year.
• Davidson no longer considers legacy status during the admissions process.
• International students make up about 11% of Davidson’s undergraduate population and come from more than 50 countries.
• Class of 2028 enrolled students hailed from 452 different high schools.
• The ED acceptance rate has dropped 20+ points over the last two years.

How Davidson College Rates Applicants

Davidson College lists three factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, recommendations, and character/personal qualities. The only item that is “important” as part of the admissions process is the application essay. Interestingly, in an unusual move, GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities are all relegated to “considered” status.

For a slightly different look at Davidson’s institutional priorities, we go right to their own admissions office. This is a school that considers “a broad range of achievement, recognizing that excellence comes in many forms.” In order of importance, Davidson emphasizes the following in reviewing applications:

• Rigor – The difficulty of high school course selections
• Success – Grades received in an applicant’s particular course of study
• Writing ability and personal impact – An evaluation of essays and recommendations
• Involvement, leadership, and service – The depth and breadth of extracurricular pursuits
• Testing – Students may choose to submit scores on the SAT and/or ACT. Davidson does not consider the writing portion of either test. Students may self-report or submit official scores for the application review process. All enrolling students must submit official scores. 

Since Davidson wants to see achievement and leadership outside of the classroom as well, it’s important to grasp what highly competitive colleges are looking for when evaluating extracurricular activities. In short, they are looking for commitment and achievement in 2-3 core areas. For more, check out our blog entitled: How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Who Actually Gets Into Davidson?

Let’s look at the demographics of Davidson College’s undergraduate student body.

The regional representation among the Class of 2028 is as follows:

• Mid-Atlantic: 12.7%
• West: 16.2%
• Midwest: 7.3%
• Northeast 11.7%
• South: 39.2%
• International: 12.9%

Historically, the greatest percentage of international students come from the following countries:

• China
• United Kingdom
• Greece
• India
• Japan

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2028 was as follows:

• White: 58%
• Asian: 4.4%
• Hispanic: 12%
• Black or African American: 7%

A look at the gender split reveals that the university enrolled a roughly even number of men and women into the Class of 2028:

• Men: 48%
• Women: 52%

Members of the Class of 2028 attended the following types of high schools:

• Public: 55%
• Independent: 31.7%
• Non-Traditional or International: 13%

Davidson College’s Yield Rate

Davidson College’s yield rate is 47.7%. For comparison, other top liberal arts schools have the following yields: Wesleyan University (36%), Haverford College (44%), and Vassar (31%).

Tips for Applying to Davidson College

If you plan on joining the 8,000+ Davidson College hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• Firstly, if Davidson is your top choice, you’ll want to strongly consider applying ED I by November 15 or ED II by January 5. The Regular Decision deadline falls on January 12.
• Davidson made their test-optional policy permanent in 2022.
• This school does not use interviews as part of their evaluation process, however, applicants are encouraged to or reach out to a with questions.
• Davidson utilizes a Peer Recommendation that is to be completed by a classmate or close friend. This uncommon addition to the application can help paint a more complete portrait of a prospective candidate.
• Davidson College will judge your level of “demonstrated interest.” We suggest making the effort to follow them on social media, sign up for a virtual info session, visit campus (if possible), contact an admissions officer, etc.
• Prospective Wildcats can apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application.
• You’ll need to submit a Mid-Year Report in late February so remember to keep those grades up throughout your senior year of high school.
• Lastly, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the two supplemental writing prompts offered by Davidson College. In the 2025-26 cycle, they were as follows:

Prompt 1: There are just under 3,000 4-year colleges and universities in the United States. Being as specific as possible, what interests you most about Davidson College (250-300 words)

Prompt 2: Davidson encourages students to explore curiosities in and out of the classroom. What is a topic, activity or idea that excites you? Tell us why. Examples may include hobbies, books, interactions, music, podcasts, movies, etc. (250-300 words)

Should I Apply to Davidson?

Just about everyone admitted to Davidson finished near the top of their high school class, and 84% possessed at least a 3.5 cumulative unweighted GPA in a rigorous curriculum. If you check those boxes, then you may be a competitive applicant at Davidson and, if the school is a good fit for you, submitting an application will certainly be worth your time and $50.

Davidson Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

Most students applying to a school of Davidson’s caliber also need to have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.

Ready to start crafting your college applications? Consider checking out the following resources:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts
• How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?