Admission Profile

Emerson College is a member of the Common Application and we require an Application Supplement. Students can find the steps to apply online. Applicants for programs in the Performing Arts or Film must fulfill additional requirements.

The academic preparation for successful candidates should include four years of English and three years each of mathematics, science, social science, and three years of a single foreign language. The admission committee is interested in how students have challenged themselves academically, balancing hard work with extracurricular activities.

Profile for the Incoming Class of 2016

The 868 students who entered in September combined impressive academic records with a variety of co-curricular activities and special achievements.

Freshman Admission

Applied: 7,465
Admitted: 3,615 (48%)
Enrolled: 868 (24%)

Gender: 307 men (35%), 561 women (65%)

Grade Point Average: 3.6 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)*
*89% of secondary schools reported a GPA

Class Rank*
38% graduated in the top 10 percent
77% graduated in the top quarter
93% graduated in the top half
*23% of secondary schools reported a rank in class

Standard Test Scores
SAT Middle 50% Composite: 1760–1970
SAT Critical Reading: 590–680
SAT Math: 560–650
SAT Writing: 590–680

ACT Middle 50% Composite 26–29

Secondary Schools
74% enrolled from public schools
26% enrolled from independent, parochial, and international schools

English as a Second Language
If English is not your first language, a minimum iBT TOEFL score of 80 or IELTS score of 7 is required.

Transfer Admission

We welcomed 182 transfer students this fall. They came from other four-year colleges and universities as well as two-year community colleges. Some transfers had a semester or a full year of coursework, while others had earned an associate’s degree and were seeking to continue in a four-year program.

Applied: 747
Admitted: 475 (64%)
Enrolled: 182 (38%)

Gender: 65 men (36%), 117 women (64%)

College Grade Point Average: 3.2 (4.0 scale)